Browse Forums Kitchen Corner 1 Jan 19, 2011 3:57 pm Hi, I hoping someone can provide me with some help? I am building a porter davis smart living home and have chosen to have burnished wood for my island bench cupboards and back cupboards with cs ice snow benches. I have chosen a polar white or to that effect as I haven't chosen the exact colour yet for my overheads in the laminex gloss. I wanted to have a modern look and wondered if I needed the handles for the overheads? I'm sure I have seen them without handles in the display homes, but forgot to check if they had anything in place of a handle I have chosen the long horizontal ones for the lower ones but I wondered if I don't have any for the above cabinets do I need to ask for a lip, or do some people have nothing at all - and is it annoying not having anything? What do most people do? Your help would be sooooo appreciated because I have searched the net and can't find anyone asking this question! Many thanks Re: Do I have to have kitchen handles? 2Jan 19, 2011 4:08 pm I recall reading something here on H1 about overheads with no handles- but I don't recall whether it was a separate thread or whether it was just a discussion on someone's building thread. If you have done a search here on H1 then I'm not sure what else to suggest to find it- unless someone else reads this and recalls the thread. (perhaps I imagined it LOL!) I think it would be perfectly fine not to have handles on your overhead cupboards. Given that they are overheads I imagine it wouldn't be too awkward opening them from the bottom. I think it would probably be easier to open with a handle but if you prefer the look without- I'm sure it is something you could live with. We have handles all over our kitchen because I liked the look and because we have lots of pot drawers. However, on the panels on the back of our island bench there are narrow cupboards that open. As they are in the spot where people's legs would go if they were sitting at the island bench I obviously didn't want handles there. To open these I have to reach down and open them from the bottom. It isn't the most convenient access but I will store items there I don't use very often. You can see pics on my building thread. Re: Do I have to have kitchen handles? 3Jan 19, 2011 5:28 pm You can have what is known as a 'push to open' (PTO) on your overhead cupboard doors, and you can have it on your drawers as well if you wish. The major kitchen equipment brands have this product eg Blum, Hettich and Hafele. All that is required is a soft push ie a depress of a few mm and the door will open partly allowing it to be grasped and opened fully. barkly Re: Do I have to have kitchen handles? 4Jan 19, 2011 5:38 pm Thanks barkly, is this something I can get fitted after handover or would it be better to do when they are installing? Thanks Re: Do I have to have kitchen handles? 5Jan 19, 2011 6:18 pm Re: Do I have to have kitchen handles? 6Jan 19, 2011 6:53 pm You will, however, need to swap all your hinges over to "unsprung" models if you are going to fit touch catches. Cheers, Earl Re: Do I have to have kitchen handles? 8Jan 19, 2011 7:57 pm excitedbutnervous, I would be specifying that you want this right from the start either with your builder or with the kitchen supplier. Otherwise you will end up with handles on the doors that match those that you have specified on the drawers that are under bench. Complain loudly if they want to charge extra for this. Yes the hinges are different as Earl has advised, there isn't a handle but there is the spring mechanism. Should all balance out IMO. cheers Re: Do I have to have kitchen handles? 10Jan 19, 2011 9:28 pm We are not having handles on our overhead cupboards. The door will have a 10mm overhang at the base of the cupboard so I just have to pull the cupboard from the bottom to open. Hope this gives you another idea of how to do it. A balanced diet is chocolate in both hands. Melbourne West Our build viewtopic.php?f=31&t=34169 Landscaping viewtopic.php?f=19&t=51147 Re: Do I have to have kitchen handles? 11Jan 19, 2011 11:54 pm I would definitley go for an door overhang instead of the push latches. We have the push latches above the fridge and they are a bit annoying IMO. when you close the cupboard they often bounce open again - you really have to push them shut. if we had these on our other overheads I would be very fustrated. We have a lip built in with our standard overheads and they are so easy to open and have soft close hinges so we love that too. THe bottom of the door is level with the carcass, but there is a small gap which forms the lip. Pics in my sig. we have chosen no handles for the whole kitchen but you can easily have handles below bench and none above. It will help to make the top of the kitchen more streamlined. It is much easier to clean handless cupboards, too! - just wipe over, takes on sec. Recently moved to a 60's home in need of some improvement! http://s797.photobucket.com/user/leenii ... ch%20House Old house: http://s797.photobucket.com/albums/yy25 ... loo/House/ Re: Do I have to have kitchen handles? 12Jan 20, 2011 4:53 pm Quote: We have the push latches above the fridge and they are a bit annoying IMO. when you close the cupboard they often bounce open again - you really have to push them shut. if we had these on our other overheads I would be very fustrated. We have a lip built in with our standard overheads and they are so easy to open and have soft close hinges so we love that too. We have same. Overhang is best. Re: Do I have to have kitchen handles? 13Jan 20, 2011 5:01 pm same here - overhang Preliminary agreement 23/11 Contract 22/03 Prestart 06/04 - finalised on 30/04 Unconditional approval 10/05 Demolition 05/07 Slab 26/08 Brickwork 13/09-06/10 Roof frame started 07/10 viewtopic.php?f=31&t=32292 Re: Do I have to have kitchen handles? 15Jan 25, 2011 6:42 am Thanks guys, so how many mm for the overhang should I be asking for? I hate how my builder just doesn't offer these suggestions! Thank u all for ur help with this Re: Do I have to have kitchen handles? 16Jan 25, 2011 6:49 am Ours are 10mm. Kitchen. Cupboards are in now. You can see on pge 22 of my thread. A balanced diet is chocolate in both hands. Melbourne West Our build viewtopic.php?f=31&t=34169 Landscaping viewtopic.php?f=19&t=51147 3 3945 Thanks mate. Yeah good points! Leaning towards Option 3 to get a bit extra space in the cabinets but not going too crazy high (and expensive). Would require a mini… 13 39276 6 11470 |