Shaker Kitchen Hardware — Cabinet Knobs & Pulls

Shaker cabinets ask very little of their hardware — and get everything wrong when it's chosen badly. Here's what a Birmingham workshop has learned making cabinet knobs and pulls for shaker kitchens across the US.

The shaker cabinet was designed in the 1830s by the United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing — a plainspoken religious community in upstate New York and New England who believed furniture should honour God through simplicity. Two centuries later it remains the most-installed kitchen cabinet style in America, from period restorations in Charleston to new-build Craftsman homes in Portland.

Because the door itself is quiet — a flat centre panel framed by a rail-and-stile border — the hardware carries every note of the room's character. A polished-brass knob makes it read English country. A knurled satin-brass bar pull makes it read Brooklyn townhouse. A hand-painted ceramic knob makes it read Tuscan farmhouse. The cabinet stays the same. The hardware changes the meaning entirely.

What we make for shaker kitchens

Every knob and pull below is hand-finished at our workshop in Birmingham, England. Brass is lost-wax cast, hand-chased, and either polished, satin-brushed, or aged with an unlacquered patina. Ceramics are hand-thrown on the wheel, glazed, and painted with soft-hair sable brushes. Nothing on this page is a CNC-milled reproduction of a heritage piece — it's the piece.

Three of our most-ordered shaker-appropriate designs:

Milano Handmade Ceramic Cabinet Knob — 38 mm hand-thrown ceramic in a soft-white glaze on a polished-brass base. Sits at the pared-back end of the range. Reads clean, warm, un-fussy — the shaker's original spirit translated to a knob.
Estella White Marble Cabinet Knob — cut from a single block of white Carrara marble, seated in a polished-brass collar. Adds material weight without visual noise. Works especially well on paint-grade shaker doors where you want quiet contrast.
Oro Ceramic Cabinet Knob — hand-glazed ceramic in a soft neutral finish. The most Anglo-restrained knob we make. If your kitchen has to speak to a formal dining room next door, this is the one.

Browse the full range of cabinet knobs or the kitchen cabinet pulls collection.

Sizing — a quick reference for US shaker cabinets

Standard US shaker cabinet doors run 12 to 36 inches wide. A well-proportioned knob or pull for that door width sits in this range:

Doors under 15 inches wide (upper cabinets, narrow lowers): 30–38 mm knob (1¼–1½ in), or a 96 mm (3¾ in) bar pull.
Doors 15–24 inches wide (standard base cabinets): 38 mm knob (1½ in), or a 128 mm (5 in) bar pull.
Doors over 24 inches wide (drawers, pantry, refrigerator surround): 160 mm or 192 mm bar pulls (6¼ or 7½ in). A single knob looks lost.
Drawer fronts: match the pull to drawer width — 96 mm on drawers under 15 in wide, 128 mm on drawers 15–24 in, 160 mm+ on wider drawers.

The full sizing guide covers screw specs, backplate options, and installation offsets in detail.

Finish choices for shaker kitchens

Four finishes cover the great majority of US shaker installations:

Polished brass (unlacquered) — patinas beautifully over 5–10 years, warmth that gets warmer with age. English country, Georgetown historic, Southern classic. Best for buyers who welcome oxidation as character.
Satin brass — a matte, honey-toned brass with no shine. The current default for Brooklyn townhouse, Austin remodel, Denver new-build. Doesn't visibly patina — you get the tone at install and keep it.
Polished chrome — mirror-bright, cool. Reads clean and modern. Pairs well with white shaker + white marble + navy island.
Aged brass — pre-oxidised at the workshop for the patinated look on day one. Sidesteps the years-of-oxidation wait for polished unlacquered.

Shipping to the US

Every US order ships DDP from our Birmingham workshop with duties and taxes pre-paid at checkout. Flat-rate US shipping is $16.95, free over $150. Delivery to your door in 5–7 business days. No customs invoices. No surprise fees.

Read further

Our editorial guide to choosing cabinet knobs for shaker kitchens walks through five real US kitchens with the hardware called out.

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