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2021 Cabinet Hardware Trends and Where to Shop

Jan 22, 2021

2021 Cabinet Hardware Trends and Where to Shop

Jan 22, 2021

This post contains affiliate links. I earn a tiny commission, at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read my disclosure here.

This post contains affiliate links. I earn a tiny commission, at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read my disclosure here.

>> 2022 Cabinet Hardware Trends blog post is live! Don’t miss it – get the scoop on new trends! <<

As I researched 2021 kitchen trends for this blog post, I also focused on cabinet hardware. Modern, streamlined hardware styles are still going strong and appear to be sticking around. Here are current design trends in cabinet hardware, as well as a few roundups of what people are actually buying. It’s interesting to see where they overlap; homeowners aren’t exactly buying into the same trends as interior designers.

PLUS – I’ve got a list of WHERE TO SHOP for your new cabinet hardware. Keep reading to get the scoop!

cabinet hardware in matte black
Top Knobs square bar pulls | similar pull from Amazon | round knobs

Cabinet Hardware Trends in 2021

  1. Minimalist Style
  2. No Hardware
  3. Matching Cabinets
  4. Cylinder Bar Pulls
  5. Square Bar Pulls
  6. Simple Knobs
  7. Farmhouse Style
  8. Matte Black
  9. Brass

>> 2022 Cabinet Hardware Trends blog post is live! Don’t miss it – get the scoop on new trends! <<

Plus – while you’re at it, here’s a new post on small cabinet fixes!

How to Repair Kitchen Cabinets

Minimalist Style in Cabinet Hardware

The first three trends in cabinet hardware are all linked to minimalist design style. Actually, no hardware is the essence of minimalism, right? We are seeing more kitchens like this:

cabinet hardware minimalism
Image Source: Bone Made
Free Guide to DIY

Here’s the second trend, which is similar to “no hardware.” These cabinets have custom cutout pulls in the door and drawer designs.

cutout cabinet pulls
Image Source: Remodelista

Next, matching pulls to the cabinets are also popping up as a minimalist trend. Here are custom-made pulls that are painted to match.

matching hardware to cabinet
Image Source: Clever

Sleek Bar Pulls are a Top Trend

Minimalism has shaped cabinet hardware in recent years. Sleek, modern bar pulls in black and silver are the most popular sellers across the board for large hardware retailers. I’ll share those collections below. Cylinder bar pulls have been going strong for years now, and they are still the home flipper’s pull of choice (at least here in Denver). In fact, I bought these pulls for my first cabinet makeover because they make a bolder statement than the 3-inch pulls we replaced (even using the same holes!).

How to Repair Kitchen Cabinets

chrome bar pulls
cabinet hardware trends steel pull
tube bar pull (more colors, sizes, and multi-packs here)

Square bar pulls are also very popular, especially in matte black. Fortunately, I have a ton of photos to illustrate this trend in our newly remodeled kitchen. Ha! First, here are two handles I compared before choosing this square pull on the left.

More Ideas: 6 Modern Black Cabinet Pulls

cabinet hardware comparison in matte black bar pulls
square bar pull | modern metro pull
black square bar pull
black square pull (more colors and sizes here)
matte black cabinet hardware

>> 2022 Cabinet Hardware Trends blog post is live! Don’t miss it – get the scoop on new trends! <<

Read More About Our DIY Home Updates

Favorite Behr White Paint Colors
Closet Door Ideas to Update Any Room
The Best Flooring for Every Room in Your Home
60+ Modern Black Door Hardware Ideas


Simple Knobs

Knobs are a mixed bag, but the top sellers seem to be simple silver or black button styles. You can see from the retailer roundups below that the most popular knob styles vary, unlike the consistent bar pulls. Interesting. I’m a huge fan of these $7 black knobs from PB Teen. They have held up PERFECTLY. No flaking paint in sight!

March 2022 update: these matte black knobs are the absolute best. Still ZERO issues, even on high-use doors and they look the same as Day 1. (Is anyone else picky about mushroom knobs, like I am??) They are my top pick for cabinet hardware and I continue to reorder them time and again! I installed the same black knobs on my bathroom vanity and will add them to our laundry room cabinets.

Check Out These Modern Cabinet Knobs

black knobs
modern black knobs

Modern Farmhouse Style

Thanks to Joanna Gaines, the modern farmhouse movement is still going strong. Bin pulls in a range of styles and finishes are popular from Rejuvenation to Amazon. Also, pulls and knobs with simple, classic styling fit in these kitchens, too. Here are a few examples.

kitchen cabinet hardware
Image Source: Reid Rolls via Domino
farmhouse kitchen style
Image Source: Magnolia
 kitchen cabinet hardware
Image Source: Clark and Co Homes

Still Trending: Black and Brass Finishes

Matte black is very hot in kitchens of all styles, from minimal designs to modern farmhouses. However, brass is an interesting case study. Brass pulls and knobs have been trendy remodel picks for years with designers, but they seem to have trouble catching on with consumers. Perhaps this is due to folks like Wyatt, who want to leave brass in the 1980s. While I find it very pretty and would love to try a few brass fixtures, I accept his veto.

brass hardware in black and white kitchen
Image Source: Studio McGee via Domino

Unlacquered brass is having a moment, but it’s high maintenance unless you love the patina of aged metal. It looks great in this kitchen reno, from hardware to faucet to light fixtures.

unlacquered brass hardware
Image Source: Erin Kestenbaum

>> 2022 Cabinet Hardware Trends blog post is live! Don’t miss it – get the scoop on new trends! <<

What About Silver Hardware?

