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Choosing the right handles for your kitchen. A complete guide to opening systems

30 gennaio 2026

When you are designing your dream kitchen, every detail counts. Items that are often underestimated, but can have a major impact on both aesthetics and everyday functionality, include handles and door opening systems.

Handles are the main points of contact between you and your kitchen furniture. They are parts that you touch multiple times a day, and are key to ensuring fluid and practical access to tableware, cookware and all the other things you keep in the kitchen cabinets. But that is not all. The type of opening system you choose can also define the aesthetics of your kitchen, helping to create a traditional, cosy atmosphere or a minimalist, contemporary look.

Today the world of kitchen design offers an impressive variety of kitchen handle types. We are no longer talking only about traditional external handles, but a range of options including groove systems, handles integrated into the doors, combined solutions and even avant-garde electronic technologies. Every option has its own peculiarities, advantages and situations in which it is the most appropriate. One of the contemporary design trends is to reduce the visual impact of handles to a minimum, with integrated or concealed solutions that ensure surfaces remain as linear as possible.

In this guide we accompany you as you discover the various types of kitchen handles and kitchen door opening systems available, taking a close look at each solution to help you make the best choice for your new kitchen.

External or integrated handles – which door opening system to choose

The first major decision to take is which category to choose – whether to opt for traditional external handles or one of the modern alternatives without visible handles.

The benefits of external handles to open kitchen cabinets

External handles are the most classic and commonly used solution in kitchens. Their main advantage lies in their practicality. They offer a solid, intuitive grip, so opening the doors of your kitchen cabinets is both natural and quick. They are particularly appropriate if there are elderly people in the house, because they do not require much effort or manual dexterity to use.

From an aesthetic point of view, external handles allow you to choose various materials, shapes and finishes, creating interesting contrasts or matching with doors.

Another element to consider is how easily they can be replaced. If in the future you decide to change the look of your kitchen, you will be amazed how you can transform your kitchen cabinets just by changing the handles! Changing handles is an easy and inexpensive way to completely change the look of your cabinets. However, be careful – external handles have specific drill hole distances. This means that if you decide to change them in the future, you will have to choose new styles with the same distances between the fixing holes.

When to choose alternative types of kitchen handles

Opening systems without external handles, such as groove openings for kitchens or integrated cabinet handles, have become a popular choice for modern kitchens in a contemporary style. The main reason is the clean, minimalist aesthetics they create. The doors form an unbroken, continuous surface and the effect is one of elegance and modernity.

These systems are ideal if you are designing a minimalist kitchen, where every component has been designed to maintain clean lines and rigorous geometrical shapes. They are also ideal for smaller spaces, where external handles could be an obstacle to movement, especially where small children are around.

From a practical point of view, systems without external handles offer an important advantage when it comes to cleaning. Smooth surfaces make daily maintenance both quicker and easier.

How to choose the type of handle to use to open your kitchen cabinets

When choosing an opening system you need to consider the style of your kitchen and of your house in general. Every solution conveys a different message and helps to define the mood of the room.

Door opening systems for modern kitchens

If you are designing a modern kitchen with clean lines and minimalist shapes, systems without external handles are the most logical choice. Kitchen groove openings are a particularly distinctive feature of contemporary design, ensuring unbroken surfaces that draw attention to the fine material of the doors.

Integrated handles, such as the Joy grip edge by Ar-Tre or Box Handles, are a perfect fit in this context, offering practicality without compromising the minimalist aesthetics. They are ideal when you want to keep the focus on the materials from which the doors are made, whether matte or gloss lacquer finishes, textured effects or wood grain

Classic kitchen handles

For more kitchens with a more traditional flavour, external handles are often the most appropriate choice. They provide an opportunity to choose noble materials such as burnished brass, antique-effect silver and bronzed finishes, creating focal points that enrich the overall design.

However, even in classical contexts, a discreet groove can be an elegant solution, especially if you want to achieve a cleaner effect while retaining a sophisticated look. One example is the Zoe kitchen, a collection with solid wood framed doors where you can opt for a groove opening instead of the traditional external handle.

Opening mechanisms in the kitchen: some practical considerations

As well as aesthetics, there are practical aspects that can have a considerable impact on everyday usage. Being easy to clean is one of the most important factors. Systems without external handles have no corners and cracks that dirt and grease can find their way into, something that is particularly popular with people who spend a lot of time cooking. They also make it easier to wipe the whole door clean with a cloth.

Ergonomics is another key factor. External handles have a more natural grip and require less effort, while groove systems may be less straightforward, especially for people who have less manual dexterity.

Types of kitchen handles: the Ar-Tre solutions

Ar-Tre has developed a comprehensive range of opening systems to meet every aesthetic and practical need. Every system has its own specific characteristics, making it more suitable to certain contexts and styles.

External handle

The Ar-Tre external handle stands out for its ability to become a design feature, defining the personality of the whole kitchen. Unlike other more integrated solutions, an external handle enables you to create interesting contrasts. You can combine natural wood finish doors with burnished handles for an industrial look, or combine matte lacquer doors with champagne finishes for a more sophisticated look.

Handle cut into the door

One sophisticated solution is a handle cut directly into the door, without external elements, like the one in the Flo Evo kitchen and the framed doors in the Infinity collection. These doors have a groove cut into the frame itself, creating a sophisticated but light door.

Boxed Groove + Planet Handle

The Boxed Groove + Planet Handle system offers the best of both worlds. It retains the clean aesthetics of the groove but adds small grip elements to the non-visible edge of the door for greater practicality. The Planet Handles are discreet and well integrated into the design, offering additional grip points without compromising on the minimalist design.

