D shaped cabinet handles buying guide
A D handle is a pull whose bar curves away from the door or drawer and back again, so that the profile is the shape of the letter D when you look at it side on. The two ends fix to the surface, and the curve gives a generous place for the fingers. This page holds D handles, also sold as D pulls and D-shaped handles, for kitchen, bathroom, laundry and wardrobe cabinetry, mostly in zinc alloy and aluminium. Four questions decide the order: what a D handle is and where it suits, what size to choose and how that size is measured, how it fixes, and which finish to pair it with. The sections below take them in that order. For handles of every shape, start at cabinet handles.
What a D handle is
A D handle is a cabinet pull with a curved, semi-circular profile, made to be comfortable to grip and easy to use on both drawers and doors. It works in modern, transitional and traditional kitchens and bathrooms. Unlike a lever handle on a room door, a D pull does not operate a latch, because you grip it and pull. The D-shape is a curved bar handle forming a semi-circle with a soft, ergonomic grip, and sits beside the T-bar, which has a crosspiece and a more contemporary or industrial look. T-bar handles stand out from the door, so a D handle suits narrow spaces and homes with young children. The rounded shape of a D handle is easier on the hands when carrying pots and pans, and D handles are the style most common in kitchens, because the grip is easy and the shape suits drawers, cupboards and pantry doors.
Are D handles good for drawers
They are, and the reasons are mechanical. A D handle fixes at two points, so it spreads the pull across the drawer front. Pulls spread force on heavy drawers, which may help limit warping. Pulls are gripped with three or four fingers, which suits heavy drawers and children and older people better than a single-point knob. The curved grip gives a firm hold on a heavy pot drawer, and D handles sit neatly on drawers and doors without sticking out and are comfortable on deep pot drawers and high cabinets.
There is one point to weigh. Any handle that stands off the door can catch clothing, belt loops or a hanging towel in a tight walkway, so flush ends are the better choice there. The projection figure tells you how far a D handle stands out. On this page, the Momo Handles Dallas stands 27mm off the door, the Momo Handles Sense 30mm and the Zanda Marco 26mm.
Where D handles suit
A D handle works on most door styles. Bar and D-shape handles pair with slab and Shaker doors, D-shape handles, ring pulls and knobs suit upper cabinets, and T-bar-shaped knobs or D-shape handles suit louvred doors. Modern flat-front kitchens suit matte black or stainless steel D handles, Hamptons white Shaker kitchens suit brushed nickel or antique brass, and industrial rooms suit chunkier handles in iron or matte black. Minimalist homes suit slim designs in brushed finishes or powder-coated black. On a bathroom vanity door, the D profile looks clean and considered without being too minimal.
Sizes: millimetres by drawer width
D handles are sold by overall length and by centre-to-centre distance, and the two differ. The gap can be as little as 9mm for a tight D handle and 80mm to 90mm for a long tapered bar, so read both lines. Use the overall length to judge proportion with the one-third rule, taking a third of the drawer front width, and use the centre-to-centre distance to drill and to order.
A size chart helps. A 300mm drawer takes a handle of about 100mm overall, on 64mm or 96mm centres. A 450mm drawer takes about 150mm overall, on 96mm or 128mm centres, and 128mm is used most often, while a 600mm drawer takes about 200mm overall, usually on 160mm centres and sometimes 192mm. A 900mm pot drawer takes 270mm to 300mm overall, usually on 224mm centres and sometimes 256mm, and a 1200mm island bank takes about 400mm overall on 320mm centres, or two 200mm handles. Drawer fronts are typically 3mm to 4mm narrower than the cabinet module, so measure the front itself. The sizes sold most often are 128mm and 160mm. The common spacings of 96mm, 128mm, 160mm, 192mm, 224mm and 320mm are all multiples of 32mm, and imperial sizes such as 102mm, 152mm and 203mm, which are 4, 6 and 8 inches, will not match holes drilled on the 32mm grid.
Doors and tall cabinets
A door is tall and not wide, so the rule applies loosely. A handle about a quarter of the door width suits, and tall doors of 2.3m and more can take a 500mm handle. For placement, fix a door pull near the bottom corner of the door, or near the top corner on a base cabinet, 50mm to 75mm in from the leading edge. Standard practice is horizontal handles on pull-out drawers and vertical handles on doors. Horizontal handles on doors are an option for a streamlined look, and they should be tested first. Check that handles will not collide when the doors open. On a deep pot drawer taller than 250mm, dead centre is correct, though many cabinetmakers set the handle 60mm to 80mm down from the top edge.
