The Right Finish For Your Cabinets

A common question that I get asked it what kind of finish looks best on what color cabinet. If I've said it once, I've said it a million times. It's all about preference. With that being said, some people have a preference but it just doesn't look that great. I find that silver finishes look best on darker cabinets and dark finishes look best on light cabinets.

I've put together some examples, that hopefully will aid you in your process. Granted, there are a ton more finish options on the market, but starting with the basics will (hopefully) give you a general idea.

Left to right: Polished Chrome, Polished Brass, Oil Rubbed Bronze, Satin Nickel.

As you can see above, pretty much all of the finishes look okay on the dark cabinet except the Oil Rubbed Bronze. It just sort of blends in and gets lost. I have to say, for someone who dislikes brass, even that one looks pretty good on a dark background.
Like this:

Image Courtesy of Antiques du Monde

Left to right: Polished Chrome, Polished Brass, Oil Rubbed Bronze, Satin Nickel.

 Medium toned cabinets I think are the trickiest, the above example has some distressing so the polished finishes don't look too great, but a Satin Nickel or a Weathered Nickel, and the Oil Rubbed Bronze or Blacks tend to look the best.

Left to right: Polished Chrome, Polished Brass, Oil Rubbed Bronze, Satin Nickel.

A white painted or glazed cabinet would be an easy palette to begin with (you would think) but there's so much you can do with such a neutral background you're options are pretty much endless. The only finish I don't really love on this background is the glossy brass tones and that's only because I think it gives a dated look to the cabinets.
Below is a great example of a classic design that I've seen modified a number of different ways, using dark hardware and satin nickel. 

Photo Courtesy of Decor Pad

Or a new trend that I've seen, Modern full overlay gloss white doors with brushed silver hardware.

Photo Courtesy of Red

Left to right: Polished Chrome, Polished Brass, Oil Rubbed Bronze, Satin Nickel.

Last would be a light wood toned cabinet. Which again, is fairly universal. Again, the brass isn't typically the best choice for this tone because it does get washed out. But, any silver tone looks great, and of course the Dark Bronzes and Blacks.

Erica
“Leave the Details to Us”

Mid Century Modern

Mid Century Modern is probably my favorite design. I love the style of houses, furniture, and decor. It's sleek, stylish, functional, and often reflects nature. Mid Century Modern is simple and bold at the same time. I'm sure most people have at least heard of Mid Century Modern, but some may not be familiar with the overall aesthetic. If you've ever seen the Disney/Pixar movie "The Incredibles" you've seen an almost perfect depiction of Mid Century Modern. Have a look at some screen shots from the movie, they've nailed the look. If you haven't seen the movie, I strongly recommend watching it. Not only is a feast for the eyes for Mid Century Modern fans, it's a great story.








Good stuff huh? When I first saw this movie, I decided I wanted a house just like this. For some, you've probably grown up or lived in a house similar to this because that was the current style. So, maybe Mid Century Modern isn't such a big deal to you. I for one, am excited about it's reemergence.

Due to the rise in popularity, a number of our manufacturers have come out with items that reflect this era. Emtek is one brand that has introduced an entire collection called "Mid Century Modern."



They've also got some pretty cool door levers and knobs that fit the Mid Century Modern bill. Below is the Bern knob:

Or how about the Hermes lever:


Really, you should go check out the rest of the Emtek Mid Century Modern cabinet hardware collection. There are some real gems that are not shown in the picture above.

Speaking of gems, look at the design on these house numbers. Both Atlas Homewares and House Art make some incredible house numbers but the design on these two are again, the epitome of Mid Century Modern.







I've shared my favorite design/style. How about you?

Erica
“Leave the Details to Us”

Cliffside Is Color Crazy!

Cliffside knows what they're doing! They have always had great quality and lots of options for styles and finishes but this year they've started grouping their cabinet hardware by finish as opposed to by design. If you ask me, this makes picking out your hardware much easier.

The thing is, it's your house....you can mix and match styles or go with all of one design. Regardless, you want the finishes on each piece to match. Cliffside has knobs, pulls, hinges, and latches in pretty much every finish.




Flat Black has become quite popular and to be honest, not a lot of manufacturers have this finish in all of the items needed for cabinets. Cliffside has these super cool icebox latches in flat black. Which by the way, are one of my favorite hardware items ever.

They also have cup pulls, knobs, handles, and appliance pulls in 8" and 12" on center.




Polished Nickel is another finish that has become popular. I could probably write five posts about new polished nickel collections and trending styles that feature polished nickel. The knob below is a neat one that they're offering in the Polished Nickel finish.



