These $14 Kitchen Cabinet Pulls Unexpectedly Upgrade Living Room Shelves (See How!)

Brass rails can take your open shelving from good to great. They add a bit of sophistication and sparkle, and prevent delicate items from falling off the shelf. But if you’ve looked into adding brass rails to your shelving before, then you know that they’re not always budget-friendly — especially if you have to get custom lengths and sizes. 

However, if you use drawer pulls instead then you get the same look for a fraction of the cost. They may have originally been designed for the kitchen, but they’ll look 10 times better in your living room or bedroom — and you don’t have to take my word for it.

“The most asked question I get is where I found my brass rails on my bookshelf,” Jenna from @lanternlanedesigns on Instagram wrote in a recent caption. “They are just good ol’ cabinet pulls. You can pick any size that fits your needs.”

Rather than opt for custom rails, Jenna purchased a set of brass drawer pulls to install that give the same look, but are so much cheaper. And these “rails” are removable, too. “I attached them to my shelves with blue mounting putty and done!” she added. “No drill necessary!”

“I have to say this is higher-level thinking! My kind of DIY too. And to mount it with putty — genius!!!” one person commented on Jenna’s post. Another added, “You are the queen of shelving rails!”

Jenna sourced her brass pulls from Amazon — she picked up a five-pack of 12-inch pulls for just $70 (bringing each piece of hardware to just $14). These pulls come in a bunch of different finishes, so you can go with antiqued brass, polished or brushed brass, or even matte black, chrome, or nickel.

Want to experiment with sizes? This listing from Wayfair allows you to purchase pulls in various lengths, ranging from 3” up to 18”. And just like the trending pulls from Amazon, you can grab these pieces in a variety of finishes. These ones will only set you back around $10 each.

Or if you’re looking for something a bit more streamlined and modern, then check out these pulls from West Elm. They also come in different sizes — and because they’re West Elm, the quality feels as great as it looks.

Forget ordering custom expensive brass rails for your shelving: Just grab a few cabinet pulls instead! You’ll get that upscale look you want without having to pay the upscale price. As one commenter so astutely quipped, “It’s ingenious!”