What is the difference between a knob and a handle?
A knob is normally fixed at a single point and works well on smaller drawers, cabinet doors and furniture where you want a discreet grip. A handle usually has two fixing points and gives more leverage on larger or heavier fronts. Always check the thickness of the front, any existing drill holes and how the hand meets the hardware before you choose a type.
How do you measure the centre-to-centre distance on a furniture handle?
The centre-to-centre distance is measured from the centre of one screw hole to the centre of the other, in millimetres. If you already have drilled holes, the new handle should ideally have the same centre-to-centre measurement so that you avoid filling and re-drilling. Measure on the front itself or on the old handle with a ruler or callipers and check the measurement against the product information.
Which hardware suits a kitchen counter or a chest of drawers?
For kitchens and chests of drawers, choose hardware according to the size and weight of the front, how often it is used and the existing hole pattern. Knobs often work on smaller fronts, while longer handles give a better grip on wide drawers and taller cabinets. On a chest of drawers a cup handle can be practical, while a T-bar leaves a smaller visual imprint on the front.
What is a T-bar handle?
A T-bar handle is a compact piece of hardware where a crosswise grip sits on a short stem, so that the shape resembles a T. It gives more gripping surface than a round knob but often needs only one fixing point. T-bars are therefore a good choice when you want to keep a simple hole pattern but gain a clearer and more ergonomic grip.
Does brass hardware last over time?
Brass hardware can last a very long time when the construction, the fixing and the finish are matched to the use. The surface can change with touch, cleaning and air depending on the finish, which is part of the character of the material. Follow the product's care instructions and avoid strong cleaning agents that can attack, dull or stain a treated surface with repeated use.
Can you change the hardware on existing furniture?
Yes, hardware can often be changed without the piece having to be rebuilt, particularly if the new hardware uses the same hole pattern. Start by measuring the centre-to-centre distance, the screw diameter and the thickness of the front. When changing from a handle to a knob, or between different centre-to-centre measurements, old holes may need to be filled and the surface made good before new holes are drilled.
Start with the hole pattern – it governs more than the style does
When an existing kitchen or a chest of drawers is to be given new hardware, the old drill holes are the most practical starting point. A handle with the same centre-to-centre distance can often be fitted without visible work on the front. It is therefore wise to measure before you start comparing shape and finish. On the page for handles you can compare different grips against one another, and on hooks you will find the pieces meant to carry rather than to open.
A classic pull handle such as Gaumont Cabinet Handle gives a clear gripping surface and suits larger fronts. Kingsheath Cabinet Handle and Colmore Cabinet Handle show how proportion, stem and grip can change the expression even when the function is the same. If the front is already drilled, the measurements should decide which models are realistic before the finish is chosen.
Knob, T-bar or cup handle
A cabinet knob is easy to position and normally needs only one hole. It is therefore a good choice when you are replacing an existing knob or want to keep the front visually calm. Cotswold Cabinet Knob, Ball Shape and Kingsheath Cabinet Knob have different proportions but share the same simple fixing principle. For more shapes there is the Urban range, which brings together knobs, handles and hooks in the same design language.
A T-bar sits functionally between a knob and a longer handle. It gives a firmer grip but keeps a compact form, which makes T-bar hardware relevant on smaller drawers and doors. Cup handles are gripped from below and work particularly well on drawers. Oldbury Fluted Bronze Cup Handle and Cotswold Drawer Cup Handle show two different ways of giving the same basic function more or less texture.
The finish has to work with hands, light and the rest of the room
The finish affects both how a piece of hardware looks and how noticeable the changes from touch become. In a kitchen, handles are used many times a day, so fingerprints, cleaning and patination matter more than on a piece of furniture that is rarely opened. So compare not only the colour but also how the surface is meant to be cared for. Cotswold hardware is a useful way in if you want to hold several types of hardware together within a closely related design language.
Nor is it necessary for every metal in a room to be identical. Hardware can relate to lighting through warmth or sheen without being exactly the same finish. On a freestanding piece of furniture, Cotswold Cabinet Hasp can become a functional detail, while a simpler grip may be better on a whole row of kitchen doors. Repetition matters more than total uniformity.
Hardware is more than cabinet handles
The category also covers hooks and functional accessories. Digbeth Plain Hook can be used where a wall or the side of a piece of furniture needs a clear hanging point, and Cotswold Pot Rail & S-Hooks works with the same idea in a larger kitchen function. For more options there are hardware hooks and hardware towel rails.
Storage above worktops can also be solved with hardware. Brindley Hanging Wine Glass Rack is an example where the hardware itself organises the contents rather than simply opening a door. It is a reminder that the right detail should be chosen by task first. In furniture and purpose-built solutions the same principle is useful: start with how the part is used and let the form follow.
When changing the hardware is enough
On existing doors and furniture, new handles or knobs can be a smaller intervention than replacing the whole front. If the hole pattern matches, the change can also be made without extensive work. Check the screw length, the thickness of the material and that the hardware has room when doors open next to one another. Otherwise a larger handle can collide with a wall, a moulding or an adjacent front.
The entire range on this page comes from Armac Martin, but the category is meant to help you choose type and function rather than to delve into the history of the brand. For that there is Armac Martin. If you want to compare a more unified design language there is also Classic hardware. If you need help judging measurements, hole patterns or combinations, bring the measurements of the front and some photographs to the consultation.
Try the proportions before you decide
Hardware is small, but the proportions become obvious when the same model is repeated across many fronts. A knob that feels generous in the hand can look visually heavy on a narrow drawer, while a long handle can look under-scaled on a wide cabinet front. Tape the measurement up on the door or mark the centre lines with masking tape before you drill.
So when you compare, say, Gaumont Cabinet Handle, Cotswold Cabinet Knob, Ball Shape and Colmore Cabinet Handle, it is not only the finish that differs. Grip, length and fixing decide whether the hardware suits the front in practice. For adapted furniture you can also read about bespoke.
