I’ve Seen Hundreds of Kitchens, & This Is My All-Time Favorite Hack

When it comes to kitchen renovations and refreshes, I’ve seen it all, from fancy gut renos that cost upwards of six figures to small, scrappy facelifts that might be well under $100. The one thing in common with all of these projects? Kitchen cabinet hardware is almost always a top consideration. Designer after designer will tell you changing out your knobs and pulls is one of the best ways to spend your money, not only because handles are literally a high-touch feature, but also because hardware makes a major visual statement, especially when you can’t spring for all-new everything.

Because I’ve been covering kitchen design for so long, I’m truly shocked when I see a new decorating idea, especially related to hardware. There’s only so much you can do to make knobs and pulls feel fresh. But that’s exactly what happened when I watched a recent episode of Diary of an Old Home, a series on the Magnolia Network and Max. The episode profiled author LaTonya Yvette and her upstate New York property, The Mae House, which she lovingly renovated, rents out, and offers as a retreat for BIPOC creators when she’s not otherwise using the residence with family and friends.

Corner view of Mae House kitchen featuring drawers with mismatched hardware.

Yvette beautifully decorated the whole home with an eye toward appreciating its old bones and marrying that with modern touches. But the kitchen hardware stood out to me most — seriously! Instead of choosing just one type of hardware — or even a suite of handles in the same collection — Yvette mixed and matched all different types of knobs and pulls for a truly bespoke look.

The quirky variety of incised knobs, antique cup pulls, and simpler pieces is brilliant for a couple of reasons. First, the hardware hangs together visually even though the silhouettes are different because they’re all the same shade of antiqued gold. This creates unity from afar, so the handles feel like a fun design surprise when you get up close to see that each one is unique.

Practically speaking, this choice makes hunting for vintage hardware much easier, too. Yvette could source pieces based on their finish versus their style, as it can be a challenge to find large hardware sets secondhand. It’s also cheaper to buy handles piecemeal for the same reason, so you can save a little money by shopping this way, too.

You could also re-create this perfectly imperfect vibe with new hardware. You might not find pieces with quite the same patina, but it’s still doable, and they’ll begin to show that lovely look of wear-and-tear over time. All in all, this mismatched kitchen hardware look brings a ton of personality and artfulness to a very sweet space. I’m already thinking of copying this idea on a smaller scale for a dresser I’m redoing for my bedroom.

This post originally appeared on Apartment Therapy. See it there: I’ve Seen Hundreds of Designer Kitchens, and This Is My All-Time Favorite Hack