Mixing Metal Finishes in the Kitchen
Can’t decide on a favorite metal finish? Good news: it’s fashionable not to! Learn how to mix metals properly and perfectly for a striking effect.
The old-school generation would be horrified. It’s akin to wearing a gold necklace with silver earrings (gasp!). But mixing metal finishes in kitchens is becoming increasingly popular. People are no longer worrying about making sure everything – from faucets to hinges to knobs to pulls to appliances to sinks – coordinates perfectly; in fact, many don’t like the “matchy-matchy” look that you achieve with monochromatic metals.
Mixing finishes, however, can be tricky. When not done well, a mixed-metal kitchen can just look like it was designed by a colorblind person. But when it’s executed with finesse, a kitchen with multiple finishes can be showstopping.
Get inspiration from ten examples of extraordinarily well-done mixed-metal kitchens (along with tips on how to successfully mix finishes):
Mixing more than two finishes can be risky. Try to keep it balanced in both quantity and placement, like the chrome, gold, and copper perfectly executed in this kitchen (copper at the visual center line, chrome on either side of that line, and gold tones atop and below the chrome for symmetry).
The subtle mix of silver, gold, copper, and oil-rubbed bronze tones in this kitchen blends so harmoniously that you have to look closer to notice each one separately.
Implementing several different finishes will enhance rather than overpower a simple white-and-wood kitchen; use a brighter finish to draw attention to key areas.
White-and-gray kitchens can be somber and cold with stainless steel appliances; adding a bit of bronze or brass will brighten and liven up an otherwise severe color palette.
Designing the faucet to take a backseat to gold-toned finishes is a smart move; it simultaneously draws attention to and away from the mostly-business fixture, allowing it to stand out but also fade into the background and let the hardware shine.
Two different shades of the same color family shine equally against a neutral color scheme, each contributing warmth, liveliness, and interest to a stark kitchen.
Here, light fixtures and accessories add warmth to the cooler white-and-blue tones of the kitchen, while nickel and chrome faucets and hardware soothingly blend with the color scheme.
Add life, luster, and rustic charm – plus that just-right casual vibe – to a country kitchen with a mix of finishes.
Mixing metals doesn’t have to be an exact science of ratios. In this kitchen, the stainless range hood allows the gold tones to stand out – a matching hood would be overwhelming and gaudy.
Against a white backdrop, mixed metals shine. Allow the different metals to pick up on other finishes throughout the kitchen, the way the black faucet echoes the counter support and stools while the rosy pendants complement the kitchen’s wooden accents.
