With a name like hardware… you’d think it would be tough to do. But switching out your drawer and door pulls is one of the easiest ways to pull of a super fast makeover on a dime. For example, we wanted to add a bit more interest to our living room console table by the door:
So we picked up some graphic black and white pulls from Anthropologie to spice things up:
It only took about 30 seconds to remove the old knobs with a screwdriver from inside each drawer, and popping the new ones in place was a snap.
At just $8 a pop, the new knobs are hardly a huge investment. And they add so much punch and personality to our basic $99 Target console table. We especially love how their graphic black and white pattern complements our black and white wall of frames.
So if you’re looking to transform a piece of furniture for less than the cost of a can of paint (and a heckova lot less work), look no further than some brand spankin’ new hardware.
For another knob makeover check out the console table in this house tour featured on Design*Sponge
Wow those are some great knobs! I am working on updating the hardware on the dresser and end tables in the bedroom but when you need 16 pulls it can add up. I found some great ones at Ikea.
Love it! I SOOOO want to do this to our 8 drawer, Ikea Hemnes dresser, but would need 12 knobs, and the Anthro knobs would set me back a little too much. Your console table has a funkier edge to it, love it!
We did something similar in our kitchen. With then need for new appliances, we could not afford to replace our low grade, handleless, cabinets and drawers so instead we put sleek, chrome handles on everything. The total cost was $5.43 and it was a wonderful transformation. It made our kitchen look like a million bucks!
I also put a ceramic tomato knob on our pantry cabinet. It makes me smile every time I open it.
I love that idea, they look fabulous! I was wondering if you guys could suggest a few other stores to look at for knobs? Thanks!
Hey Jessica,
Another great place to check out some knobs would be home improvement stores like Lowe’s and Home Depot. We’ve also had a lot of luck at a local hardware store called Pleasant’s (where we got all of our kitchen hardware much more affordably than other places) so if you’re in Richmond try there (and if you’re not, google your city plus “hardware home improvement store” because sometimes they have more options at better prices than the big box stores like HD and Lowe’s). Of course Ikea is another great option for inexpensive pulls and knobs (I actually used Ikea hardware to update the tiny kitchen in my Manhattan rental- it looked so much better and was so affordable I didn’t mind leaving them behind when I moved). Happy hardware hunting…
xo,
Sherry
We recently did the same thing to our entry table from Pottery Barn. It had plain iron knobs on it, so we switched them out for some mint colored glass knobs from Anthropologie and then a mint colored ceramic flower knob for the middle drawer. I like how yours turned out!! It makes that piece of furniture look charming!
Ooh, very nice. I love Anthropologie’s knob selection!
Where are the white frames from in your home/entry hallway?
Another great place to find interesting knobs is the Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD) store. Check out this link: http://www.shopscadonline.com/store/shopexd.asp?id=1845 for a reasonable $10 a pop, and the hand painted selection at: http://www.shopscadonline.com/store/shopexd.asp?id=191. You will want to take these with you at $35 each. But a beautiful update to a one-knob nightstand! Happy knob hunting!
Hey Heidi,
All of the white frames in our entryway (and many of the frames in our house) hail from Ikea. You can’t beat their prices and they carry such a wide range of sizes, finishes, and styles there really is something for everyone. Hope it helps!
xo,
Sherry
I have a special place in my heart for Anthropologie, but if you want to be in knob heaven, check out http://www.vandykes.com/.
I’m in the process of re-doing the roll top desk featured on my blog- my first furniture re-model venture. I purchased some knobs from Hobby Lobby, but the actual screw part is super long. They stay in place with a bolt, but has anyone had to trim these before and how do you shorten them?
Hey Amanda,
I think a hack saw would do the trick, although we’ve added a nut or a bolt on the inside of the any doors or drawers that are too thin (as is the case with our bathroom vanity) to take care of the extra length while no one’s the wiser. Hope it helps!
xo,
Sherry
It looks great and I love that big vase!
Those knobs are beautiful!
Hobby Lobby also recently started carrying knobs and pulls in my local store. I don’t know if they have them everywhere, but they were around 3-4 dollars each and they had quite a selection in terms of size and color.
We did a mini transformation on our kitchen, and were in the same boat as Cindy who posted earlier was. We really needed a couple of new appliances and couldn’t afford new cabinetry, so we are getting by for a few years with painted cabinets and new hardware.
I was in love with sleek, modern look of brushed stainless drawer handles, but didn’t like the prices (even at Home Depot). So where did we pick ours up? Wal-mart. For $3.50 each! The same thing ran twice as much at Home Depot, and for $11 each at Restoration Hardware. With 30 handles needed (we used the same ones for cupboards and drawers), we were able to completely modernize our kitchen cabinets for approximately $150, including paint. To make things even better, we didn’t even have to re-drill holes, as the width of the new handles was the same as the old!
