paigeysmom, I wouldn't like any company installing a sign in my yard (even if I was thrilled with the service they provided ) without ASKING permission first. It's a courteousy on your part, not a given.

I do recall a few other GWers placing knobs on their mantle style hoods. Someone used crystal knobs, and I thought it was pretty. Were you planning on decorating your mantle, and if so, will the knobs make it impossible to decorate it as you had planned? If your answer is yes, or you hate the look of the knobs, then you have to take it up with your KD. It was his installers mistake after all.

rmkitchen has crystal knobs on her mantle. She has 3 panels on hers and the two outside panels have knobs. If you do a search on RMKITCHEN... and scroll down towards the end of the responses, you'll see close-up photos of her mantle.

So, you won't be the only one with knobs there, but you may never feel right about this without replacement panels.

We have the same kind of mantel hood, and I do not plan to have knobs. I don't know what finish your cabinets are, but you really may be able to fill in the holes so that they are not noticeable, especially if you plan to put things on your mantel that might hide them.

I would try that first, and if you are not satisfied, then I'd fight with the KD to replace the doors.

And I'd rip that sign right out.

Our siding contractor actually took his signs out of our yard after he realized what a horrible job his workers were doing. I didn't blame him for trying to hide the fact that they were responsible for the fiasco.

It's the same company that's doing our addition and kitchen (about 99% done!), and if they stick another a sign in when they're finished, I'm going to ask about how much of a rebate I'll get for the advertising.

I hope you come up with a solution that makes you happy. Just when you think you've taken care of all of the problems, there's always another just around the corner.

If you don't like the doors, and this is such a nightmare (and I know it has been!!!) and if you can afford it ;) Eat the money and order the doors through someone else.

Personally I wouldn't accept filled holes. But I'm picky as heckfire. That does make me understand the need to change them if you don't like them...and you've worked hard on this...you don't deserve damaged doors. I'd even ask him for a rebate for the cost just to be pissey :O) He deserves it.

As to the sign...that's tacky. Even for a well done job, it's tacky to place a sign without asking...heck I wouldn't even ask. I used to finance construction projects. We put signs on them stating the bank financed another job blah blah while it was under construction. But there were rules. First, the client had to agree, and secondly, the client got a kicker back for allowing the advertising.

I hope you've removed the sign, or turned it upside down and wrote "Another UNhappy customer" heh heh

Thanks everyone. I'm glad to know someone else has knobs on their mantel and I feel even better knowing that Rmkitchen has knobs on hers. I tend to follow the policy that if its good enough for Rmkitchen, Igloochic, or Mamadadapaige then its good enough for me.

My decorator went out to the house to check out the hardware and she said it actually looks better with the knobs on the mantel because it matches all of the other doors and they do look more like doors than panels anyway. I'm waiting to make my final judgment when I get home now that I've had some time to calm down a bit.

I don't expect the sign to last long in the yard. My husband was threatening to go home at lunch and put a conflicting sign next to it, but I think we should follow Igloo's recommendation.

Thanks again everyone. Hopefully sometime in the next few weeks we will actually be finished (I know I'm kidding myself--but a girl can dream can't she?). Its hard to believe I have an ounce of optimism or hope left at this point.

So now I need opinions on whether or not I should live with this. I still hate the knobs on the mantel, but maybe I hate them because none of the knobs seem to look right. I like the knobs by themselves, but next to the pulls the finish seems dark and dull and doesn't seem to match. Both are Top Knobs antique pewter finish from the Edwardian Collection so they should work together but I really am not feeling it. Any thoughts?

The knobs on the mantel

Knob and pull together

This is my second set of hardware and of course since these have been installed they can't be returned so hopefully I will learn to love the knobs over time. Am I just crazy or do they not look right together?

Here's an observation from someone who is not TKO....I think it looks like knobs belong there. It all looks like cabinet doors. i guess I don't know what a mantel is, or is supposed to look like, but those like like doors to me! I think the knobs look great! But, the knobs and pulls do look like a different finish. I like the finish on the knobs best. HTH

Coming from the perspective of someone who didn't know your original design, I saw the picture and thought it looked just fine. Just a vote of support if you decided to keep the knobs. I agree with the suggestion above of glass knobs-- maybe less obvious?

I also vote to leave the knobs - they look like they belong there - they match the cabinets down below.

