Handles, knobs and pulls from Hendel & Hendel — British-designed cabinet hardware, specified with your kitchen or wardrobes rather than chosen as an afterthought.
Handles are the one part of a kitchen you make physical contact with several times a day. They are also the cheapest element to specify well and the most expensive to change your mind about later.
We work with Hendel & Hendel, a British hardware designer established in 1971 and based in Lincoln. Their pieces are manufactured in solid brass and zamac, lacquered, and carry a lifetime product guarantee.
We chose them for two practical reasons rather than brand appeal. First, the collections are broad enough that a single family covers knobs, cup handles, bar pulls, appliance pulls and backplates — so a whole kitchen can be specified from one design language rather than assembled from mismatched parts. Second, the finish quality holds up: lacquered brass that keeps its tone rather than going patchy after a year of cleaning.
Handle selection happens at design stage, not at the end. We drill in the workshop rather than on site, so the choice needs to be locked before manufacture — which also means every hole is in exactly the right place.
The Hendel & Hendel catalogue covers the full range of cabinet hardware. Most schemes use three or four of the categories below, drawn from a single collection.
Bar and T-bar pulls in a range of centres, for drawers, doors and tall units.
Round, oval and faceted knobs — the traditional choice for Shaker and in-frame doors.
Recessed pulls for drawer fronts. Classic pairing with knobs on a painted kitchen.
Longer, heavier pulls sized for integrated fridge, freezer and larder doors.
Mix-and-match plates behind knobs and pulls, for a more decorative period look.
Hinged pulls with a traditional character, well suited to dressers and pantries.
Surface latches for in-frame doors and glazed cabinets, where a visible closure suits the style.
For boot rooms, utility runs and hallway joinery — matched to the rest of the scheme.
Exposed brackets for open shelving, in finishes that tie back to the cabinetry hardware.
A small detail for high-traffic runs, in matching metalwork.
Each collection runs across multiple product types and finishes, so you can specify a whole room without mixing design languages. Grouped below by the interiors they tend to suit.
Period detailing, softer curves and decorative backplates. Best suited to in-frame, Shaker and classic painted kitchens.
Pieces that sit comfortably in both directions — clean enough for a contemporary scheme, warm enough for a classic one. The safest choice in an open-plan space.
Minimal profiles and sculptural forms. Pairs naturally with handleless runs, slab doors and matt finishes.
Finish availability varies by collection — we confirm the exact options for your chosen handle at design stage. These are the families you will be choosing between.
Bright, warm and reflective. Strong against dark cabinetry.
The same warmth without the shine. The most-specified finish we fit.
Darkened and slightly uneven. Suits period and in-frame schemes.
Deep and brown-toned. Excellent with green, navy and timber.
Graphic and contemporary. Reads well against pale cabinetry.
Cool and bright. The default for modern handleless schemes.
Softer and warmer than chrome, without going gold.
Muted grey with depth. Quietly traditional.
Swatches above are indicative only — metal finishes photograph and render differently to how they look in a room. We supply physical samples before you commit.
Five things we resolve before anything is drilled.
Drilling happens in the workshop, not on site. The handle is confirmed at design stage so every centre is exact.
A 160mm bar on a 300mm drawer looks wrong. Handle lengths are stepped to suit each cabinet width.
Knobs on doors, cup handles or bars on drawers. Traditional, and practical — drawers need a wider grip.
Handles, tap, sink and light fittings should agree. We check the tap finish before signing off hardware.
Metal finishes never look the same on screen. We get physical samples into the room before ordering.
Integrated fridge and larder doors are tall and heavy. They need longer, more substantial pulls than base units.
Yes. Handles are specified as part of your design rather than fixed to a package. We supply the Hendel & Hendel collections as standard, and we can work to another manufacturer if you have already chosen something. Because we drill in the workshop rather than on site, the choice needs confirming before manufacture.
Common finishes across the collections include polished and satin brass, antique and aged brass, bronze, matt black, polished and satin chrome, nickel and pewter tones. Availability varies by collection, so we confirm the exact options for your chosen handle at design stage.
A common approach is knobs on doors with cup handles or bar pulls on drawers — traditional, and practical, since drawers benefit from a wider grip. There is no rule, and mixing within one collection keeps the scheme coherent. Consistency of finish across the room matters more than the specific mix.
Yes, and it is increasingly common. A true handleless run to the main cabinetry with handles on an island, pantry or dresser creates deliberate contrast and stops a large kitchen feeling flat. We specify the handle at design stage so rail and drilling positions are resolved together.
Hendel & Hendel provide a lifetime product guarantee on their hardware. As with any lacquered finish, that covers manufacturing rather than wear caused by abrasive cleaning products — we supply care guidance on handover.
Within reason. Swapping like-for-like — a bar pull for another bar pull with the same centres — is straightforward. Moving from knobs to handles, or changing centres, means new holes, which on a painted door is a repair rather than a swap. It is worth spending the extra time on this decision up front.
Handles are impossible to judge on a screen. Tell us what you are planning and we will get physical samples in the right finishes to you.