Wednesday, December 30, 2009

A Color Guide for Cabinet Door Hardware

Choosing your cabinet door hardware and the finish that will go on them is the most important process of redoing your kitchen cabinets. When people want to create a new look for their kitchen, the easiest way to do that is through the cabinet doors. Changing the finish, the hardware, the color, the style; it all adds up to a different look.

Matching it All

One of the problems that many people face when working with their cabinet restoration is figuring out how to match all the different colors. This means that everything must work together in order to create a seamless, and organized look. The pulls should match the hinges, while the hinges are also matching any latches or handles. Taking your time to match the colors, and styles you pick out of your restoration.

It is All in the Style

Think about the actual composition and style of your kitchen cabinets when choosing the finish. Raised panels, glass inserts, flat wooden doors, and recessed hardware all have a big part to play on the type of finish that is used. Wood cabinet doors are the most common type of cabinet, but there are also metal and plastic doors.

However, when thinking about finish it is important to realize what you are working with. Maple, oak, poplar, pine, cherry, and hickory are all different types of wooden doors. Different finishes will look much different on each one. The color you choose will be a big factor.

Color Matching for Cabinet Door Hardware

There are several different finished as well as styles of hardware. Stains, varnishes, veneers, paint, and glaze are all used for many different applications.

* Stainless Steel Hardware - Door pulls, latches, and hinges that are made from stainless steel should be paired up with a light paint, or light stain.
* Wrought Iron Hardware - A great touch for refinishing your cabinet doors is wrought iron hardware. When you are looking for an elegant look, use a dark stain with your hardware. A glaze finish will also work well when you are using this type of hardware.
* Bronze Hardware - When using bronze cabinet door hardware a light varnish, or stain will help this hardware stand out.
* Dark Pulls or Hardware - When you use a dark colored hardware, use aging techniques that will draw attention to the entire door instead of just a small portion of it. Glazing, distressing, or other antique techniques will pull the entire area together such as the molding, recesses, and other doors.
* Ceramic Hardware - Another popular form of cabinet door hardware is ceramic pulls. When using a ceramic type pull, very light colors are used. Yellows and whites look great with ceramic.

Color Matching for Consistency

If you have several different parts of your kitchen, you will still want to keep the same consistency in the look of your cabinets. For example, if you are suing ceramic hardware along the island cabinets, then using wrought iron above the countertop will look very choppy and keep things separated. Keep everything the same so that you can keep the entire color scheme in line with the hardware.

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