Cliffside does have your typical finishes; Polished Brass, Antique Brass, Satin Nickel, Polished Chrome and Oil Rubbed Bronze but they also have a few finishes that aren't typical such as Iron and Antique Copper.

Erica
“Leave the Details to Us”

EPCO Stainless Steel Cabinet Hardware

Stainless steel is a material that is timeless; it's durable, versatile, as well as functional. Today's kitchens all seem to feature a stainless appliance or two. Stainless steel typically is used in a modern design setting but it can be used in a traditional room as well.

EPCO (Engineered Products Company) has the largest offering of stainless steel styles in cabinet hardware that we carry. They've embraced the idea that people love the stainless look but they also want choices. The Bar pull type of handle has traditionally been what people have ordered because, for a while that was the only design choice. If you choose the bar pull design, I have seen kitchens with one length on all of the doors and drawers and I have seen kitchens where multiple lengths are used that cover almost the entire length of the door or drawer. This offering still has largest number of size options available, ranging from a 5 1/2" to a 33 3/8".

EPCO's arch pull comes in five size offerings and tends to be used in either a minimalist setting or at the opposite end of the spectrum in a traditional setting. The arch design seems to be a softer look than a straight pull does.

Square, angular shapes have also become increasing popular. The square designs are pretty much exclusive to a modern design but because they are so simple they could pass on a neat piece of furniture of a built in that wouldn't typically be considered modern. EPCO's square design comes in five different lengths as well, ranging from 5 3/8" to 14 3/16". Because these are offered in larger sizes and with the square design they definitely give the impression of being heavy duty.

EPCO offers another four Stainless Steel style choices that are shown below. They've got another style that is a combination of round bar with square posts for those of you that can't decide which look you want to go with. Whether it's round or square or both that you choose, Stainless Steel is a great choice for cabinet hardware. The material itself will last practically forever.

Erica
“Leave the Details to Us”

Restocking Fees, What?

It's Monday morning and the phones are ringing like crazy, and I'm typing away like a mad woman (I'm pretty sure I can see my fingertips smoking) and then the call comes in. A customer wants to return their order because the finish didn't quite match everything else. I don't mind doing a return on product sometimes it's just not right, but with returns comes restocking fees and that's not always the most pleasant call to take. I'd like to shed some light as to what restocking fees are and why they're charged.

When an order is placed; a person has to manually process the order, the order is sent to the warehouse-someone pulls the order and makes sure it is correct, a different person packs does a double check to make sure it's correct and ships the order to the customer, then the order goes to accounting and gets charged. When an order needs to be returned this process is almost exactly the same just in reverse. Except, someone has to inspect every piece and make sure it's in perfect resalable condition when it comes back. In most cases a return is made to a manufacturer since that it where it is shipped from and they will forward us a copy of the credit memo so that we can issue credit to your card. This process takes a lot of manpower and time to complete.

There are some manufacturers that literally stock hundreds of the same item and the process is fairly simple, but there are a good number of manufacturers that offer one product but with a number of different configurations. When an order is placed with these manufacturers you are essentially getting a custom piece of hardware. These items are assembled to your specifications and if they are returned they need to be disassembled. There are also companies that sell specialized, niche hardware (let's just say a pine cone knob in antique brass) now, this is something that's not going to fit into everyone's home decor like a round satin nickel knob would. Naturally, the stock availability will be much lower on these and when a few sell the manufacturer replenishes their stock. If that item were to come back to them, they would be "overstocked."

I don't like having to enforce these policies, but I can at least understand whey they are charged. There are a few manufacturers that do not charge a restocking fee, but these are a very small number. I do think that restocking fees are a necessary part of doing any kind of business. So, what type of restocking fees am I talking about exactly?

Our policy on The Hardware Hut is that if the item is something that is stocked here in our warehouse and it is perfect when we receive it (original packaging, no scratches, dents, other signs of use) then we will not assess a restocking fee(there are a couple of exceptions). The majority of items on our site are shipped directly from manufacturers and we have to enforce their restocking policy. The polices are displayed via link on every single product on our site. These restocking fee policies vary anywhere from 5% to 35% depending on the manufacturer. Just to give you an idea of where we are on the spectrum of internet hardware retailers, I have scoured all of our major competitors websites and looked at their policies. Here is a sampling of what is out there:

"Samples cannot be returned-25% restocking fee on all items. No returns on special order items."
"Return must be over $60.00"
"Refund of store credit valid for 6 months-25% restocking fee."
"No returns on opened packages-if shipping was free at the time of purchase, credit will be issued after restocking fees and the original shipping expense is assessed."
"Stock items 15%, non stock items 25%-30%"

One site has a 20%-40% and most sites have a flat 25% restocking fee on all items(with a few exceptions). There were also three sites that I could not locate their return policy at all (and I think I'm pretty internet savvy.)

