Chilli's biggest bug bare - HANDLES

Haha, okay, so Chilli is a fantastic designer I have had the good luck to work with. I was telling her about this blog I've started as, let's face it, we all have a fair amount of 'home work' time to fill.

She suggested I write about handles which, I'll admit resulted in a somewhat raised eyebrow on my part but she has got me thinking.

Although there are endless things to talk about with regards to your kitchens, handles are a big deal!

Let me give you an example, a gorgeous client of mine, one of my favourites - yes, we do have them. Had her kitchen fitted, all going so well and looking stunning!

My lovely client called me round one day and didn't elaborate on the cause of my visit. On arrival she said that she wasn't happy, my heart sank. But she wouldn't say why, she wanted me to spot it myself and I did. I couldn't miss it, her handles were 'off'. They were fitted just a cm too high and a cm too far into the door. Such a small thing and these handles looked lost.

I think a shaker door would have been fine.

Of course the fitter was brilliant, I'm totally biased, I know him and love his work. Always does a fantastic job, and yes, of course he asked the client if they'd be happy with the handles in that position, held it up and showed them before drilling all the holes.

Mare, anyway, this particular kitchen supplier was excellent, they did all they could to make it right.

So all ended happily thank goodness but what a difference that cm made!

I have a photo somewhere too so you can see and judge for yourselves.

Now I do think that the wonderful Chilli was actually referring to the fact that some clients will still choose the wrong handle for their kitchen. Or they'll have this super amazing wow factor kitchen designed and then they'll say "that'll do" to the first uninspiring t-bar handle that comes along. Yes, we're bored of these handles, they were popular at MFI but that was over 12 years ago. Also, they catch your pockets and rip your best dresses when you're in a hurry. Not to mention killing cats. Yep, you read it right, a vet once told me that cat collars get caught as they jump down. Ahem, what a lovely thought to end a blog on. So sorry.. lets carry on.

Let's talk about bronze or copper handles. Gorgeous but take care to get this right, the wrong colour will look a mess. Manufacturers all seem to have different ideas of what copper looks like. Always get a sample and I'd advise that if your kitchen supplier's handles aren't quite right, source them yourselves. A well accessorized kitchen in a warm bronze or copper look amazing! But if you're going to do it, commit at lease 3 things to your theme e.g. handles, sink and tap. If it's just the one thing in bronze it will jar. Splash-backs in bronze or copper mirror look beautiful but then again, not everyone wants to see their reflection as they cook.

Things to think about - proportions. If you have a framed shaker door that has a lot of smaller proportions so a big chunky handle may not fit well, something smaller, maybe opt to have two handles on wider drawers instead of one long handle.

Cups on drawers and knobs on cupboards - beautiful for a cottage & homely feel. Test these with whomever uses the kitchen. Some cups are too close to the door and can be uncomfortable to use. Quality is important too, make sure nothing will catch your fingers where the screws come through - personal bug bare. Think about whether you'd want cups or knobs on pull out solutions and what will be more practical / easier to use.

Chrome or brushed? Chrome will match the majority of taps on offer which are usually chrome too. Brushed will look nice with your appliances. Chrome will reflect the light prettily but brushed will hide your finger prints.

Lastly, a point a made earlier with cup handles is true for all handles, test them out against a door. Think about rings, will they mark the door. If you decide to choose your own handles and not have them through your kitchen manufacturer, let them know the depth of your handle - if they're too deep they may cause problems with clashing of appliances or even corner cabinets not opening properly.

Haha, okay, credit to Chilli, there is a lot to be said about handles.

I could carry on but rest assured, if you'd like me to design your kitchen I will guide you with these choices. It will be beautiful.

Thanks for reading!