I also like the knobs on the mantle! I would keep them or "fight' for new doors! The hardware does seem mismatched - perhaps they will look better with use.

I like the knobs too. I also see what you mean about the knobs and pulls having a different look. It looks like the pulls are shinier than the knobs. Or maybe the knobs have more of the burnished look. Does the knob in the first closeup have a chip in it?

I like the knobs -- just looking at the mantle, I would have thought "oh...the cabinet doors are missing knobs!" but since the doors are not angled inward, which would make it look more like a hood, I think the knobs installed as they are now look great.

I'd keep the knobs. The mantles I've seen that are at an angle, as mtnwomanbc noted, don't have knobs. I think yours look great with the knobs.

I'd get rid of that sign, though! I don't assume someone is satisfied with a contractor just because a sign is on the lawn. I see it as an opportunity to get the scoop on who did their work. I had a neighbor who had a contractor's sign in their yard from Sept to March. I definitely didn't assume they were pleased with the service of someone that took 6 months to renovate a kitchen. I was glad to see the sign because that told me who I DIDN"T want to call for my own renovation.

By the same token, unless I REALLY liked the contractor, I wouldn't be inclined to let him get free advertising.

what a rollercoaster! I thought, NO, he didn't just put those knobs on... how could he. Then (like you), I think if rmkitchen did it, it must be okay and maybe I am missing something. Then, I see the pictures and think this looks fantastic. Ah, the drama of this forum. I don't need to watch TV anymore.

MAntle looks great. Honestly. Quit obsessing.

As for the knob / pull conundrum... i really dont think may people walking in to you kitchen are going to notice, but , since you asked, yes, they look a bit different. My advice is to live with it for a while, if they STILL bother you, take a CALM look around and see which ones you can switch for a reasonable $$ amount. You will probably be able to sell the rejects on ebay, so dont sweat it.

Oh my gosh, you have been through the wringer! I am so sorry. I really am, and I feel my shoulders getting all hunched up in sympathetic frustration. Aargh!

Nut job Godfather aside, I have to say your kitchen looks so pretty! I also really like the knobs and pulls together -- I think they make perfect sense as a duo. That being said, it's not my kitchen so I absolutely respect your feelings. (but I still like them together!)

Cannot keep my mouth shut!

To my (biased) eye, the knobs on your mantle also make perfect sense. But as boysrus2 wrote, I have them myself so to me eye they just make sense. But it's funny, because after reading this thread I ran downstairs to look at our hood and wonder if I'd made a mistake having knobs put on the hood! The cabinetmaker and his assistant were totally anti-knobs, so we "compromised" and didn't put one in the middle (even though it is a door, ableit a door to the vent work). So looking at it again, I think we could've gone without the knobs but they've come in handy for whenever we need to access the Costco jugs of oil / booze we keep up there!

here's mine

The cabinetmaker or his assistant accidentally drilled a hole in the wrong spot on one door (they caught this before I did), so they removed the door and took it back to their shop. They filled it and repainted it and I defy anyone to find the former errant hole. Seriously, I have run my hands all over that door, inside and out and I cannot feel or see where they patched it. With a stained door clearly it won't be the same, but with painted it can be done ....

But your kitchen and its hardware just looks lovely, and I am so glad you are near the end! Fingers crossed.

I usually dont advocate fake doors and knobs to exaggerate the fakeness but the combo looks perfect in your kitchen!

Sometimes good design happens by accident :)

I also vote to keep the knobs. I like the pyramid symmatry with the lower doors.

BUT, its your kitchen, not mine. If you hate them fire the KD and order new doors on your own from another source, using KD's money to pay for it. He isn't going to do anything over 10% and has obviously not been doing what he was supposed to be doing to earn the money.

Hi Paigeysmom, You know I feel your pain.....I can't believe we have another thing in common,we both started this ordeal on July 22.

I think the knobs look fine. What I would do if I were you is to take the knobs off the cabinets above the hood, and see if you like the look of the side cabinets with the knobs and the uppers without. I think if you take the knobs off the uppers it will not look balanced. But that's just mho. I still think you kitchen looks gorgeous.

I think the knobs make perfect sense there. They look just like regular cabinet doors and it would seem odd to have no knobs there when the rest of the doors do have them. the kitchen is perfectly lovely!!