Here’s the deal. Silver hardware is probably the most common finish you’ll see in kitchens and bathrooms. Satin/brushed nickel took the world by storm a few decades ago and it’s still very popular. That makes sense because it’s a lovely complement to wood cabinets and all colors of kitchens and bathrooms. That means satin nickel is classic and it’s here to stay.

If you want a silver finish other than brushed nickel, chrome or polished nickel are great choices. My mother-in-law chose these chrome square pulls for her kitchen and they look great on her cabinets:

chrome cabinet hardware
Image Source: Rabuck Reports
similar bar pulls in chrome here

>> 2022 Cabinet Hardware Trends blog post is live! Don’t miss it – get the scoop on new trends! <<

Those Are the Trends. What Are People Actually BUYING?

I thought it would be interesting to round up the top-selling cabinet hardware from major retailers and compare these items to the trends. Do they match? Nope! Here’s what I’ve discovered.

AMAZON

If you’re looking for affordable cabinet hardware in the most popular styles, Amazon is a go-to shop. In fact, I bought all of our black square bar pulls on Amazon, from a respected hardware company, in a variety of sizes. (I would be cautious about buying the cheapest brands because you might discover the finishes don’t last.) Here are Amazon’s best sellers, at the time I wrote this last week. Scroll to the right to see more.

Clear purchasing patterns, right? I’m so curious to know who is buying all those crystal knobs. Send me a photo!

REJUVENATION

Although Amazon is a solid choice for popular, affordable styles, you might want cabinet hardware with a bit more flair. In that case, I often turn to Rejuvenation for inspiration. While sometimes out of my price range, Rejuvenation hardware has such beautiful details; it’s a great starting point for ideas. These are the top sellers from left to right; scroll to see more.

Free Guide to DIY

Read More About Our DIY Home Updates

Favorite Behr White Paint Colors
Closet Door Ideas to Update Any Room
The Best Flooring for Every Room in Your Home
60+ Modern Black Door Hardware Ideas

HOME DEPOT

I can’t forget the hardware store giants, Home Depot and Lowe’s. Not surprisingly, their best-sellers are similar to Amazon’s, since the price points are about the same. Here are the top sellers from Home Depot, in order from left to right:

LOWE’S

Last, here is a roundup from Lowe’s. It looks like Amazon’s and Lowe’s customers are a tad more adventurous and fashion-forward, based on the brushed brass options. I could only sort Lowe’s pulls and knobs as separate categories, so I’ve put the best sellers in each group together in one graphic.

cabinet hardware from lowe's

What Have We Learned?

Whatever your cabinet hardware pick, there are more options than ever, which can be exciting if you are into cabinet hardware. Here are some great online sources, if you want to venture beyond the big box stores.

>> 2022 Cabinet Hardware Trends blog post is live! Don’t miss it – get the scoop on new trends! <<

HIGH END

Buster + Punch
Restoration Hardware
Waterworks

MID-RANGE

Ballard Designs
CB2
Crate & Barrel
Etsy
Pottery Barn
Rejuvenation
Schoolhouse
Signature Hardware

MOST AFFORDABLE

Amazon
D. Lawless Hardware
Home Depot
IKEA
Knobs4Less
Lowe’s
My Knobs
Wayfair

UNIQUE, QUIRKY, and VINTAGE

Anthropologie
Chairish
Etsy
House of Antique Hardware
Inspire Hardware

More Kitchen Posts from List in Progress

list in progress projects

1 – 2021 Kitchen Trends to Consider
2 – Costs and Lessons Learned from Our DIY Kitchen Remodel
3 – The Best Paints for Kitchen Cabinets
4 – Choosing a Subway Tile Backsplash Layout


Erin

Hi! I’m Erin, a Colorado-based home improvement blogger and lover of all things DIY. I aim to inspire creative folks to tackle home improvement with confidence and style. READ MORE

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Tiffany
Tiffany
2 years ago

Hi! I recently painted my kitchen Frost white by Behr. I’m going for a modern look. My kitchen cabinets are an oak wood color. I wanted to paint them gray. I’ve already tried Behr’s Galactical Tint & Statesque. Both were too light. Any suggestions on a gray color from Behr? If this helps my counter top is a bone color w/swirls of a dark gray. Thanks for your blog, now I can get rid of my 1980s carpet on my basement stairs, lol.

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