Handle placement looks like a small detail, but it affects daily comfort, door clearance, alignment across runs, and how “premium” a finished kitchen feels. A consistent, measurable placement rule also reduces rework on the production line and keeps installers from guessing on site. Below is a practical placement guide you can use when specifying Cabinet Pulls and knobs for new builds, remodels, or large cabinet programs.

Start with the cabinet type and the opening direction

Before you pick a measurement, confirm three basics for every door and drawer:

Door or drawer
Hinged door placement is defined by the stile and rail. Drawer placement is defined by the drawer front height.

Swing direction
For doors, the handle should sit close to the opening edge, not the hinge edge, so the user naturally pulls toward themselves.

Two-door cabinets
Pairs must mirror each other, so you need a centerline rule that stays consistent even when doors are different widths.

When these are clear, you can choose the placement method that best matches the handle style and the cabinet design.

The most common placement rules used in kitchens

Most kitchens use one of these three rules because they are fast to measure and look balanced across mixed cabinet sizes.

Corner-offset rule for knobs
Knobs are typically placed near the corner on the opening side to keep reach natural and avoid conflict with nearby appliances. A reliable starting point is an equal offset from the bottom rail and the vertical stile.

Centerline rule for pulls on drawers
Pulls look clean when centered left to right. Vertically, the pull usually sits on the drawer centerline for a modern look, or slightly above centerline for heavier drawer fronts where users pull upward.

Shared line rule across base cabinets
If you want strong visual alignment, set one horizontal line for all base drawers and a second line for base doors, then keep those lines consistent across the run. This is popular for modern slab doors and long bar pulls.

These rules work because they reduce visual noise and keep the “handle rhythm” consistent in wide kitchens.

Recommended measurements you can start with

Use the table below as a starting reference, then adjust for handle length, door thickness, and user preference. Keep the same rule for the entire kitchen whenever possible.

Quick placement reference

Notes that matter in real projects:

• If you mix knobs and pulls, keep their center points aligned whenever you can.

• If the pull is long, you can place it slightly higher on base drawers to reduce wrist angle when lifting.

• For children’s areas or accessible design, lower the vertical reference line on tall doors.

How pull length affects mounting position

Pull length changes leverage and changes how “off” the placement looks if you miss alignment.

Short pulls
These are less forgiving visually. Keep them precisely centered, and use a drilling jig to prevent small variations.

Medium pulls
These fit many drawer sizes. Centered placement usually looks best and minimizes user learning time.

Long bar pulls
Long pulls create strong lines, so consistency is critical. If you move one pull up or down even a little, the misalignment is obvious across a full cabinet run.

If your cabinet program includes multiple handle lengths, define a single centerline for all drawers, then select lengths that still look balanced when mounted on that line.

Avoid the three most common mistakes

handles too close to the door edge
This can chip finishes over time and may pinch fingers near adjacent panels.

Inconsistent centerlines across drawers
This is the number one reason a kitchen looks “installed in a hurry.” Set one rule and enforce it with templates.

Ignoring clearance near appliances
Dishwashers, fridge panels, and pull-out trash systems need extra attention. Confirm the handle projection and the door swing path so pulls do not strike the appliance or each other.

A good practice is to dry-fit one full cabinet bay, confirm feel and clearance, then lock the spec for the whole order.

Spec tips from a manufacturer perspective

If you are planning a repeatable cabinet program, define the following in your hardware spec sheet:

• Hole spacing
  Confirm center-to-center for pulls, and standardize it across the kitchen where possible.

Door and drawer front thickness
This impacts screw length, stability, and long-term loosening resistance.

Finish and surface treatment
Match the environment. Kitchens face grease, humidity, and frequent cleaning, so finish durability matters as much as styling.

Installation method
If you need faster assembly, request pre-drilled templates, drilling jigs, or packaging that keeps screws matched to each SKU.

YAKO focuses on architectural and furniture hardware with stable production capacity, consistent finish control, and support for OEM/ODM programs, so you can keep handle placement and hole patterns standardized across multiple cabinet collections.

Conclusion

Mounting handles is easiest when you choose one clear rule, document it, and apply it consistently across doors and drawers. Start with cabinet type and swing direction, use a measurable reference line, and let pull length guide final vertical placement. When the placement spec is standardized early, it improves installation speed, reduces field corrections, and delivers a cleaner, more premium look across the whole kitchen.