Your kitchen redesign is moving forward. You’ve picked out the big ticket items, like flooring and cupboards, but now it’s time to get down to brass tacks; literally. The finishing touches for your kitchen — lighting, fixtures, hardware — can really pull your room together. It’s important to make sure they don’t look like afterthoughts or they can make your kitchen feel cluttered.
It’s also a time to get creative. These details can really show off your personality and style. White subway tiles are simple and classic, but adding an industrial or vintage sink faucet will create visual interest. A good rule of thumb is to keep the finish similar throughout. If you have stainless steel appliances, keeping the door pulls and faucets the same is a safe bet. But, these days, rules can go out the window, and mixing gold, silver, wood and metal is on trend. Work with your designer to explore your ideas and help pull them all together.
Gathering Ideas
As with any remodeling job, gathering ideas is a good place to start. It helps you find your style and understand your options. Looking through magazines or on websites like Houzz and Pinterest help you save your ideas and find things that make you happy. Once you have some ideas pulled together, you’ll be able to see a theme emerge. Is your style:
- Mid-Century Modern or Minimalist
- Industrial or Urban Modern
- Nautical or Beach House
- Farmhouse or Country Kitchen
- Shabby Chic or Bohemian
Lighting
Layers of light is key
- Task lighting illuminates work spaces for preparing food or inside a pantry
- Accent or General lighting give light to the entire room
- Decorative lighting add interest and fills the room with soft, ambient light.
Types of lighting to consider
- Ceiling Fixtures: sit close to the ceiling and project general light throughout the room
- Chandeliers: decorative suspension fixtures provide general lighting but hang low and typically sit over dining tables
- Pendants: decorative features often hung in groups, that offer general and task lighting, typically over an island or over a sink to add interest
- Wall lights: sconces usually sit on either side of a hutch, piece of art, or decorative backsplash to create a focal point
- Track lights: or rail lighting offer flexibility and can be pointed in different directions providing task or accent lighting as needed
- Recessed lights: placed into ceiling and provide general lighting
- Under-mount lights: placed under the cupboards to provide task lighting or inside glass front cabinets to highlight display pieces
Faucets
Styles and finishes
- Range from detailed to simple, clean lines to historically accurate, curves to angles
- Chrome, nickel, brushed, polished, oil-rubbed bronze, white, black and stainless steel are all popular finishes
- Your kitchen design style will help you narrow down the right look for your space, but it helps to research your options
Mounting
- Sink-mounted: your sink will have either one, two, three, or four holes so the faucet will have to be chosen accordingly
- Deck-mounted: place directly on the countertop, typically for under-mounted sinks providing a seamless look
- Wall-mounted: this frees up space below the faucets for cleaning, but installation needs to be precise and the spout will need to make it comfortably into the sink
Handles
- Single-handle: able to control with one hand, rotate up-down and side-to-side to adjust the flow and temperature, only need one hole in your sink or counter
- Double-handle: more traditional, usually require 3 holes, easier to control the water temperature and flow rate, but more difficult to use with full hands
- Hands-free: activated by a sensor, so turn on and off with ease, but a manual handle will have to adjust the flow and temperature
Knobs and Pulls
- It’s best to base your selections on the faucet finish and style you have chosen
- Rules can always be broken! Ask your designer to help mix styles or finishes if that is something that interests you
- Top-selling finishes currently are: satin nickel (slightly darker then stainless steel), chrome and bronze
Popular Styles
- Streamline Modern: curved, sleek, elegant, and roomy, work well with modern cabinets and dark stained wood
- Bar pulls: glamourous yet streamlined and contemporary, sturdy and easy to use for small or aging hands
- Cup pulls: give a minimalist and vintage feel, are easy to use and mix with a variety of cabinet styles
- Window sash pulls: smooth, simple and softly rounded, they are easy to grip and blend industrial and colonial
- Drop handles: add an elegant and luxurious touch and can dress up cabinets and make them feel like pieces of furniture
- Recessed pulls: minimalist and contemporary with smooth lines, built into doors so great for galley kitchens where space is at a premium
If you think you’ve got a handle on things and you’re ready to get started, we have a free Kitchen Ultimate Planning Guide to help put your plans into action!
*All images are from our wonderful local partners at Richelou, the Eddy Group and Rona.
