Thanks fori! Other than big box stores and online, where does one find hardware to sample? What sorts of stores carry them?

I feel quite naive on this particular subject.

The yellow undertones of satin nickel can look OK with oak, but the brown/yellow of ORB or the red of copper or the basic black look much better. I understand your brass plated knobs are peeling, but brass is back in a big way is is a natural paired with oak and green accents. Perhaps if you found a classic knob in brass? Or even something more updated in brass. Just not shiny shiny brass.

Baldwin Satin Brass from DoorFixtures.com

First Impressions International at Home Portfolio.com
{{!gwi}}

Schaub Bronze Cabinet Pull at Chown Hardware

Amerock Brushed Brass Manor Cabinet Pull

I'm a big fan of ORB, but I think I'd go with brass over bronze depending of course what shade your cabinets really are. What about glass cabinet hardware? They (I gave you think link below for a site I love working with) have a lot of variety and one of the cabinet pulls with a creamier texture will go really beautifully with Honey Oak. You could also choose one with a little blue/silver in the mix to tie everything together in a unique and beautiful little package :) Just a thought! Good luck, and post pictures1

Ilana

Here is a link that might be useful: Kitchen Cabinet Hardware

Thanks for all of those ideas. I hadn't really considered the new brass for my kitchen. Having stainless steel throughout kitchen (appliances, sink) and then antique nickel/pewter for door knobs clash with adding yet another shiny material?

I a guessing you (GreenDesigns) are saying no.

I think I am hearing you want pictures of my current kitchen, and not just some samples on my cabinets. I will work on that ASAP (have some cleanup to do ;) )

Thanks all! (And, boy do these kitchen threads cycle off the first page fast. I almost had to do a search to find mine).

I THINK Restoration Hardware does returns with little fuss. Of course they aren't inexpensive but their selection of finishes is nice. Some of the online vendors let you return things either out-and-out or just for store credit.

I'm kinda digging the idea of blue glass. Hehe.

But clean up and let's have some pictures and then come clean mine. :)

Okay, here are pictures of my current kitchen. My kitchen is "interior" and definitely needs lighting upgrades (what do people replace those big fluorescent fixture with--from the 80s, boxed in oak...)

Anyway, aside from that, I think the color of my oak is closest to the color in the first and last pictures. And, these pics were taken when we first replaced the counters (so they are clean, and mostly were taken to show the counters).

kirkhall, I *just* got rid of a big oak-framed fluorescent light box in the middle of my kitchen ceiling. I had four can lights put in...so much better. Of course, there was a bit of drywall repair, texturing and painting afterwards. It's an incredible improvement.

Hey I love those giant fluorescent boxes when they have good bulbs! Pretty they ain't but they're good. Your kitchen doesn't look huge so a single fixture in the middle ought to do it. HOPEFULLY the wiring/box thing is in the middle so the job is just a little spackle and paint and won't require moving the electrical box.

I think antique nickel (or anything silvery-not-bronzey with black colors) would be a sure thing in there. And I don't think you can call those cabinets "honey" oak, with all the baggage that entails. You don't even have the requisite cathedral arch! Anyway they're good-looking cabinets and don't scream 80s. You could even go arts and crafts/mission with the hardware and I think it would work with the mid-toned oak and earthy tones.

Could you give me an example of "arts and crafts/mission"?

Okay, more blackish tones than satin/stainless tones? I like both, but always assumed I'd upgrade with satin/stainless hardware until I started looking at these threads, (and I do not have a decorator's mind AT ALL! So any/all help greatly appreciated!)

Some days, my cabinets look very honey to me (but no cathedral arch). And, I think it has a LOT to do with lighting. If I improved my single light fixture or got rid of the yellowing/yellowish diffuser on it, it would probably improve the lighting a lot. I'd also like to get UCL.

And, yes, a very small kitchen. I call it a 1.5 person kitchen. If I stand in the corner and stir a pot, my DH can be at the sink and vise versa. But, you can't have 2 people actually "working" in there very well (better now that it is open though).