Also, we really need a console table for our living room. But rather than going and spending even $100 on one at Target (which, the one you have would suit my living room perfectly!), I’m going to paint an old dresser and replace the handles on it. I can’t wait to see how it turns out!
How funny that this is your post today because my husband and I did this to our bedroom furniture this weekend! We had some HORRENDOUS (seriously, i have NO idea what these people were thinking) drawer pulls that have been with me for years. We needed a lot so we went with simple and sleek ones from Lowe’s and it made ALLLL the difference. Now I WANT to fold and put up our clothes just to admire our new drawer pulls!!!
For really cool and totally unusual drawer pulls take a look at the shops on Etsy! Some are a little pricey but they’re all one of a kind, often customizable, plus a lot of vintage stuff. VERY nice.
And to the person who wanted to make a bolt shorter: while a bolt-cutter would work, I’ll bet you could just go to Lowe’s and buy a couple of shorter bolts. (I hope my lack of significant home-improvement experience isn’t showing, here, but that seems logical to me.)
Now I gotta go wander around my house looking for replaceable hardware….
i really wanted to update our kitchen cabinets with some of the great knobs and pulls that are out there (like from anthropologie), but they were too expensive when i needed 20+. i ended up getting simple modern cabinet hardware from lowes, but my mom bought me 5 of my favorite knobs from anthropologie and i attached them to a scrap piece of wood and put that up in the kitchen – and now i have a great place to hang my apron, pot holders, etc. and i love how they give the kitchen a little more personality :-)
here’s a link, the picture is at the bottom: http://five2eight.blogspot.com/2008/12/every-weekend-should-be-3-day-weekend.html
The knobs add a lot of oompf to the table, I love it. Excellent choice!
I just had deja vu. I was reading your post about the new hardware, then clicked over to Design*Sponge…where they featured a console table in a sneak peak with the same idea! Target table + Anthro knobs! I thought my browser was playing tricks on me!
Looks Awesome! Just wondering- when I click to the Target link, it only shows the Hudson Console Table in brown….does it still come in black? Does anyone know? I love it! Thanks!
Hey Erin,
Our console is actually the dark brown one that we linked to- it has a great espresso finish so it works with black and brown furnishings (and black and white knobs too). I don’t know that there was ever a black version available, but I bet there are a few other similar console tables that come in black. Hope it helps!
xo,
Sherry
Sherry- Thanks sooooo much. This is why I love your blog and obsessively read it everyday! Talk about customer service! ;) I am off to buy the table!
Love the knobs! I always have to browse their hardware selection when I go in there. Last time I was in there I found a ‘must have’ and brought it home. We love it!
http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/catalog/productdetail.jsp?_dyncharset=ISO-8859-1&_dynSessConf=8256168311145780273&id=670305&parentid=DECOR_HARDWARE_HOOKS&pushId=DECOR_HARDWARE_HOOKS&popId=DECOR_HARDWARE&sortProperties=&navCount=13&navAction=poppushpush&fromCategoryPage=true&selectedProductSize=&selectedProductSize1=&color=one
Just a hint but apparently Hobby Lobby carry the same door knobs as Anthropologie at half the price. I have heard it is hard to get alot of the same type but if you are just looking for a few it is worth a look. Great Blog by the way!
Oh if only we had a Hobby Lobby around here! There’s only one in the state and it’s nowhere near Richmond. Maybe more are one the way? Fingers crossed…
xo,
Sherry
Wow, nice idea! You change a knob in just a second and it looks so good. Thanks for the post and the idea.
I love this idea! I’m a broke twenty something and this gave me reason to keep a “free” dressing given to me but update with my flare. I found great crystal knobs at Anthropolige for $6 each, and it gives it a whole new look. Thanks for the advice!
I love the way you changed out your console table knobs; however, I am looking for advice on purchasing knobs and drawer pulls for my kitchen. I have medium-dark cabinets and baltic brown granite with black appliances. I am unsure if I should go with a brushed nickel finish or something darker, like bronze. I am not sure about the nickel being so obvious against a darker cabinet, but then I don’t want everything in the kitchen to be dark. (At least the walls and marble backsplash are a creamy beige!) Do you have any advice? Is there some sort of rule when choosing hardware? I will need to buy approximately 40 pieces, so I really don’t want to make the wrong decision. Any guidance is greatly appreciated!!
You really can’t go wrong. Brushed nickel will look a bit more shiny and contemporary while an oil-rubbed bronze or hammered bronze would look a bit more old world and lovely. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Have you found any other locations with unique knobs and handles? Or have you done anything with existing hardware in order to change the look…spray painted etc.? If so which worked best.
Oh yes, places like Hobby Lobby and Home Depot along with thrift stores, and ebay have some awesome things. And we’ve spray painted pulls too – just be sure to use spray primer and spray paint with thin and even coats.
xo
s