The D handles on this page
The Momo Handles Dallas D handle is zinc alloy with fixing distances from 96mm to 448mm, a 12mm width and a 27mm projection, and it is listed for cabinets 16mm to 20mm thick. The Momo Handles Milano is a slimline D handle with rounded corners on 128mm, 160mm, 192mm and 320mm centres, with overall lengths of 136mm, 168mm, 200mm and 328mm, and the Momo Handles Livorno is a slim D handle on centres from 96mm to 320mm. The Momo Handles Sense is aluminium, a simple rounded D handle with straight lines on 160mm and 256mm centres, 17mm wide and 30mm off the door, and the Momo Handles Roma is a rounded zinc alloy D handle on 160mm and 320mm centres. The Momo Handles Otto blends contemporary and traditional styling, on 160mm centres with a 175mm length and a 29mm projection. The Momo Handles New Hampton D handle is 168mm long on 160mm centres and stands 26mm off the door, and the Zanda Marco comes in four sizes on 128mm, 160mm, 192mm and 320mm centres with a 26mm projection.
Two ranges go further. The Momo Handles Arpa is an aluminium D handle that takes its cue from the 1920s Art Deco period, with fine vertical lines, on 192mm and 320mm centres and an extra-long 1178mm size, all 35mm off the door. The Momo Handles Graf has a mesh-like texture for grip, and the Momo Handles Belt pairs a D handle on 160mm centres, 221mm overall and 28mm off the door, with a matching loop knob.
Finishes by style
Each finish has its own effect on D handles. Matte black is bold and simple and works with white or timber cabinetry in modern kitchens, and brushed nickel is soft and neutral and pairs with almost anything. Antique brass suits heritage-style homes and warm kitchens, and works with olive green and navy cabinetry, while polished chrome is shiny and suits contemporary kitchens with reflective surfaces. White and coloured finishes are playful and often used in beach or coastal homes. The finish collections cover each: black, brushed nickel, brushed brass, chrome, white and bronze.
Keep finishes consistent across the kitchen, especially in an open-plan room. If you mix D handles on drawers with small knobs on the upper cabinets, keep the knobs in the same finish. Contemporary kitchens often pair polished chrome handles with a polished chrome tap, and brushed stainless steel can match your appliances or sink.
D handle or bar handle
The two are close relatives, and both are fixed at two points. A bar handle is straight on its posts, and a D handle curves back towards the door. Bar pulls and D-pulls come in lengths from 96mm to over 600mm and are the best fit for drawers, overhead cabinets, pantry doors and appliance panels. The curve gives a D handle a firmer hold, which helps on heavy pot drawers. The practical choice is the D handle where grip matters and you want a rounded line, and the bar where you want a straight line to repeat the lines of the cabinetry. The cabinet pull handles page covers bar handles, T-pulls and bow handles together.
Choosing by cabinet style
Handles match kitchen styles. For Hamptons and coastal kitchens, D-pulls or cup pulls in brushed nickel, brushed brass or chrome suit best, while matte black suits darker joinery. For Shaker doors, choose brushed brass, antique bronze or matte black, and let the handle complement the cabinet and not compete with it, and for contemporary kitchens choose matte black or brushed nickel bar pulls. D handles suit Hamptons-style white kitchens as well as moodier modern designs, and their grip is neither too sharp nor too bulky. For industrial rooms, choose a chunkier D handle in iron or matte black.
One length or several
There are two ways to run D handles through a kitchen. Using one length throughout gives a calmer, more consistent look, and the length should be an in-between size that suits both long and short drawers. The alternative is to keep one handle family and vary the length, so a 128mm D handle sits on a 450mm drawer and a longer one on a 900mm pot drawer. A consistent size gives a cohesive look and varying sizes is also acceptable, as long as the finish stays the same. The size chart above tells you which length belongs on which drawer.
Replacing existing D handles
When you swap handles on cabinets you already own, measure the centre-to-centre distance of the holes first. A 128mm handle cannot take the place of a 160mm handle without new holes, and new holes leave marks on a painted, lacquered or veneered front. Match the centres and no new holes are needed. Many handles include screws for standard 16mm to 18mm boards, so check the screw line if your doors are thicker. If you want a different size, a backplate or an edge pull can cover the old holes. Hold the handle against the door and test its grip before you buy a whole set.
Bathroom vanities
A bathroom vanity takes the same D handle in a smaller size. Vanity drawers and doors are usually narrower than kitchen ones, and 96mm and 128mm centres are the most common. Bathrooms are more humid than kitchens, so choose solid brass, stainless steel or a quality PVD finish, and avoid thin electroplated zinc alloy handles in shower splash zones. Coordinate the handle finish with the tapware and accessories. For the vanity side, see the bathroom vanity guide. The D shape is used on doors too, and a stainless steel D pull of 16mm diameter in 150mm and 200mm lengths is sold for service doors and cupboards.
