Update or Upgrade Your Kitchen Today

If you’re a fan of Chris Rock, you’re likely familiar with his piece about the differences between men and women. Namely, that women can’t go backwards when it comes to lifestyle (and men can’t go backwards in another area…but that’s a whole other topic!) When we moved to Houston, I was absolutely rattled by the grade of kitchens supplied by production builders. The market I came from was known for high-value and fully customized kitchens with many cool features, few filler pieces, and – wait for it – cabinet hardware. Of course, these kitchens came at a (steep) price, and the tradeoff seems to be for the exterior appearance and cladding - Houston area homes use more expensive materials (stone, brick, cement board siding, stucco) than what was typically used in construction back home. To come back to my earlier point, it was difficult to go from Lee Valley knobs and pulls to …nothing. Literally, grabbing the edge of a cabinet door or drawer by the very edge to open and close it. If this is your reality, I hope these before and after images are of interest to you.

This is a recently-built production home in Sienna Plantation. The cabinetry was upgraded from the basic offering but hardware was not included. The finish is brushed nickel to compliment the stainless steel appliances. Large European bar pulls were selected to scale with the size of some of the taller cabinet doors and the cups were added for charm. No other changes were made in the “after” photos but the impact of the hardware addition is very noticeable.

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The addition of hardware to the cabinetry also offered an improvement to the functionality of the kitchen. Opening doors and drawers via pulls and knobs is much easier than grasping them by the edges. It’s also easier on the cabinetry itself – previous to the hardware being installed, one of the longer utensil drawers broke and had to be repaired, likely because it had been opened improperly so many times which added strain to the construction. Finally, the natural oils from your fingertips (not to mention sticky ones covered in frosting, candy, and the like - just my house?) can work to wear down the stain or paint on your cabinets. If you’re considering adding hardware to your kitchen, it’s a good idea to do so before your cupboards begin to show signs of deterioration.

If you would like stop prying your doors and drawers open by the edges, contact The Ashbury Construction Company today for a complimentary hardware consultation. You won't regret adding a WOW factor to your kitchen or making daily tasks such as unloading the dishwasher or setting the table more enjoyable!