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Antique and Decorative Cabinet Hardware for Home Decor

Madhavi Ghare
Antiques never fail to add a charm and class to the interiors of a house. Read on to know about how to choose different types of antique and decorative cabinet hardware.
A cabinet is actually a box-shaped furniture piece which is made out of wood or other materials. It can be used for storage of household items and can be kept in your house. 
Some can be kept as stand-alone cabinets, while some are attached to the wall. They may contain drawers and usually have doors installed on the front of them.
To understand which type of hardware to use, you must consider the material and style of the cabinet and also your home décor. Thus, the type of cabinet hardware or cabinet accessories you choose must be in alignment with or complementary to the styles of both the cabinet itself and your home décor.

The Materials
The cabinet hardware is made of different types of materials, like:
  • Stainless Steel
  • Copper
  • Brass
  • Nickel
  • Bronze
  • Wrought Iron

The Finishes
Most of these cabinet accessories come in different types of finishes. These are:
  • Antique
  • Polished
  • Brushed
  • Burnished
  • Sterling
  • Aged
  • Vintage
  • Pewter
  • Lacquered
  • Un-lacquered
  • Brass
Depending upon the given factors, one must choose the material and finish.

The Parts
Let us now look at the different parts of cabinet hardware to buy:

Screws

This is the most basic part, as you will need screws to fix different parts on to the surfaces of the cabinet.
Often, hardware parts come with matching screws, so you may not need to specifically buy them separately. So, you need to know beforehand if the parts come with or without screws.

Back Plates

These are attached before the knobs or pulls are fixed onto the surface of the cabinet. They serve the purpose of protecting the cabinet's surface, to hide the existing holes, etc., on the surface of the cabinet. These are especially useful if you have removed an old knob or pull and are going to replace it with a new one.

Knobs and Pulls

Knobs are handles fixed to the cabinet door or drawer with a single nut and bolt. Pulls are the handles fixed to the cabinet door or drawer with two or more screws and their corresponding bolts.
Pulls occupy more space than knobs on the surface of the cabinet door. If you are going to replace an old pull with a new one, it is a good idea to carry the old one with you and see if the distances between the two holes match with those of the new pull that you are choosing.
There are a variety of decorative cabinet knobs available in the market, so choose from a variety of different finishes and materials for durability and usability. Also ensure that the knobs and pulls are in line with the fashion of the cabinet and the room as well.

Hinges

Different types of doors require different types of hinges. Also, the number of hinges required is decided depending upon the length and weight of the door.
European Hinges are normally used for cabinet doors that fully overlay the cabinet, or for inset doors of the cabinet. They can easily support heavy doors and are often self closing. European Overlay Hinges can be used for half overlay doors, or for doors that overlap the frame of the cabinet. These hinges are often self-closing.
You can use different types of hinges for most face-frame cabinets, like variable overlay hinges, partial wraparound hinges, H-style hinges, offset H-style hinges, butterfly hinges, butt hinges, and T-style hinges. Choose the right hinge for the right kind of cabinet door, as the hinge is what is going to make it function properly.
Do not compromise on the number of hinges that are needed. Choosing from a variety of finishes available from among the antique cabinet hardware, you can determine which hinge will suit your cabinet's look and also serve your purpose.

Door Catches

These are used on doors that do not have self-closing hinges. These can be magnetic or spring-roller based. Purely functional, these help keep the door of the cabinets closed.

Drawer Slides
Choose a drawer slide depending upon its weight capacity. These load ratings can be light, medium, or heavy. These can be mounted on the sides of the cabinet.
Alternatively, there are center-bottom mount slides or single center mono-rail slides as well. Choose the slides depending upon the kind of look you want for the inside of your cabinet and what you are planning to keep inside.
Thus, one can choose the right decorative hardware for their cabinets so as to add beauty and style along with functionality.