Jewelry for the Home

Is there an outfit that doesn't benefit from accessorizing? Michael Kors, the great American fashion designer, has said, "I've always thought of accessories as the exclamation point of a woman's outfit."

As accessories are to fashion, so is decorative hardware to cabinets. It's frequently described by interior designers as jewelry for the home.

At the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show in January, decorative hardware sparkled like diamonds in a jeweler's showcase. Everything from crystal knobs to lucite for adorning kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities, closet dressing rooms and furniture was featured.

Top Knobs, an industry leader in decorative hardware for the kitchen and bath with over 4,000 designs to choose from, debuted an interesting collection in cast bronze. Made from 90 percent recycled content, the collection features classic forms in contemporary finishes. Some of the handles, like the faux bois, I particularly liked for their ergonomic feel. All of Top Knobs pieces come with a sealed finish to protect against wear and tear.

   

Upper Right: crystal knob from Top Knobs' Chareau Collection; above left: Top Knobs Aspen II Collection; above right: Top Knobs Transcend Collection. Photos courtesy of Top Knobs.

Top Knobs' sister brand, Atlas Homewares, featured cabinet hardware in unusual shapes and finishes.

               

Left: U-Turn Collection; Right: Roundabout Collection; Below: Level Pull

                                      

I love the sculptural forms and silhouettes and how the shapes morph into a different geometric form on adjacent cabinet doors.

The finishes on Atlas Homewares' hardware were amazing. I can easily picture the leather and chrome pulls in a bachelor pad's bath and the acrylic in a high gloss luxury bath.

                 

Left: Zanzibar Collection. Right: Paradigm Collection; Below: Optimism Collection

                                 

The takeaway from these beautiful examples of decorative hardware is that a little can go a long way. Like the right pair of shoes or necklace for an outfit, hardware can transform basic cabinet styles and make a powerful design statement in a kitchen or bath remodel.