By the end of this, every knob and pull in your kitchen will be warm brass. You won't have drilled a single new hole, and the originals will be in a labeled bag ready for move-out day. One renter who did a direct swap timed it at about 90 minutes with a screwdriver. The one thing to know first is that you shop by the spacing of the holes you already have, not by the pull you saw on Pinterest.

What you need

  • A tape measure

    You'll be measuring between screw holes, so a stiff metal tape is easier to read than a cloth one.

  • A screwdriver that fits your existing screws

    For a straight swap into existing holes, you don't need a drill.

  • New knobs and pulls, one per door and drawer

    In September 2026, Patriot Maids put unlacquered brass at [roughly $5 to $30 a piece](https://patriotmaids.com/blog/problem-rooms/kitchen/kitchen-hardware-trends/). The renter above paid $2 to $5 a piece for basic hardware.

  • Zip-top bags and a marker

    These hold your original hardware and screws.

  • A soft, dry cloth

    Use it for the first wipe-down after installation.

The steps

  1. Count every knob and every pull, separately. You should end with two numbers, and those are your shopping list.

  2. Measure one existing pull from the center of one screw to the center of the other. This is the center-to-center figure, and the whole job hangs on it. Standard spacings are 3 inches, 3.75 inches or 5 inches, so your number should land on one of those.

  3. Measure every other pull the same way. Don't assume the drawers all match the first one. If you find two spacings, write down which drawers have which.

  4. Filter your shopping by that center-to-center number. On a product page, look for the hole spacing rather than the overall length. When the spacing matches, the pull drops into your existing holes.

  5. Read the finish name on the listing before you buy. "Unlacquered" is raw brass that darkens with handling. "Lacquered" is sealed and stays shiny. "Antique" is aged at the factory. "Plated" is a thin brass layer over another metal, and PlatePrestige notes it can chip and show the base metal underneath. You should know which of the four you're paying for.

  6. Unscrew the old hardware from one door. Work one door at a time so the screws don't get mixed up.

  7. Bag the original piece with its screws and label the bag. Style by Emily Henderson gives renters this exact advice. It's what makes the whole swap reversible.

  8. Screw the new piece into the same holes until it's snug. It should sit flat and not spin. Stop there, because overtightening can strip the hole.

  9. Repeat steps 6 to 8 across the whole run. Patriot Maids recommends doing a full cabinet run rather than a few pieces here and there, and I agree. A half-brass kitchen looks like you ran out of money.

  10. Wipe everything down with the dry cloth. Warm finishes show fingerprints more than matte ones, so expect smudges from installation.

When the swap goes wrong

Not in a rental. This is the one part of the job you can't undo. Filling old holes and drilling a wider pattern [adds roughly 45 minutes](https://www.journee-mondiale.com/en/i-swapped-my-rental-cabinet-hardware-for-40-and-my-kitchen-feels-brand-new/), and the filled spot usually needs paint to hide it. The best case for doing it anyway comes from Kitchen Cabinet Kings: "Long linear pulls can make a kitchen feel cleaner, more modern, and more custom." That's fair on a wide drawer. But the oversized range is 6 to 12 inches, and standard holes top out at 5, so the look costs you your deposit risk. If you do own the place and want to hire it out, [Angi puts professional installs at $5 to $30 per piece](https://www.angi.com/articles/how-much-does-it-cost-install-cabinet-hardware.htm), and it notes that new drilling raises the cost.

It probably is wrong. 10 Percent Cabinetry puts it plainly: "An oversized pull can overwhelm a small cabinet door." Keep the long pulls for wide drawers and tall pantry doors, and put knobs on the uppers.

That's the finish working as designed. Houzz forum posters report that pieces you handle often stay shinier, and PlatePrestige notes that pieces near a sink or in humid spots can patina blotchily. To slow the change, clean with warm water and mild soap, dry right away, and never use bleach, ammonia or anything abrasive.

You now have a brass kitchen that goes back to its original state in the time it took to change it. Keep the labeled bags somewhere you won't throw them out.