Kitchen cabinets with handles on center panel?? Ugh!! (hardwood, Home Depot, Lowes)

[bookworm2768]

The house we are buying has a never renovated kitchen that we will have to live with for a year or two. It has one odd thing that I have never seen before - The handles for the cabinet doors are on the center of the doors. Smack dab in the middle even on the upper cabinets. These are fairly nice dark wood tall cabinets but I'm going to hate getting on my tippy toes to open a cabinet. Yes I'm short
so, switch the handles and replace them right? No problem but what do I do with the two holes that will be in the middle of each cabinet? I could fill each one and try to paint over but I have a feeling that will be a disaster. Anyone heard of putting some kind of wood rosette onto cabinets? Or, if I were to fill the holes and stencil something over the center (something bold and modern, no flowers!) what kind of paint would stay put over varnish?

[RoaminRed]

Hmmm...you could fill it and stain it, but it might be difficult to match. What about some sort of carved wood piece that you could put on all of them? Places like Home Depot and Lowes have rosettes and fleur-de-lis and such. You might even be able to find some sort of decorative metal boss to just screw through the hole.

[Lake.Lady]

What kind of wood are they? Are you willing to paint them? If not, can you veneer over them and stain to match?

[kdog]

Handles on the center of cabinet door panels? Please post a picture, this I've got to see.

I'd consider replacing all of the doors. If you contact a cabinet door manufacturer directly, the cost would be less than you think.

[MrsSteel]

I've seen those handles before! How awful. I feel for you!

I second RoaminRed's idea. There is wood and metal decorative hardware out there that you could screw or glue onto the cabinets. I'm not exactly sure what store would have the best selection, but I'd check out craft stores and hardware stores.

[Tesaje]

Yes, that is a really bad idea and makes opening them hard. There are brass plates or wood rosettes you can screw over the holes. Any hardwood store should have them. Easy enough to move the handles to the edges where they function well. You can get or make a template to do the screw holes easily.

[bibit612]

I've seen those fleur-de-lis stick ons at Joann's Etc. Hopefully, you have one in your area. If not try Hobby Lobby, Michael's or AC Moore.

Gotta see this too...please post pic!

[NorthmeetsSouth]

Is this house from the 1970"s? I've run across this a few times in houses that I flipped. I guess that was the thing back then.
I have painted the cabinets, or sometimes even painted and glazed, so then you can go ahead and fill it with wood putty, sand it and prime it and you will never know it was there. After you paint you can put the new hardware anywhere you want.
Since you say you have to deal with it for a year or two I guess you plan to redo the kitchen at some point. If so, unless the hardware is horrible you can just spraypaint it Bronze (brown) which is the popular color for hardware these days, and reuse it. Save your money for the new stuff.

[NorthmeetsSouth]

BTW, I forgot to mention on that picture above that it was a dark old oak kitchen and all I did was add the valance and crown. If you are going to paint your cabinets get a product called Liquid sand, and wipe it on 15 minutes before priming it. It deglosses the surface so the primer will adhere to it.

[kshe95girl]

Originally Posted by NorthmeetsSouth

BTW, I forgot to mention on that picture above that it was a dark old oak kitchen and all I did was add the valance and crown. If you are going to paint your cabinets get a product called Liquid sand, and wipe it on 15 minutes before priming it. It deglosses the surface so the primer will adhere to it.

Liquid sand is the bomb! I just went through 1/2 a gallon today,I am doing a total renovation of DD bedroom, floor to ceiling, including furniture..... I must be certifiable, just started a big reno for a new client this week, too! Thank goodness it wont be me doing the hard stuff for the client!