How to Choose the Right Hardware for Your Space
The smallest details make the biggest difference. Discover how to choose cabinet handles and hardware that bring warmth, texture, and timeless beauty to your home.
Choosing the right cabinet hardware may seem like a small decision — but it’s one of those quiet details that can completely transform how a space feels. The curve of a handle, the tone of a metal, the way it catches the light — these are the subtle touches that turn a room from styled to lived-in.
When I first started designing for Solenza, I realised how difficult it was to find hardware that felt special — pieces that had personality, warmth, and soul. So much of what was available felt plain or predictable. I wanted to create hardware that felt like art — sculptural, tactile, and made to be noticed, not overlooked.
At Solenza, we believe hardware should do more than serve a purpose. It should tell a story, add depth, and invite touch. Here’s how to choose pieces that bring harmony, texture, and timeless beauty to your space.
Start with the Feeling You Want to Create
Before thinking about finishes or shapes, consider the mood you want your space to evoke.
Do you want something warm and sunlit, like brushed brass? Or something serene and understated, like brushed nickel? The right hardware becomes part of your home’s language — subtle but expressive, grounding your design with quiet confidence.
Think About Texture and Touch
Hardware isn’t just something you see — it’s something you feel every single day.
That’s why I love materials like solid brass: it has a satisfying weight and develops a soft patina over time, telling the story of every hand that’s touched it. Texture adds soul to a space — those small, tangible moments that make a house feel like a home.
Match (or Intentionally Contrast) Your Surroundings
If your cabinetry or décor leans warm — think oak, terracotta, or soft white — brushed brass or bronze will echo that warmth beautifully.
For cooler palettes — grey, marble, or soft blue tones — brushed nickel adds an elegant contrast. Harmony doesn’t always mean matching; sometimes it’s about balancing opposites in a way that feels effortless.
Choose Quality Over Trend
Hardware is something you touch every day, so it should feel solid, timeless, and well-made. Avoid chasing fleeting trends or high-shine finishes that date quickly. Choose craftsmanship and weight over novelty.
At Solenza, our designs are made to last — pieces that age gracefully and become more beautiful with time.
And above all, stay true to yourself. Your home should reflect who you are — not what’s trending online. If something makes you smile, if it feels good when you see or touch it, then it deserves a place in your space. The best interiors are the ones that feel personal, lived-in, and deeply you.
Let Light Be Your Guide
Notice how light moves through your space. The soft glow of morning sun or the warmth of afternoon light can change how metal tones appear. Brushed finishes often reflect light gently, creating a softer, more grounded mood — perfect for calm, timeless interiors.
Hardware might be one of the smallest details in a room, but it’s also one of the most expressive. It’s the finishing touch that adds life, movement, and emotion to your space.
For me, Solenza is about reimagining those everyday details — creating hardware that feels personal, artistic, and made to be loved for years to come.
Behind the Design: The Story of Solenza
Solenza began with a simple idea — to turn everyday hardware into art. Inspired by Mediterranean warmth and Australian craftsmanship, each piece is designed to feel personal, timeless, and beautifully human.
Every brand has a beginning — ours started at the dining room table. Sketches, samples, late-night ideas… and one thought that kept circling back:
Why was it so hard to find hardware that felt like art?
Most of what I found felt ordinary — too shiny, too harsh, or without that sense of character that makes a home feel alive. I wanted to create pieces that held more than function; I wanted them to hold feeling.
And that’s where Solenza began.
The Beginning
Solenza was born from a lifelong love of interiors and the belief that the smallest details can completely transform how a space feels. Hardware might seem like a finishing touch, but it’s often the thing that grounds a room — the detail your hand meets every day.
I wanted to design pieces that felt sculptural and expressive, but also calm and timeless — hardware that could live beautifully in both modern and traditional spaces. The kind of handle that makes you pause for a second because it just feels right.
Design That Invites Touch
At Solenza, we design for the senses. Our hardware isn’t just made to be seen; it’s made to be felt.
Each curve, each brushed surface, is intentional — created to bring warmth and tactility to everyday rituals.
When you open a drawer or close a cabinet, that small interaction becomes something meaningful. The handle doesn’t just function — it contributes to the feeling of home.
An Australian Brand with Mediterranean Soul
Based on the Gold Coast, Solenza draws inspiration from the Mediterranean — the soft light, the muted tones, the way texture and warmth coexist effortlessly.
Our hardware is crafted from high-quality materials like solid brass, brushed nickel, and bronze — metals chosen for their durability and ability to develop character over time.
Each finish tells its own story: soft edges, quiet reflections, subtle imperfections that make it beautifully human.
The Philosophy
Solenza was created from the belief that good design doesn’t need to shout.
It’s about honesty, craftsmanship, and restraint — finding beauty in the details and creating pieces that feel collected, not mass-produced.
Your home should feel like you. Not a reflection of trends or perfection, but a space filled with warmth, personality, and things that make you feel good when you see them.
That’s what I hope Solenza brings into people’s homes — not just hardware, but art for the everyday.
