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madison_sternig

Double knobs on drawers: good or bad idea?

5 years ago

I'm OBSESSED with the look of double knobs on drawers like this inspiration photo from Studio McGee. To me, it looks like the buttons of a double-breasted suit... very polished and classy.


My concern is that if I mainly pull one of the pulls to open the drawers, it could affect the function of the drawer slides. Our contractor told us we have very high-quality slides in our custom cabinets (hardware resources, I think?). Our smallest drawer width is 20" and our largest is 26".


Do any cabinet experts have advice about whether I'm creating a problem by going with the double knob look? Has anyone done this in their kitchen and regretted it?


(FYI: I'm also thinking of using smaller knobs for the top drawers and larger for the bottoms, to create some subtle variation so it doesn't look too flat)


Inspo:




Our kitchen:




Comments (32)

  • 5 years ago

    I think double knobs make it look like a bedroom dresser. I would not like to have to use both hands in the kitchen. Stay with single handles or knobs that are easy to grasp.

  • 5 years ago

    I used one big drawer pull. If you have two hands available to pull both knobs great but if not it will be difficult. In a kitchen rarely do you have two clean hands.

  • PRO
    5 years ago

    I vote 100% for single knobs regardless of the size of the drawer or where it is located. I have some double knobs and quality slides and they don’t like being pulled open with one hand.

  • 5 years ago

    I put double pulls on all my drawers and love how it looks but I’ve heard that if you have two pulls use them both or you can cause the drawer front to torque.

  • 5 years ago

    One - absolutely.

  • 5 years ago

    Thank you for the input everyone! Sounds like its not worth the risk

  • 5 years ago

    What a gorgeous color in your kitchen!

  • 5 years ago

    We had double knobs for 19 years, never a problem. We just had our cabinets painted and switched to pulls, but the knobs worked fine. Before:

    After :


  • 5 years ago

    @clt3 Gorgeous backsplash and counters!

    Madison S thanked chicagoans
  • 5 years ago

    We had double knobs on the kitchen drawers in my previous house. We lived there for 14 years and never had issues. I have double pulls on some drawers in my current kitchen. I have been here almost 4 years and haven't had any issues.

    Madison S thanked vinmarks
  • 5 years ago

    No to knobs. Can't tell you how many pockets I've torn on clothing because it got hung up on knobs.

  • 5 years ago

    Your kitchen color is gorgeous!

    Madison S thanked lynne3450
  • PRO
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Before we started kitchen renovation I accidently found some video about kitchen reno regrets. One of them was double knobs on drawers instead one pull. Cos you need to use two hands to pull drawer out. So I went with pulls.

  • 5 years ago

    One centered pull is definitely the easiest to use. I also LOVE LOVE your green kitchen so please keep posting your progress! What color hardware are you considering? With that deep green a muted unpolished brass, or even a copper pull would be gorgeous.

    Madison S thanked RedRyder
  • 5 years ago

    I have double knobs on my larger drawers, too. Rather than buying new handles, which would cost a lot of money,
    I used the simple brushed stainless knobs from my old kitchen and saved a bundle. I can open any drawer by just
    pulling on one knob. The drawers have heavy duty full-extension glides and also close softly and quietly.

  • 5 years ago

    No one has mentioned that knobs on white cabinets lead to staining around the knobs from skin oils, etc. I wouldn't use small knobs at all. I'd be careful to select knobs where your fingers don't automatically touch the cabinet as you grab the knob.

  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Thank you @felizlady, @she mrs, @RedRyder, @Celery. Visualization, Rendering images, @decoenthusiaste, @vinmarks, @clt3, @User, for your input! My contractor assured me that I probably wouldn't notice a substantial change in the drawer functionality, but that it was certainly possible over time or with heavy items in the drawers. I'm leaning towards going with large centered pulls to avoid a few of the other downsides of knobs anyways. But I do still swoon over the look!


    @lynne3450 @Olychick @RedRyder Thank you for the kind words! I found some polished brass pulls that I really love. Since I have a lot of matte finishes going on right now (suede countertops, satin cabinets, satin natural floors, brushed SS appliances) I think a little bit of glossy reflection would pop against the natural surfaces. Now just debating between polished brass or unlaquered polished brass...

  • 5 years ago

    I vote for unlacquered brass. On that green? It will be GORGEOUS! Show us samples of why you’re considering.

  • 5 years ago

    Unlacquered brass is lovely. But you need to be make sure you like the look as it ages. The patina on surfaces touched all the time won't be uniform - particularly in a kitchen. Some people love it, others not so much. Here's a farmhouse kitchen remodel with unlacquered brass hardware. I made a collage of some stills from a video made showing off the remodel. The owner mentions in the video that these are fairly new and he's looking forward to them aging.


    https://www.wyseguide.com/farmhouse-kitchen-renovation/





  • 5 years ago

    Gold shade of hardware on that green! oh my! so pretty!

    Madison S thanked H B
  • 5 years ago

    I think felizlady hit a good point. Old drawers would need two hands to open with two pulls..new easy glide hardware has eliminated the possibility of torqueing the drawer, my guess is they will open with little effort. Do what you like!!

  • 5 years ago

    I like the furniture look ofdouble knobs.

  • 5 years ago

    @missenigma makes a very good point. If the change of color from people’s hands will annoy you, stick to lacquered. But pick a muted brass, it too too shiny and yellow.

  • 5 years ago

    *NOT too too shiny

  • 4 years ago

    @Madison S Would love to know what you decided! We are considering the same!


    Madison S thanked T Bishop
  • 4 years ago

    Beautiful! I love that green. 35 years ago we finished a basement and played with using that color stone on the fireplace surround but chickened out.

  • 4 years ago

    Madison S, what green paint is that? I’m in love with it, beautiful!!

  • 4 years ago

    OMG! Your kitchen is a total knockout! I love it. Good choice on the hardware too. The whole room looks elegant - and different from everyone else’s. Congratulations!!

  • 4 years ago

    What a gorgeous kitchen - love the green!

  • 3 years ago

    Madison S , great job. Huge cabinet doors are so nice. What size knob did you use? 1.25 or 1.5 inch?

  • 3 years ago

    Beautiful color and kitchen!