Installing cabinet knobs---bottom ones look too low, but are not.

[Thomas G. Marshall]

I am currently adding knobs very similar to the following knobs to my kitchen cabinets (which were originally the type with no knobs):

case you are unable to retreive that link, they are a very basic knob: narrow stem ballooning into a larger ellipsoid, maybe 1 1/4 " wide.

I am positioning them on the doors at 3 1/2 " up the sash (from the bottom of the door) for the top doors. The bottom doors would then be positioined 3

1/2 " down the sash (from the top of the door).

What I noticed is that because the bottom door knobs are (obviously) lower, I get a different perspective: because I am able to see the stem, it actually looks like the knob is positioned 4" or more down the sash. The top cabinet door knobs have me not see the stem at all: all I see is the larger round bulb of the knob.

When you install knobs on cabinet doors, do you make sure that the top and bottom are precisely at the same distance, or do you make sure that they look the same.

I am considerring installing the rest of the bottom door knobs at 3" down the sash, and not 3 1/2.

Is this something that is done at all?

[Toller]

I have found that certain things bug me that no one else even sees. Are you the only one who thinks the bottom ones look too low? It would be great if you could get an honest person to tell you if they see anything wrong. Sadly, most people will tell what they think you want to hear.

But to answer your question; no, I've never noticed the phenomena you describe.

[Swingman]

You sound like me ... walk into a room and mentally get an accurate count of ALL the crooked pictures or, when you're sitting on the porch, subconsciously, and involuntarily, use the top of a railing as a winding stick to check if the cornice on house across the street is level.

It's a curse.

A different perspective will detract from the design/appearance of a piece for some of us, so if it bugs you, and looks right with the knobs a bit higher on the bottom doors, do it.

I see drawer pulls that look outright crooked because of the grain direction behind them ... I know they're not, because I put them on, but it's still an irritant until the piece has been around long enough that you no longer care/notice.

In short, do what makes it work for you.

[dustyone]

> In case you are unable to retreive that link, they are a very basic knob:

Everythinginlifeisrealative.Apingpongballseemssmalluntilsomeoneramsitupyournose.

[dustyone]

Thomas,

Why don't you try positioning the lower knobs at 3 1/2 inches up from the bottom of the lower door, instead of 3 1/2 inches down from the top of the door. One thing I learned about this sort of symmetry from mattitng and framing photographs is that one can cut a window in a mat that is perfectly symmetrical, and the bottom of the mat will look thin. So, I will cut a mat about 1/8in above center, in order for it to look right. The same thing might apply to this situation too.

Regards,

Curt Blood

[Thomas G. Marshall]

dustyone coughed up:

I'm not sure if the sentence above matches the sentence below. But to answer your question, that would require someone about 18" tall to comfortably open the bottom door by the knob.

You may be thinking of different types of doors that I have. I'm talking about your kitchen cabinet doors where they are, say, 2 1/2 ' tall or thereabouts.

*I* have noticed that as well! Odd. It's almost as if the mat requires a visual "base" upon which to sit.

The problem with the knobs however is simple perspective. When looking down on the knob, because the stem is thinner it looks lower than the top knobs look high, because the stem is hidden on the top knob, and the width of the round part takes up some of the room.

Put it this way:

Draw a horizontal line in the middle of a sheet of paper. Place a quarter centered at precisely 3" up from the line. Place a dime centered at precisely 3" down from the line. The dime will "look" farther away.

[kkfitzge]

Stand directly in front of the refigerator door and take a good look at the placement of the handle. Extend your arm at mid-chest height, keeping your elbow slightly bent, and grasp the handle. Now, pull on the handle with sufficient force to open the door. Select a beverage of your choice, pour into a clean glass, and enjoy. Life is too short to sweat the little stuff.

[Thomas G. Marshall]

[e-mail] coughed up:

Sage advice. Not likely my MO.