After looking through these other sites, I'd have to say we're right in line with the rest of the industry. As a consumer myself, I'm always comparison shopping on what my best value is and what my repercussions are if it doesn't work out. I think a lot of sites try to conceal what there policies are, but I feel it's so much easier on everyone if it's all out in the open. Not only are our policies displayed on each item, but there is a link in the shopping cart, and there is a ton of helpful information in our FAQ section. With that, I hope you've become better educated consumers. That way there are no surprises, regardless of where you shop online. If you have any questions or need clarification feel free to contact me.

Erica
“Leave the Details to Us”

Hey July, What's New?

As usual, around here at the Hardware Hut we're busy little bees. So far in the month of July we've added five new Gatco bath hardware collections, two new Schaub and Company cabinet hardware collections, some door locks, some keyboard slides, and some miscellaneous cabinet hardware items. Not only have we added all of that but, we have just started a fairly big project. We will be adding our complete stock catalog to the website. When I say a fairly big project that's actually an understatement. Our stock catalog is roughly 400 pages with five or 6 sku's per page. That's a lot of product! Perhaps, I'll save that for a blog post in itself.

Back to what's new for July...I'll start with the new Gatco bath hardware. We've added the Oldenburg collection which comes in finish choices of burnished bronze, polished chrome, and satin nickel. This style would be suitable in a traditional setting. It looks elegant and rich. We've also added the Jewel collection which is more square in design but it's a soft design. You can get the Jewel collection in satin nickel or polished chrome. Another collection we've added is the Irvine collection, this collection is my personal favorite from the new Gatco items. My own personal tastes are typically more contemporary, but there's something about the shapes on this collection that appeal to me. The Irvine collection comes in burnished bronze, satin nickel, and polished chrome too. We've also added the Philadelphia collection which is another square style but this one has a little more detail to it, and more defined edges. It sort of reminds me of crown molding. The last new collection from Gatco is the Max, the Max collection is the sleek modern look that I like, the robe hook in particular is really cool. This collection reminds me of plumbing parts a little, it's a little bit industrial looking without being "cold."



We've also added a square passage pocket door set by Valli and Valli to match their privacy set. Valli and Valli make some great quality, unique pocket door items and when a privacy set and a passage set are ordered together they can be used on double pocket doors.




We've also added some Schlage commercial locks in oil rubbed bronze. We've carried the Commercial levers in satin chrome and brass for some time, and have finally added the oil rubbed bronze. Schlage's commercial locks come in keyed functions as well as interior functions such as passage and privacy.



And to wrap up this post before it get's too long, is the Schaub and Company Firenza collection. Schaub does a great job of coming up with innovative designs that a lot of other companies try to replicate. They seem to always be ahead of the pack when it comes to styles. The Firenza collection has a hint of old world italian charm. I like the lace-like scroll pattern they've incorporated into the pulls. The Firenza collection comes in three finish choices.



That about sums up the month of July so far. Stay tuned for next months new stuff!

Erica
“Leave the Details to Us”

Polished Nickel Is The Bee's Knees!

Polished nickel is quickly becoming the latest craze in the hardware world. Really.....? Why.....? To be honest I don't fully know the answer, but every chance I've gotten I've asked my customers why they've chosen polished nickel over polished chrome and the one answer that's been the same is that it has a much richer warmer tone than chrome does. I've also noticed that polished nickel can go into almost any design setting while polished chrome is almost exclusively in a contemporary setting.

I started doing a bit of research on nickel and from the tiny amount of information I have been able to find, polished nickel was favored early on for a plating choice because it's extremely durable and when plated it finishes very hard. In early automobiles all of the bumpers, fenders, etc. were actually nickel plated as opposed to chrome plated.

Basically the main difference from polished chrome and polished nickel is that the chrome has a bluish white undertone and nickel has a golden amber undertone. I know, it's hard to think of a piece of silver material having any golden tone in it at all, but it does. Even though the undertone is there the material is still overall a silver color. The color difference has to do with the different types of elements and compounds added in the plating process.

There are a number of items available today that come in the polished nickel, but for now I will focus on a few that seem to be reemerging. In the past few months I have had quite a few people ask for "Christopher Peacock" type hardware. After a few people asked, I was on the hunt to find out who this Christopher Peacock was. After some web searching I have found that he is a high end designer. He uses very similar design elements in all of his rooms. He seems to focus on functionality, durability as well as beauty. Almost every room that he's designed has an elegant, rich warmth to it. Christopher Peacock is well known for his Scullery kitchens, which almost always use polished nickel hardware.

