The Vintage-Inspired Cabinet Feature That Gives Your Kitchen An Elegant Touch

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Ready for a kitchen upgrade, but can't undergo a total renovation right now? Not to worry. There are plenty of little changes you can make throughout your space to give it a whole new look without having to rip out the tiles and get brand new floors.

Instead, you can shake things up by upgrading your cabinets. And we don't mean replacing them. There's one easy way to add interest to the front of your kitchen cabinets with a simple and trendy upgrade, especially if you're drawn to an elegant vintage look. By using cremone bolts and catches instead of your regular handle or knob, you'll give your cabinets a custom look. 

Cremone bolts are the decorative yet functional hardware mounted on all kinds of cabinetry, ranging from French doors to your kitchen cabinets. They usually consist of two rods and some sort of knob or latch, and can lock as you turn the knob to shift the rods up or down. You can also use a more simplified cremone catch, which is just the knob and latch part without the rod mechanism. Both completely functional and oozing with old-world charm, cremone bolts and catches are one of the few kitchen upgrades that are actually worth every penny.

Cremone bolts hit the scene back in the 18th century, when European designers used them to lock windows and doors. Today, the style is still popular throughout many Parisian homes, keeping that vintage feel alive even in more modern spaces. All in all, it's a timeless and elegant cabinet style, and it's one you can make happen in your home.

If you like the look, you can shop for cremone bolts at your local hardware store or at online retailers like Amazon. There are all sorts of styles available to suit your space. It works even if you have a sleek, modern kitchen to give it a hint of character. Just look for structured, minimalist cremone bolts in finishes like brass or iron. Or perhaps you're looking to bring a little glam to your bold kitchen. For that, you can look for more ornate, carved cremone bolts and latches in finishes like gold, and even add a fun tassel onto the knob for more charm. If you don't want the full cremone bolt look with the long rods running down your cabinets, you can look for rodless cremone catches, like the Van Dyke's Restorers Classic Stamped Steel Cabinet Latch.

Another great part of cremone bolts? If you're up for a DIY project, you may be able to install them yourself. The job would include removing any current hardware (unless you want to keep it on), drilling holes in the cabinets that you'd use to affix the rods or latches, installing the bolts, and testing and adjusting the rods.