If you decide to re-face kitchen cabinets, bathroom cabinets, or any other cabinetry in your home, go all out and make the transformation complete with updated hardware. You don’t want to put old, scratched, or outdated hardware on fresh, new looking cabinets.
This might mean refinishing your existing hardware or replacing it with a more modern style, but either way, it will make your re-facing project look more finished and give it that professional quality.
To refinish your existing cabinet hardware, start by cleaning it thoroughly to remove any grease or dirt. Scuff it with sandpaper until the finish is dull. There are many great varieties of spray paint and other paints available that will help you create attractive metallic finishes, from the shiniest chrome to the look of bronze. Lay your hardware out on a protected surface and spray on a light, even coat. Allow it to dry, scuff lightly, and apply another thin, light coat until you achieve the desired finish. Touch up as needed and allow to dry thoroughly before reattaching to cabinets.
If you can’t find hardware you like that fits the existing holes, you can fill the holes with wood putty. Then, sand the area smooth and apply paint or stain. Measure and drill new holes and use any hardware you want.
When selecting hardware, choose a style that has a bit of a modern feel but try to avoid overly trendy or quaint items that will need to be replaced soon, with quickly changing fads. This is especially important if you are selling your home. Trends can change so quickly that your new hardware may begin to seem outdated in the time between your renovations and the time your house goes on the market. Look for something stylish yet classic.
Also, be sure to choose hardware befitting the location. Whimsical may work on cabinetry in a child’s room, but generally isn’t appropriate for a home office. The color or finish is also important and should coordinate well with other elements in the space.