An Adjustable Solution to a Common Problem

As published in the Napa Valley Register

If you’re thinking about giving your kitchen cabinets, or any cabinets for that matter, a makeover, it will probably include replacing the pulls on your old door and drawer fronts. This may be as easy-peasy as it sounds or you may run into a problem. Before I focus on this hiccup, I should say that I will also be sharing information that can apply to new, non-problematic cabinetry as well.

What am I talking about? Typical pulls, especially ones of a certain age, are attached to their drawer or door fronts with two screws spaced three inches apart, on center. But what if your heart is set on new pulls that are five inches long? Or, what if they are described as three inches but really turn out to be three and a quarter? In both cases, the old holes do not line up with the new screws. So, you have three solutions: (1) you can fill the holes with wood putty and then sand and refinish the fronts, (2) make or order new fronts, or (3) look for alternative pulls that will fit with no fuss.

Today, I’m going to suggest a third possibility. Actually, “suggest” is too weak of a word. Instead, I “urge” you to look at Sietto Handcrafted Glass Cabinet Hardware. It’s a Chicago-based boutique company that offers ten different design styles with one of them being adjustable. This is to say that the metal base (where the screws are located) can slide. That’s right; they move. So, you can maneuver the pull to the point where the new screws line up exactly with your existing holes. It’s genius! These pulls come in three different lengths, four different metal finishes, and four different colors of glass.

If you’re not in need of adjustable pulls, I still urge you to look at the other nine styles. They are breathtaking. In fact, if it wouldn’t misguide Google searches, I think this company should replace the word “hardware” for “jewelry” because each pull is an exquisite piece of handcrafted glass. Some styles are textured, some are reeded, others are rippled or honeycombed. Some are smooth and some are fused together in a mosaic or are combined with an accent color. I should add that, in addition to these pulls, all styles come with matching knobs.

Different series come in different colors. In addition to clear, white, gray and black, there are varying shades of green, blue and brown. Pink, purple and citrus options are available in some cases. In fact, after discovering Sietto, I sent a link to a client who had recently remodeled her bathroom. In particular, I pointed to the “spruce green” options in the Glacier collection knowing that they would compliment her new space. She replied, “These are cool!” A modest investment can add loads of style.

The story behind Sietto Handcrafted Glass Cabinet Hardware is a common one among individuals with evenly-split, right-brain-left-brain sensibilities. It’s my story and maybe yours. It’s definitely one of Sietto’s founder, Andrew Kates who, in 2005, found himself standing at the infamous crossroads. After years of success in the corporate world, his entrepreneurial passion started to lure him down a more creative path. He took it and began experimenting with glass fusion. Kates chose to focus on cabinet jewelry, I mean hardware, and has enjoyed growing success for the past 16 years.

If at all possible, these beauties should be seen in person so that their texture, weight, light reflection, and the individuality that comes with handcrafted goods can fully be appreciated. They can be found at Belmont Hardware stores in Novato, Berkeley and Walnut Creek, Northbay Kitchen and Bath in Petaluma and Bauerware in San Francisco. Or, they can be ordered through build.com and wayfair.com. Prices range from $20-$39 for knobs and $25-$43 for pulls. To see the full product line, as well as craftsmen in action, visit www.sietto.com.

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