Have our prominent-grain walnut cabinets installed and trying to finish the hardware hunt. The ones I had picked out from Top Knobs are zinc alloy, finished in polished nickel (Asbury). I just read something about zinc not holding its finish (polished nickel for us) over the years as well as a brass or bronze-base might. Is there truth to this? We are a fam of 5 and will all be, at the least, opening the appliances (fridge/freezer/drawers) multiple times daily -- let alone the regular drawers/cabs. Should I invest in the brass?

If so, does anyone have any advice on where to go to look for something VERY sleek/minimal -- a bar pull with no flared base and just thin and simple -- and not inordinately expensive? Top Knobs has the Atlas II, which is beautiful, but a little more prominent looking (esp the base) than I was planning on.

Thanks for anything you got! :D

Claire