Hardware and Faucet finishes

13 years ago

Did you match your doorknob / hinge finishes with your kitchen and bathroom faucets? I prefer darker finishes for the doors (bronze), but am planning on using brushed nickel / chrome for kitchen / bath. Is this a faux pas? My builder believes it should all match. What did you do?

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Comments (10)

musings
13 years ago
There are no hard and fast rules. I tell my clients everything does not need to match but it should go together.

If you like the bronze, do all ORB for doors and door hinges throughout. For your faucets go with the chrome/nickel you like (nickel is "warmer"). The cabinet knobs/pulls and hinges might be either the ORB or the chrome/nickel (and you can do the bathroom faucet/cabinet hardware different from the kitchen).
meldy_nva
13 years ago
I agree with musings. Your builder may like everything matched, but that in no way needs to be a guide to your taste. The fact that he made a point of trying to influence you to all-the-same simply makes me wonder how much discount he gets for purchasing in bulk.

Your attention is on hinges at the moment. Of the last 5 houses you have been in, did you actually *notice* the hinges in the different rooms?? Did you notice them before your attention was pointed to them? Most folks don't, so decorate (including hinge/faucet/etc color and finish) according to your preferences and what you find comfortable.
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I don't think you have to worry about matching your faucets unless you really like the look of everything matching. I am using ORB pulls and knobs and possibly a satin nickel, polished nickel or even chrome finish on all of my faucets. It is best to actually go see the finishes at a store if you can. I know our Lowes carries the Vinatta and they might have samples of the different finishes there in the store so that you could hold your hardware up to compare. If you go to the FKB you can see that many people don't match their hardware and faucet finishes, it's really a matter of personal taste. I will say that different manufacturers will have slightly different finishes, and sometimes even within the same manufacturer you can have slightly different finishes. I was at a bath/kitchen supply store yesterday and they told me that they stopped carrying Danze because often times they would order 2 items and they wouldn't match, even in the same finish. Good luck! Kat :)
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As I recall, nickel is not maintenance free unless they add a special coating to it. If you are fine with that - the nickel would be really pretty.I think it would go nicely with the lights and both of your cabinet colors (although a picture of the cabs would be nice to confirm my vision)
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Before I got my bathroom fixtures from Restoration Hardware I called Newport Brass, the company that supplies them to RH. The woman I spoke to told me that chrome would be considerably more durable than PN or the other finishes. I nevertheless chose PN for the bathrooms -- liked it so much better and was so pleased because RH didn't have an upcharge for finishes other than chrome. Well, they are pretty, but they do mark, for example, on the faucet handles where they are touched. And this is my bathroom, and I am super fastidious in there! So, for the kitchen, I chose chrome. I think PN is prettier, but chrome seems good in my vintage kitchen, and it is the least expensive (Perrin & Rowe does have an upcharge). It looks very blue to me because I have gotten used to the PN in the bathrooms, but I am getting used to it. It helps that it is a beautiful faucet. It doesn't mark, and it is easy to keep looking good. Chrome has been kind of "out," like antique brass, which I also have in my kitchen. I think I have a perverse penchant for things that are "out," so maybe I am not a very useful advice giver!
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Polished nickel would be pretty, but keep in mind it is more high maintenance than other finishes. PN needs to be polished, and can tarnish over time. I have PN in 2 bathrooms, and polished chrome in a half-bath and in my kitchen, so I can compare them. I think my PN faucets are very beautiful, but for my next bathroom (whenever that will be), I will get polished chrome instead which is easy-care. Re polished vs. brushed: I like a polished finish myself--more than a brushed finish--cause I like the sparkle, but that is individual taste. I think a brushed finish is a more contemporary look than polished. But neither one connotes "casual" or "bling" as your OP mentioned; it depends on the rest of the kitchen.
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athensmomof3
13 years ago
Definitely not necessary to match! In my current house we have brass hinges and knobs and a mixture of chrome and brushed nickel faucets . . . looks fine. I like ORB door hardware but think it is too harsh/dark for most bathrooms, faucets, etc.

We will be using either ORB or unlacquered brass hinges and knobs (with some crystal doorknobs thrown in) and chrome or nickel fixtures. . .
tracey_b
13 years ago
In our newly finished house, we used ORB for door hardware and stainless for bath and kitchen faucets (except for powder room). We used ORB (or similar) for lighting as well. I had no problem going with SS--to me that "color" (like chrome) is made for faucets. I was afraid I'd end up disliking ORB faucets in much the same way I ended up hating gold-toned faucets.
archson
13 years ago
I don't think it has to match...

Actually, in the place I'm living in right now (renting), the door handles on the interior of the bathrooms are a different finish than the exterior handles (but the same handle). Brushed nickel on the exterior, polished chrome on the interior handle to match the faucets.
booboo60
13 years ago
We really have a "contrast" with "Plymouth flat black" doors and hinges with all faucets polished chrome! Our kitchen has the flat black knobs.
pps7
13 years ago
Definately does not need to match! Our interior door hardware is ORB. Bath hardware is chrome; In the kitchen the cabinet hardware is polished nickel.

ORB faucets are a lot more expensive than chrome ones-so if you don't want ORB, I wouldn't pay extra for it.
david_cary
13 years ago
Right - the premium on ORB in faucets is crazy. Door knobs were essentially the same for us - maybe there was a premium on something but not ORB.

All matching is a look. Not matching is another look. I find that spec homes all match - because builders tend to be conservative. There is certainly no need to chase the spec house fashion trend as that is in no way an ideal to shoot for.

I doubt there is a volume discount from the builder but he just wants to hit the easy button. Matching is easy. Boring but easy....

That all being said, I do think you shouldn't have 5 different finishes in a room and chrome and polished nickel sort of clash because they are close but not identical. Like others here, I have ORB and chrome (mostly)
DallasAuburn
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks, folks. Can't blame my contractor on this one -- it was just his opinion -- hardware is my allowance, so it doesn't really matter to him. I think it's just his preference. I am on-par with the rest of y'all and thank you for confirming; we will be mis-matched, and that will be great with me.
periwinkle18
13 years ago
My architect told me that he often likes to match the 'inside' - the plumbing to the inside of the doors - and the outside can be a different finish.

Hardware and Faucet finishes

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musings

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