Elusive Brass Knobs and Pulls

When I was looking to replace my hideous kitchen cupboard knobs with contemporary brass ones, I quickly realised it was not going to be easy. It seemed the only option was to either spend upwards of £40 per knob, be stuck with really old fashioned / traditional shapes, or order them from the US or Sweden.

I'd have loved these hexagon ones from Schoolhouse Electric. They're simply perfect and not too expensive, but try as I might, I couldn't justify the shipping and customs charges on top, which suddenly makes them not quite so affordable.

I also adore these beautiful simple ones from Superfront, but I needed seventeen, which really pushed the price up quite substantially. These are great if you only need a couple, but buying seventeen was out of the question for me. So frustrating!

A quick look online throws up a gazillion 'traditional' or hideous 'designer' shapes if you want a brass finish. I searched high and low relentlessly for weeks on end, then one day I stumbled upon M Marcus. I think I actually let out a squeal of delight as I had finally found great selection of shapes at really reasonable prices, IN THE UK! I now have hardware from their Heritage Brass range (I know, don't let the Heritage bit put you off) on my bedside tables, kitchen cupboards and bedroom drawers. Do shop around for the best price - I found quite drastic price differences for the same pieces online. This place has a good selection at low prices.

Unfortunately they don't do a satin brass finish, (they do an antiqued version and I don't like the black tones in it) which would be a great addition to their range as it feels a bit more modern. I'd have probably chosen that if there was an option, but at least there finally is an affordable brass option, and I do love the polished finish - it's super glam. These are great quality - solid heavy brass and they just feel so nice to touch. No sharp edges here. They have a 92 page catalogue on their site which also includes door hardware, hinges, and house numbers. They have something to cater for every taste, you have to sift through to find the good stuff, but it's worth it!

I have also since discovered Beslag Design, which are available here. They have some great shapes available in brass and copper finishes which is really quite exciting. I haven't used any of these yet, (but I do have a project in mind!), so I can't vouch for the quality, but they're worth investigating if you're in the market.

Changing the handles on our rather rickety old kitchen cupboards has definitely given them a much needed facelift. We're on the final push for the so called 'mini' kitchen makeover by the way, so I promise to share that as soon as possible!

I'm still confused as to why the trend for brass in particular is taking so long to filter down to the high street for cupboard hardware. There's been a move  away from silver/chrome happening for some time now and I'm surprised the likes of Ikea haven't presented an offering yet. Perhaps they're waiting to see if it's a passing fad, which we know of course, it's not.