A vertical handle — a long pull mounted upright — is the natural choice for any tall door: it reads with the height of the door, it can be gripped at whatever height suits the hand, and a matched pair on a double door gives the entrance symmetry. (If you searched for "vertical handles" looking for Vertical Designer Hardware, you are in the right place; this guide is about the tall pulls that share our name.) Here is how to size, fix and choose one.
Where vertical handles work
- Main and front doors — the classic use. A single 18–36 inch pull on a single leaf, or a matched pair on a double door. Browse main door handles.
- Full-height wardrobe shutters — a long vertical bar is what makes a 7 ft shutter look designed rather than fitted. Browse wardrobe handles and long handles.
- Pantry, utility and tall storage units — one long handle on a tall door beats two short ones.
- Sliding doors — a slim, flat-profile vertical pull lets shutters pass each other; where they overlap completely, use a concealed handle instead.
The one-third rule
A vertical handle looks proportionate at roughly a third of the door's height, and never less than a quarter. On tall shutters, up to half works when the handle is the feature.
| Door or shutter | Handle length | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Wardrobe shutter, 5 ft | 256–320 mm | 256 mm, 320 mm |
| Wardrobe shutter, 6 ft | 448–576 mm | 448 mm, 576 mm |
| Wardrobe shutter, 7 ft | 576–960 mm | 896 mm, 960 mm |
| Main door, 3 ft × 7 ft | 450–600 mm (18–24 inch) | Regent Slim 18", Odysseus 24" |
| Wide or double main door | 600–900 mm (24–36 inch), per leaf | Pinnacle Arc to 900 mm, Cilo 24–48" |
| Pivot or full-height door | 1,050 mm+ (42 inch+) | Altona 42" |
Two ways of fixing
Face fixing is what wardrobe and cabinet handles use: two screws through the shutter from the inside into threaded holes in the handle, at the handle's centre-to-centre distance. Nothing shows on the inside but two screw heads. Back-to-back fixing is what main door pulls use: bolts pass through the door and thread into the opposite handle, so the pair holds itself; a single-sided pull uses a rose or a through-bolt with a cover on the inside. Tell us the door thickness when you order a main door pull and we pack the right bolt length. Mount the grip centre about 1,000 mm from the floor on doors, and 900–1,000 mm on wardrobe shutters, keeping every handle in a run at the same height.
Materials and what they cost
- Slim aluminium — the volume choice for modern wardrobes and sliding shutters: Vale Slim ₹399–₹1,899 (96–960 mm), Riviera Linear ₹699–₹4,399 in four finishes.
- Zinc — crisp plated finishes such as champagne bronze: Axis Linear ₹1,299–₹2,199 (128–416 mm).
- Solid brass — for main doors and statement wardrobes: Sovereign 8–36 inch ₹1,599–₹7,399, and the cast main door pulls from ₹7,799 to ₹43,399.
- Wood-resin — colour instead of metal: Terra and Soleil in 15–24 inch, ₹5,799–₹7,999.
Finishes across the range: matte black, PVD gold, rose gold, antique brass, chrome, champagne bronze and two-tone. Handles are priced per piece; order two for a double door. Pack pricing applies from six pieces (5%), twelve (10%) and eighteen (15%), and every price includes GST.
Vertical on doors, horizontal on drawers
The same long handle can be mounted horizontally on a wide drawer front — the fixing is identical. The convention that keeps a kitchen or wardrobe looking ordered is vertical on doors and shutters, horizontal on drawers, with one handle length per run.
Frequently asked
Which vertical handle for a 7 ft wardrobe shutter? 576 mm is the safe choice; 896–960 mm if the shutter is wide or you want the handle to be the feature.
Can I fit a main door pull on one side only? Yes, with a rose or cover on the inside; most customers pair it with a lever set on the inside for the lock.
Do vertical handles come as pairs? They are sold per handle; a double door needs two of the same design and size.
Can I try one first? The aluminium and zinc wardrobe handles are on Home Trial — up to five designs at 50% off, returnable.