Joy Integrated Handle

The Joy Integrated Handle is the ideal solution for those wanting kitchen cabinet openings without visible external components. In this system the handle is a “J” shape edge embedded into the top of the door. Its distinctive nature lies in the fact that it can be in the same finish as the cabinet or in a contrasting finish, which creates a design detail.

Box Handle

The Box Handle system is an interesting compromise between practicality and contemporary design. The system combines an ergonomic grip with a more integrated form than traditional handles, offering cleaner lines without compromising on ease of use.

Classic C-shaped groove openings for tall units and L-shaped groove openings for base units

Groove openings for kitchens are probably the most minimalist solution there is. The Classic Groove by Ar-Tre totally eliminates visible handles, creating continuous surfaces that enhance the fine door materials. The doors are opened by inserting fingers into the upper or lower edge of the door, or between the tall units, in a natural, fluid movement.

Boxed Groove + Kut Handle

Similar to the Planet system, the Boxed Groove + Kut Handle system has more geometrical, defined design elements, as the non-visible edge of the door is cut at 30°. The Kut Handles add a contemporary touch while retaining the minimalist style of the groove opening.

Automatic kitchen wall unit opening systems

For specific situations, Ar-Tre also offers the eTouch+ electric system, which opens cabinet doors at the simple touch of a hand. This system is especially useful for opening kitchen wall units in positions that are difficult to reach or by people who have less manual dexterity.

Opening wall units

To open kitchen wall units, Ar-Tre proposes the recessed-back system, which eliminates the need for external handles. The wall unit door is recessed, which means fingers can be inserted comfortably to open the unit. This solution can be further enhanced by adding LED lighting in the recessed edge, to create an atmospheric light effect and facilitate access in poorly lit conditions.

Revego Cupboard

The Revego Cupboard is an innovative solution that combines the clean aesthetics of surfaces without handles with the practicality of traditional handles. Thanks to the non-electronic Blum push-to-open technology, when the doors are closed the cupboard is completely smooth, with no visible external elements. Once the doors are open, the furniture inside has ergonomic handles, perfectly accessible for use during the day. This solution combines minimalist design when the kitchen is closed with maximum operational practicality when you are cooking.

The Ar-Tre modern kitchen collections and their opening systems

Every Ar-Tre collection has been designed with specific opening systems that enhance their aesthetic and functional features. Let’s find out how to match kitchen handles with the various ranges to achieve the best result.

Sky

The Sky collection allows you to create endless combinations, thanks to its versatility. It supports all the Ar-Tre opening systems, from the traditional external handle to the classic groove, or from the Joy Integrated Handle to the groove systems combined with Planet or Kut Handles. The collection’s textured finishes also offer surfaces that are interesting to the touch, so you can create the kitchen most suited to your style.

Up Design

Up Design is the collection where you can experience the authentic look of wood together with the practical benefits of melamine. The special processing makes the register pore melamine-faced doors look even more natural and realistic. The wood design adapts perfectly to various trends. For an industrial look, opt for warm tones with burnished finish external handles. For a modern style choose more neutral colours with a groove opening. For an eclectic style, you can match various finishes with a mixture of opening systems. The opening systems available for Up Design include an external handle, Box Handle, Joy Integrated Handle, classic groove and the combined box groove solutions with Planet and Kut Handles.

Fly Evo and Flo Evo

Fly Evo has a smooth cabinet door with a square edge on all four sides. It can be fitted with various types of opening systems – external, integrated or groove handles.

Flo Evo is a unique Ar-Tre design: available with the same decorations, its has a door with a handle-shaped design exclusive to this collection, for an even cleaner and more minimalist style.

I Naturali

The I Naturali collection seamlessly blends natural and contemporary elements, combining wood veneer with materials such as HPL, glass, Fenix, PET and lacquers. For a modern style, combine a wood veneer door with Fusion frame glass and groove opening systems. For a minimalist style, choose Fenix or a lacquer finish with a Joy Integrated Handle. For an industrial style, combine a knotty oak veneer finish with a metallic lacquer and an external handle with a unique personality. Express your personality with versatile combinations of materials and opening systems.

Elite

The Elite range is for those who love the elegant look of lacquered framed doors, i.e. doors with a surrounding frame, in a modern context. The Elite frame is slim and geometric, suitable for minimal, Scandinavian, modern and contemporary style kitchens. The most appropriate opening systems for this collection are an external handle to enhance the character of the frame, the vertical Bridge handle or classic groove handle in various finishes for a contemporary approach that does not interfere with the geometry of the door.

Infinity

Infinity is a solid wood kitchen with a modern design and handles cut into the frame. This collection has been designed for those who love the elegance of a framed cabinet door, coupled with the modern and functional quality of an integrated handle. The frame serves as a handle, leaving the focus entirely on the beauty of the solid wood.

What type of handle to choose. Let your Ar-Tre retailer advise you

Choosing the right opening system for your kitchen is a decision that will affect your daily life and the aesthetics of your kitchen for years to come. As we have seen, there is no universally best solution. Everything depends on your lifestyle, taste and the specific characteristics of your home.

With its various collections and opening systems, Ar-Tre offers you the chance to find the perfect combination to create the kitchen of your dreams.

Explore all of the Ar-Tre collections to find the combination of materials, finishes and opening systems that best suits your requirements. Our retailers are available to help you decide from among the various options and find the perfect solution for your new kitchen.

Find your nearest retailer