Positioning Handles

Positioning handles on drawer fronts demands some of the same considerations as apply to knobs ("Guide to Positioning Knobs"), the same sense of relationship must be observed.

To position a handle successfully you will first need to determine it's visual center of mass. Unlike a knob, the visual center of mass of a handle is not usually the mounting screw. Rosette handles with their clearly defined backplates derive more of their visual mass from the rosettes than do plate handles where the bail is superimposed on field of brass. In application this means a rosette handle will be placed more nearly as one would a knob, probably a little lower than a plate handle whose mass is mostly a function of the backplate. The goal in all cases being to place the center of mass slightly above the center line of the drawer front. The deeper the drawer front the higher the handle should be placed above the center line.

In some cases it is impossible to place a handle at the optimum height because of such things as crossbanding or overcrowding on a narrow upper drawer. In these instances the eye is generally willing to forgive.

The following image, though made for positioning knobs, equally applies to the positioning of handles.


Too Wide


Too Narrow


Correct