Install the Hawthorne "Flat" as a Leather Handle Instead of a Knob

Our original and versatile Hawthorne leather handle design can be used in multiple ways for creative customers and designers. In this post, we explore the options, share photos, and explain how to order and install the Hawthorne leather pull "flat" as a handle with two points of contact with the surface.

Jump ahead to section:

Four Different Ways to Install the Hawthorne Leather Handle
Center-to-Center (C2C) Spacing
How to Order the Hawthorne "Flat"
Customer Photo Gallery: Hawthorne "Flat" Leather Handle
Custom Sizes: Hawthorne Leather Handles

Four Different Ways to Install the Hawthorne Leather Handle

As shown in the customer photo gallery below, the Hawthorne Leather Handles come in 3 different sizes, and can be installed 4 different ways for a different look:

In a standard loop with or ...
...without the (optional, included) metal washer,
a backward loop that we've named the Fremont,
"flat" as handle with an extra set of hardware (sold separately)

Hawthorne Leather Loop Handle with Finger Reaching In Installed on Knotty Pine IKEA Chest of Drawers — Customer Photos: The Hawthorne Small Honey Leather Handle Installed 4 DIfferent Ways: 1) As Shown on Website with Washer, 2) Without a Washer, 3) In a 'Fremont' Style Loop, 4) 'Flat' with 2 Sets of Hardware

Hawthorne Honey Small Leather Handle Installed on Mud Room Cabinet Door Without Washer — Customer Photos: The Hawthorne Small Honey Leather Handle Installed 4 DIfferent Ways: 1) As Shown on Website with Washer, 2) Without a Washer, 3) In a 'Fremont' Style Loop, 4) 'Flat' with 2 Sets of Hardware

Center-to-Center (C2C) Spacing

For the Hawthorne handles, we recommend the following C2C spacing when installed "flat." The spacing is somewhat flexible because leather is a flexible material.

These recommendations are also in the printed installation instructions included with all Hawthorne handle purchases:

Handle Size	Recommended C2C Spacing
Hawthorne Small	4.25" (10.8cm) +/- 0.25" (0.6cm)
Hawthorne Large	9" (22.9cm) +/- 0.25" (0.6cm)
Hawthorne Wide	9" (22.9cm) +/- 0.25" (0.6cm)

If installed with a wider C2C, the flatter the handle will lie against the surface of the cabinet, which can restrict the space available for comfortable hand and finger gripping. Of our three handle styles, the Hawthorne Flat can have the lowest profile, which is optimal in tight configurations but is balanced against handle gripping space.

Handdrawn sketch of the 3 handle styles showing how much clearance is off the cabinet surface — Handdrawn sketch of the 3 handle styles showing clearance space for hands off the cabinet surface

If installed with a narrower C2C, then the leather can bulb outward prominently, and can create some slack -- particularly with the Hawthorne Large and Wide. This can be a desirable look in some instances, such as creating an organic shape as shown in the photos below.

In this series of photos from a customer, the C2C was installed a little more narrowly than recommended, which gave the flexibility for the handle to have a "lift up" or "reach down" curved shape.

Honey Leather Handle Installed Flat with Narrow Center-to-Center Spacing — Hawthorne Small Handle Installed Flat with Narrow C2C Spacing, Has Flexibility to Curve Upwards or Downwards for an Organic Shape

Honey Leather Handle Installed Flat with Narrow Center-to-Center Spacing, Curved Upwards — Hawthorne Small Handle Installed Flat with Narrow C2C Spacing, Has Flexibility to Curve Upwards or Downwards for an Organic Shape

How to Order the Hawthorne "Flat" Leather Handle

The Hawthorne installed "flat" is the same handle as our looped pull, but with an extra hardware kit.

Ordering the Hawthorne handles (Small, Large, or Wide) is easy on our website: simply add an extra Drawer Pull Hardware Kit to the shopping cart for every Hawthorne you intend to install "flat".

Installation instructions with our "flat" C2C spacing recommendations are included with every Hawthorne order.

Customer Photo Gallery: Hawthorne "Flat" Leather Handle

This photo gallery of customer installations of the Hawthorne installed "flat" with two points of contact, like a handle instead of a loop.

Customer photo gallery of the Hawthorne leather handle installed "flat" with two points of contact on drawers and furniture

Hawthorne Small Honey Leather Handle on Oak Drawer — Customer photo gallery of the Hawthorne leather handle installed "flat" with two points of contact on drawers and furniture

Custom Sizes: Hawthorne Leather Handles

Yes! We can make custom sizes. There are two dimensions we can easily make for a custom order:

The width of the strap. The Hawthorne Small and Large are 1" (25.4mm) wide, and the Hawthorne Wide is 1.25" (31.75mm) wide. Other customers have asked for the "flat" handle in the same width as the Lovejoy handle (3/4", or 19mm) and the Burnside handle (5/8", or 15.9mm).
The length of the strap to accommodate any desired center-to-center (C2C) hole spacing.