Brushed Brass, Brushed Nickel & Antique Brass: Understanding Hardware Finishes
Brushed brass, brushed nickel, or antique brass? Each finish tells a different story. Discover how tone, warmth, and texture can completely transform your home’s feeling.
When you’re designing or refreshing a space, the finish of your hardware can completely shift its mood. The tone, texture, and sheen of a handle might seem like a small detail — but it’s often what ties everything together.
At Solenza, we’ve always believed hardware should do more than function — it should feel like art. The right finish brings warmth, calm, or depth to a room; it reflects your personality and your home’s story.
If you’ve ever wondered which finish suits your space — brushed brass, brushed nickel, or antique brass — here’s a simple guide to help you choose.
Brushed Brass: Warm, Timeless, and Full of Character
Brushed brass is that perfect balance between elegance and warmth. It adds a soft golden glow without feeling flashy — a finish that brings a touch of sunlight to your space, even on cloudy days.
What we love most about brushed brass is how it evolves. Over time, it develops a gentle patina that tells the story of touch and use — a lived-in beauty that can’t be replicated.
Best for:
Warm, natural spaces with timber, linen, or stone
Mediterranean, coastal, or organic-style homes
Anyone who loves soft golden tones that feel timeless
Brushed Nickel: Calm, Contemporary, and Refined
Brushed nickel is understated elegance. It’s cool-toned with a subtle matte finish, perfect for creating a calm, balanced atmosphere. Unlike polished chrome, it doesn’t demand attention — it complements its surroundings with quiet confidence.
This finish pairs beautifully with cooler tones — marble, white, grey, or blue — and suits both modern and classic interiors. It’s also wonderfully low-maintenance, hiding fingerprints and smudges with ease.
Best for:
Modern or minimalist interiors
Neutral kitchens or bathrooms with cooler palettes
Spaces where you want simplicity and ease
Antique Brass: Depth, Texture, and Soul
Antique brass carries a richness that feels instantly grounding. It has deeper tones, with gentle hints of bronze and gold — like something that’s been part of the home for generations.
This finish brings warmth and authenticity to spaces that crave depth and personality. It pairs beautifully with darker cabinetry, aged timber, or earthy palettes.
Best for:
Character-filled or heritage-style homes
Deep, moody interiors or dramatic contrasts
Those who love a sense of history and lived-in charm
Choosing What Feels Right for You
There’s no single “right” finish — only the one that feels right for your space.
Brushed brass feels warm and golden, brushed nickel feels calm and modern, and antique brass feels rich and full of history.
At Solenza, we always encourage designing with feeling — not fear of trends. Stay true to what resonates with you. If a finish makes you smile or adds that spark of warmth every time you walk into the room, then it belongs there.
Good design doesn’t shout; it lingers quietly in the details. And sometimes, it’s those details — the soft curve of a handle, the warmth of metal beneath your fingertips — that make a house truly feel like home.
The Art of Warm Minimalism: Designing a Space That Feels Calm and Collected
Warm minimalism isn’t about having less — it’s about choosing what matters. Discover how texture, tone, and thoughtful details can turn simplicity into something soulful.
There’s something about a calm space that feels instantly grounding.
It’s not about having less — it’s about surrounding yourself with things that feel right. Pieces that bring comfort, warmth, and a quiet sense of balance.
For me, that’s what warm minimalism is all about. It’s the blend of simplicity and softness — clean lines without the coldness. It’s warmth through texture, contrast, and thoughtful details.
The Beauty of Restraint
When I started designing for Solenza, I realised how often interiors feel overcrowded — not just with objects, but with ideas. We’re told to follow trends, to layer, to decorate, to “add more.” But sometimes, it’s the space we leave that gives a home its magic.
Warm minimalism isn’t sterile or strict — it’s curated. It’s about editing your space until only what matters most remains. The linen curtains that move with the breeze. The ceramic bowl that holds memories. The brass handle that feels cool under your fingertips.
Each piece has its place, its purpose, its story.
Texture Over Trend
Texture is where a room comes to life.
Even the simplest space can feel rich when it has contrast — rough and smooth, matte and polished, natural and refined.
Think limewash walls beside brushed brass hardware. Linen next to timber. Stone against light. These small contrasts create quiet depth, and that’s what makes a space feel authentic.
Trends come and go, but texture and tactility never age.
Warmth Without Clutter
Warm minimalism doesn’t mean your space has to be beige or bare. It’s warmth through natural light, muted tones, and honest materials.
A home should feel lived in, not styled for a photo. It’s okay if your books aren’t perfectly stacked, or if there’s a vase of flowers a little past their prime — that’s life, and that’s beauty.
When a room feels calm, it gives you space to exhale. It lets you notice the way sunlight hits your floorboards, or how the brass on your cabinetry glows differently throughout the day.
Stay True to Yourself
The best interiors aren’t the most perfect — they’re the most personal.
If something makes you smile, if it feels good to touch or look at every day, it belongs in your home.
Don’t fill your space with things because they’re trending; fill it with things that make you feel something. That’s what gives your home soul.
Warm minimalism is less about design rules and more about how a space makes you feel. It’s about slowing down, choosing carefully, and creating a home that reflects you — softly, honestly, and beautifully.