Here are some polished nickel items that are similar to items I've seen in Christopher Peacock kitchens.



There are a number of different hardware items available in polished nickel, but in the near future I think we can expect to see quite a few more.

Erica
“Leave the Details to Us”

Schaub's Symphony

Schaub & Company has come out with a new line of hardware over the past year called Symphony Designs. I want to mention them just because they are so beautiful. First of all, I want to say that not a single one of these pieces are in my own personal taste (I'm more of a sleek modern kinda girl) but man, these are gorgeous. They're like miniature artworks for your furniture or cabinets. And, just because something isn't my style doesn't mean I can't appreciate the beauty.

The pieces in the Symphony collection are made on a low volume basis by artisans, so each one is unique. They have very slight variations that make them one of a kind. They feature rare inlaid materials, and all the pieces are individually molded.

There are a few pieces I'll post as examples and of course I'll pick my personal favorites, but you should really check out the rest of the series.


This piece reminds me of something out of the Art Nouveau period, for those art lovers out there the whole Heirloom Treasures collection reminds me of Alphonse Mucha. This pull is made out of solid brass that's been aged with a subtle greenwash. It has two types of Mother of Pearl, Tiger Penshell, and a giant piece of Jade inlaid in the center.



This next piece is a branch pull that comes in a left and a right, and of course at 8" long you can't use a lot of them in one space, but a few would make a pretty big statement. The attention to detail in these is insane, the branches have little grooves that look like real bark, the flowers have tiny veins, and there are real black pearls, and crystals strategically placed on it. I can envision these on a big armoire or hutch.



The octopus is probably my favorite, and I can't pinpoint why other than it just looks really cool. The best part about this piece is the design. The placement of the tentacles is perfect, the eyes are a different color than the body so they stand out, and under the tentacles they even made little indents for the suction things (I know-very technical).



This is another one that I can't say exactly why I like it. The patina is perfect, it looks tangible and soft. This is a piece that just makes you want to touch it. Again, the attention to detail is incredible. It kind of reminds me of a piece cloth that's been rolled instead of a piece of metal. The entire French Court collection has the same soft look.

These are just a few pieces out of the 13 different collections that Schaub & Company for the Symphony Designs series. If you have a minute, you should check out the rest. They truly are magnificent.

Erica
“Leave the Details to Us”

Hey June, What's New?

We've got four very different products that we've added to thehardwarehut.com this month. We are constantly adding new items, collections, and manufacturers to our site. Sometimes, it's even too hard for me too keep up. Since there's new stuff out all the time and it's easy to get swallowed up in all the other items we've got. I'll bring some to the forefront on this blog.

The first product I'd like to mention is a company called Gado Gado, this company works closely with Indonesian artisans to create unique, one of a kind pieces. All of their hardware items are made from hand cast brass and finished by hand in an unlacquered antique brass patina. Because of the handmade aspect, each piece is literally one of a kind and with an open finish each item will age over time. We carry cabinet hardware and a few hooks by Gado Gado and they've got some really neat intricate pieces but my favorites by far are their latches. These could go on trunks, armoires, built in cabinets, you name it. They remind me of hardware that would be found on a pirates treasure chest, or some piece of furniture that escaped an Asian dynasty. Very cool stuff!



First Impressions has been a manufacturer of ours for a while, they specialize in door pulls. They've made some really neat custom items such as dolphin door pulls, pulls shaped like dog bones, and even a guitar door pull. We tend to sell items of a more simple variety by them. They've introduced a line of door pulls specifically made for shower doors. These pulls come in a set of two and are made to be mounted back to back. They come in a variety of sizes and styles.



Berenson is another company that we've been distributing for ages. They seem to come out with new items fairly regularly and typically do a good job of judging what customers want. One of their newest collections is called Art Nouveau. They offer this collection in three different finishes, Vintage Bronze, Venetian Bronze, and Vintage Nickel which conjure nostalgic images of an age gone by. The floral motif is just simple enough that it doesn't come off as frilly or over the top, yet adds a hint of softness to each piece.



Another new collection that we've added this month is the Atlas Homeswares,Sutton Place. This collection is reminiscent of 1930's New York City; sophisticated, elegant, with clean geometric lines. This Sutton Place comes in Venetian Bronze, Brushed Nickel, and the reemerging Polished Nickel. Atlas Homewares also offers cabinet hardware in the Sutton Place collection for a completed look.

Erica
“Leave the Details to Us”