if you are unsure I'd keep on looking until the right one comes along..go with your guts.. not my style of handles I like straight edged clean designs

We did our kitchen around 18 months ago, and yes I agonised over handles. We ended up with a country style kitchen so went with handles, but I didn't like any of the ones available in the shops. I ordered some samples off Australian based ebay shops, which were super cheap and looked so much better than anything I had seen in a catalogue. Quality has been fine, and they ended up costing around $4 each. Have also added them to an Ikea wardrobe and they look great.

Lots of people treat handles as an after-thought, yet they make so much difference to the overall look of your kitchen. When choosing handles on cabinetry, you need to decide on size and location of the handles on the doors and drawers, as well as the style and finish of handle.

Yes, you need to be 100% sold on the handle you choose. You need to get a couple of samples and see what they look like in situ. Don't just buy them all and get them home and find they are the wrong size or finish.

I think the big doors on the right need handles, otherwise they are too hard to open with push catches. The ones in the pic on the doors could be a little smaller if you don't want them to stand out too much.

If the doors and drawers in the pic are the new cabinets, then your handle positions are fixed. Because the are positioned quite close to the top edge, you shouldn't get a thick handle like the one you proposed, otherwise they will appear too close too the edge.

If you want something less noticeable and modern and still a bow handle, I would go for a handle like this:

http://www.furnwaredorset.com.au/Handles-Knobs/Breda-Bow-Handle

It is thinner and simpler than the one you chose, so these will stand out less.

Choosing handles is a balance between practicality, appearance and good positioning. I wouldn't let $4 or $10 get in the way of handle choice. The kitchen is a large investment, so to skimp on the price of the handles would be a false economy.

Not only do handles have to look good but they must also feel lovely in your hand (I hate edges that feel too sharp and square) and be suitably sized for all who live in the house. I really like the bow handle style because they don't catch on clothing as you walk past (handles which are straight and have projecting ends are classic shirt rippers) but you do have to make sure that there is enough clearance for people with large hands to use them comfortably. I have very small hands so this is not my problem but my partner has very large hands and so we have to find a style to suit both of us. I eventually found a lovely style of bow handle in brushed stainless steel with enough clearance in the middle for large hands and a wonderful smooth and surprisingly complex shape on the internal face that is a joy to use. Good handles are worth hunting around for and I have used the same style of handles in bathrooms, laundry and kitchen, in two sizes and placed horizontally on drawers and vertically on cupboards. No regrets at all.

PS We have push to open cupboards in the dining room but I wouldn't have them in the kitchen as wiping finger marks off the doors would be a constant chore. I do a lot of cooking and often have messy hands and with my handles I can even open the rubbish bin drawers with my toes if my hands are really mucky and I don't want to rewash them yet again!

The top and bottom handles seem the sleekest without being sharp to touch . The small holes in the other handles will collect grease and you'll never be able to completely clean them. Like the others, I agree handles are good in kitchens as you may find push catches difficult on bigger doors. Much easier to clean handles than cupboard doors. You can also use the same handle in different sizes on different size cupboard and drawer doors, looks better balanced.

A warm colour metal would be more current than silver.

A kitchen without handles is a featureless kitchen.

Go to www.castella.com.au - beautiful handles for beautiful kitchens

Hi,

I think because your dinning table is in the kitchen you should go no handles. This would make the space look more "open". Push open cupboards are great because you don't have to keep wiping and cleaning around the handles.

Good Luck.

Good point!