Material and build
The handles on this page are made in zinc alloy, aluminium and solid brass. Zinc alloy is the moulded option, with a plated finish, and the Momo Handles Dallas lists an electroplated finish and standard 22mm handle screws as included. Aluminium is lighter in the hand, which suits the long profiles, and the Momo Handles Sense, Arpa and Graf are aluminium. See aluminium, stainless steel and solid brass handles for each material.
Fixing
Most D handles fix from the back of the door through two holes with M4 screws, so check the spec line for what comes in the box. The Momo Handles Dallas includes screws, and 25mm screws suit a standard 18mm front and 40mm a thicker front. Check the cabinet thickness against the screw. Mark the positions with masking tape or a cardboard template and look at them from standing height before you drill. If you are replacing handles, match the centres of the old holes unless you plan to fill them, and test the grip on your own door before you buy a full set. Order a sample if you can.
Timing the fit-out
Ask the cabinetmaker or installer to wait to fit the handles until all the cabinetry is in, so that you can test the heights and positions on the real doors. Hold the handle in your hand and against the door to check how it feels, and choose a grip that suits everyone who will use the room, including people with larger hands or arthritis. For a less busy look, put handles only on the base cabinets and drawers and leave the overhead doors bare, which also saves a run of handles on cabinets you open less often.
Looking after D handles
Wipe D handles with a soft cloth and mild soapy water, and dry them. Abrasive pads, bleach and strong chemical sprays are out. The curve of a D handle collects dust on the inside of the bar, so run a soft cloth through it. Matte and satin finishes come up with a microfibre cloth, stainless steel should be dried after cleaning to prevent water spots, and PVD finishes do best with gentle handling and no bleach or metal polish. Lacquered brass should not get metal polish. The finish pages go into the care of each finish.
Bar handles and other styles on this page
The collection also holds a few handles that sit close to the D shape. They share the two-point fixing and the same hole-centre sizes, so they swap with a D handle on the same drill pattern.
- The Momo Handles Belgravia is a solid brass bar pull with knurled detailing and a brushed satin brass finish, on 160mm and 320mm centres, standing 38mm off the door.
- The Momo Handles Liberty bar handle comes in five finishes on 160mm and 320mm centres, and it works with or without a backplate.
- The Momo Handles Barrington has a ribbed texture drawn from Art Deco design, on 160mm centres, with interchangeable backplates.
- The Momo Handles Loreto is a traditional bar pull on 128mm and 224mm centres, standing 34mm off the door.
- The Momo Handles Floid is a D handle in brushed gold on 128mm and 192mm centres, standing 31mm off the door.
- The Momo Handles Trianon is a swivel bail handle in white and brushed nickel on 224mm centres, standing 63mm off the door.
The Liberty and the Barrington use the same holes with or without a backplate. Drill once, fit the handle, and add the backplate later if you decide the room wants a more traditional look. The backplates come in different colours, so the plate can differ from the bar.
Colour beyond metal finishes
Most D handles here are metal finishes: chrome, brushed nickel, brass, gold, bronze and black. The Momo Handles Belt is the exception. It pairs a D handle with a loop-shaped pull and comes in six colours: matt white, matt black, moss grey, forest green, mocca and volcano red. A colour handle suits a painted cabinet in a calm tone, such as a green or grey door with a handle in the same family. It also suits a kids' room or a laundry, where a coloured pull adds a small bright detail. The Belt is 221mm overall on 160mm centres.
Very long D handles
The Momo Handles Arpa and Graf both come in a 1178mm hole-centre size. These are for full-height pantry doors, wardrobe doors and long appliance panels. The 1178mm size needs four screw holes, so follow the technical image for the drilling pattern. Mark the holes with a template and not by eye, because a long handle shows any error along its length. The Graf has a knurled, mesh-like texture and comes in brushed black, brushed dark brass and dull brushed nickel. For wardrobes, the wardrobe handles range gives more options.
Warranty, screws and what to expect
The Momo Handles Dallas carries a 15 year warranty, comes in an electroplated finish and includes standard 22mm handle screws. Check the board thickness before you fix it: the Dallas suits cabinets 16mm to 20mm thick, so a thicker front needs longer screws. Count one handle per door or drawer and order them all together, so the finish stays consistent across the kitchen.
More from the maker
For the full Momo range, see Momo handles. For single-range pages, see the Dallas cabinet handles and the Arpa cabinet handles. For a slimline Zanda alternative, browse Zanda cabinet handles.
Door pulls and other shapes
For pulls on entrance and internal doors, see door pull handles. For other cabinet handle shapes, see cabinet pull handles, cabinet knobs, half-moon and eclipse handles, round-shaped and square-shaped handles, and the Momo premium page for the maker's other ranges.
