A handle-free kitchen is a truly contemporary kitchen. Although we love hardware, and there are many beautiful handles to choose from, we firmly believe that sometimes less is more. Handleless cabinet doors can look more modern, are easier to clean and are a tell-tale sign of excellent craftsmanship. Handle-free kitchens are more likely to be created by expert cabinet makers because of the complexity involved in ensuring a high-quality finish.
The handle-free look was popularised in the 1960s and 1970s. Today known as mid-century style, the aesthetic has experienced a significant resurgence and offers a slick, smooth and fuss-free look synonymous with a contemporary kitchen.
There are a fair few handleless options to choose from for your new dream kitchen. We enjoy the challenge of designing new and clever ways of opening cabinet doors, and here are a few to consider.
Sliding Doors
Sliding doors look particularly great on wall cabinets. Often smaller than ground-level cabinetry, it allows a bespoke kitchen designer to play with materials such as reeded glass, contrasting wood and other materials.
For our Victorian Townhouse Kitchen project in the southwest, we worked within a property bursting with original period features, architectural mouldings, stunning bare wood staircase and timber floors. Wood was a significant inspiration behind the contemporary kitchen design. The brief was to create a light, airy space and somewhere to display the homeowner’s collection of art and unique pieces of kitchenware with Danish and Scandinavian influences. We designed a layout with a bespoke floating cabinet to sit above the run opposite the window. This eye-level unit needed space to display the homeowner’s characterful wares, so we incorporated reeded glass sliding panels framed in brass, offering texture and a handle-free finish.
J-Handles
A ‘j-handle’ is a crafted grove within the cabinet door. The ‘j-shape’ is carved out to allow the opening of drawers and doors easily. This design allows for a handle-free finish and is very easy to clean. The ‘j-handle’ is ideal for quick pull action, so it is effortless to use.
True Handleless
A true handle-free kitchen will have cabinet doors and drawers with no built-in ‘handle’. The epitome of contemporary kitchen design, a unique rail system is utilised to open doors and drawers from the top or side of cabinetry.
Our Copper Kitchen in Somerset is a fine example of handle-free cabinetry and an exceptional use of materials. The bespoke kitchen’s highlight was an exciting selection of materials, blending traditional cabinet-making and modern design with solid timbers, copper and stone. Part of the free-standing kitchen island and drawers were clad in sheets of copper, which we aged by applying heat, resulting in an iridescent, almost oily appearance to create focal points and a wow factor. The drawers, floor-to-ceiling cabinets and lower-level units were all handleless because of the nature of the solid walnut, solid oak and aged copper. It wouldn’t have worked to hide such beautifully natural patinas and grain in this bespoke contemporary kitchen.
Integrated Handles
Integrated handles are typically designed from scratch into the kitchen doors and drawers. They can be placed anywhere and offer the bespoke kitchen designer the freedom to create the most practical yet beautiful finish.
We designed a Scandinavian-style kitchen for modern homeowners in our Fulham Kitchen project in London. We carefully selected the furniture finishes to be fun yet functional, incorporating clean, simple lines with hand-laid oak veneers. We created beautiful hand-cut joints and perfectly formed finger pulls for the integrated handles with precision detailing. The contemporary kitchen showcased exceptional craftsmanship and a modern eye for style.
