Getting to Grips With a Handle Free Kitchen

A couple of weeks ago my elderly father in law visited and joined me in the kitchen as I prepared a snack for us. He asked if I needed and help so I suggested he could get some condiments from the cupboard next to which he stood. He turned to open the cupboard but having no visible handle, he was instantly confused as to how it should open. After a quick grumble about me needing some handles fitting, I told him to simply push the door and it would pop open. He did this and was instantly amazed at how it worked. “Ee it's good that innit!” He exclaimed as he observed the magic magnetic catch.

I had to chuckle to myself, but my father in law is by no means the first person to be baffled by my handle free kitchen units. I’d seen them on several home design shows on the TV and loved the idea of having no handles at all, so I found out who manufacture these stealthy latches and came across a company called Blum Hinges. Often these little innovations are vastly over priced but I had to double check when I started costing for an entire new set of kitchen cabinet doors and drawers using Tip-On door latches from Blum Hinges. Costing only a few pounds each, yet needing one or two for each door and drawer meant the cost would build up significantly, however bearing in mind that I’d not be paying for door or drawer handles made them positively affordable.

My new kitchen doors looked fantastic when first installed but it took me a few days to get used to the fact there were no handles to grab hold of; I kept nearing the door or drawer ready to grasp hold of something, only realising at the last second that handles are a thing of the past. After a few days I’d got used to giving each door or drawer a gentle push to open it, however most of my friends and some members of my family still struggle to become accustomed to this new and innovative way of opening my cabinet doors and drawers. Admittedly they have mixed reactions from “oh that's clever” to “I'd never get used to not having handles”. Personally I’d never go back to having handles on my kitchen doors and drawers because thanks to Blum Hinges, I love my sleek and streamlined kitchen; the only problem is finding somewhere to hang my tea towel!