HGTV's Jenn Todryk Has One Rule For Mixing Kitchen Cabinet Hardware

When outfitting a home, old or new, cabinetry can often be one of the elements at the forefront. It can be a mixed bag, with older homes featuring cabinetry that may not be to your taste, or new homes sporting pre-fab and builder-grade cabinets that can be less than inspiring. HGTV's "No Demo Reno" host Jenn Todryk, however, has a great suggestion on making any set of cabinets look more luxe and custom. Adding new drawer pulls and knobs can be an instant game-changer, allowing you to inexpensively change the entire look of your cabinetry. Even better, Todryk suggests mixing and matching different types of hardware for an even more richly layered and custom look. The key rule for mingling hardware designs?  Color and finish!

According to Todryk, even hardware from different designers can stylishly fit together in a space as long as their finish is the same, be it a solid matte black or delicately brushed bronze. Since most kitchens and baths contain a system of drawers and cabinets, you will be choosing a long pull and a drawer knob, so there is no reason that these have to match exactly. 

Jenn Todryk tells Realtor.com, "I love mix-matching hardware; as long as they're the same tone of brass, I am game. They don't even have to be the exact manufacturer, if our colors align, mix-matching knobs and hardware makes it seem really expensive and not like we just bought a 10-pack of something."  An eclectic mix of hardware can add interest to mundane or outdated cabinetry. 

Hardware can often set the tone for a room in subtle ways. Try a modern, sleek, no frills set of pulls and knobs for a contemporary look, or go more ornate and Victorian for a vintage-inspired room. Certain shapes appear more modern or traditional, so it's best to stick to one direction or another if you are trying to fit a given aesthetic. Within these boundaries, however, there are a wealth of options to choose from, ranging from more uniform designs that look like they are in the same vein or more varied and eclectic feels suitable for rooms decked out in modern farmhouse or boho decor. 

For a sleek and contemporary look, try these Naples Pulls with their Mushroom Cabinet Knobs, both of which come in multiple finishes like nickel, matte black, and satin bronze. For an antique-inspired look, pair these more ornate Cosmas Silver Antique Cabinet Pulls with  Canterbury French Provincial look knobs. Modern farmhouse style loves matte black, so try the Matte Black Traditional Round Pull with Williamsburg Cup Drawer Pull.

For an even more cohesive look, match the finish of pulls and knobs to other metal accents in the kitchen like lighting and plumbing fixtures. Just replacing the hardware and other metal elements in a room without changing anything else about the kitchen can be a great way to change the tone and texture of the room without any costly demo or replacement. Other designers, like HGTV's Erin Napier, agree that changing hardware can be a small adjustment with a big impact. Hardware is also a renter-friendly swap since you can easily change it out and simply replace the original when you move out, allowing you a bit more discretion over your space without doing anything else to the cabinets or the walls.