I think you should try the satin nickel type of finish, It would pop a little more then the ORB, and tie in to your range and sink faucet. I have honey oak cabinets and satin nickel pulls and really love the look. Your floor is dark, I think you need a little bit of contrast.

Kirkhall, I like your kitchen with the oak cabinets since they look great with the counters and floors. When you choose the hardware, please post pictures.

Thanks Lynn. I chose the floor and counters to match the cabinets in a very economical "upgrade" to the kitchen a year and a half ago that was necessitated after we added on out the back (and made the kitchen footprint a functional peninsula rather than a dead end)...

Here is what it used to look like--notice the floor in particular (ignore all the crap...this is when the appliances were pulled out because we were getting ready to prep the floor for the new floor) Where the Pony wall is, that wall used to be the exterior wall of the house:

We have unstained oak in our new rather large G-shaped kitchen and we don't know how much honey color it will take on in time, but for now, with our light oak kitchen we're using shiny chrome and it works very well. The oak has so much personality because of the grain yet the chrome stands up to it and adds twinkle counterpoint to so much duller finish. We have 51 door pulls in the room plus chrome on the pendants and the faucets. I like the glitz.

Florantha,
That is good to hear. I think I will do some shopping, get a few samples as suggested, tape them up, and repost on this thread. Thanks everybody! I'll keep you updated.

Okay, I'm back! I ordered a sample order from an online site, which let me pick 3. I picked 3 different finishes, and 3 different styles to get several ideas. I am not a photoshop guru, so only put them on and took pictures... First, what I have in its decaying state:

Next, I originally thought I'd do stainless/satin. And, here is a "knob" that I like in stainless. What do you think?
{{!gwi}}From kitchen cabinet hardware

{{!gwi}}From kitchen cabinet hardware

Here is a pull that I like in "black iron". I like the color, but would probably also like it in stainless. It is a companion pull to the knob above so I can get either in either color.

Here is one DH liked--it is heavier. This is black nickel (I think). I am not sure I am digging the shiny... It would also come in satin nickel.
{{!gwi}}From kitchen cabinet hardware

What do you think? Am I any closer? I think I like the stainless knobs, but not sure how it would look on my cabinets (in pulls) without replacing all my hinges... They are weathered also, so appear very dark. But, maybe the hinges wouldn't be that noticable? If I did the stainless pulls, it would probably be the first pull above (in "black iron")

Also, we tried some ORB, and I liked them, but DH wasn't thrilled with them...some of them had some "pink" on them.

Also, Susanilz, I would love to see your pics of pulls on your oak too!

Personally, I like the second one, and then the last one. I like the darker color on the oak better than the nickel. But you should do what YOU like!!

Because I am very short, I don't like hardware with edges that stick out, like the choice you like. Especially not on the lower cabinets. My hips are right in line with the hardware and they catch on my pants pockets and robe pockets, and invariably tear them, and I get bruises.

The black is good, and is goes with your hinges. Nickel isn't bad, but I like black better. Even shiny!

You got some neat weird old handles on those cabinets! Not saying I'd keep them, but they're sure different.

Ha! Yeah, they are pretty weird. Weirder still is how they are assembled! When you take the screw/bolt out of it to remove it from the cabinet, the little piece where you might rest your thumb detaches! It just sits in a square hole in the upper part of the handle and is the part that the upper screw actually screws into.

I am taller (6foot actually), so the pulls don't catch on me. And, they don't stick out too far, especially considering that the stove is right next to them and sticks out also (it kind of "shelters" the bank of drawers). We'll see how DH finds them in the next couple days to see if he really has a strong preference one way or another. I am warming to the black also.

Okay, this is all good feedback.

We recently updated the hardware on our honey oak cabinets from a dated early 90's brass to what Amerock calls 'Weathered Brass'. We tried a variety of finishes and went with this one:

I know the style may not be for everyone. :)

{{!gwi}}

Here is a link that might be useful: Amerock Weathered Brass Pull