Mixing metals - Kitchen lighting, fixtures, & hardware vs. doorknobs
We are in the process of building our first home!! BUT we are having trouble selecting our kitchen hardware, plumbing fixtures and lighting! We are going for a white on white traditional kitchen, and though all of the doorknobs throughout our home will be oil rubbed bronze, we want the kitchen to be a bit lighter and brighter!
We want to mix in a metal (or two) but are not sure what to choose! I love gold hardware and lighting, but my husband is not interested at all! We were leaning toward brushed nickel plumbing fixtures and hardware, but now I'm wondering if polished chrome would be better?? Which will be more classic/timeless? Which would be better with the oil rubbed bronze doorknobs?
Regardless of what we choose for the faucet and cabinet hardware, what does that mean for our lighting? Do we match it to the faucet/hardware? Or should we do oil rubbed bronze to match the doorknobs? On top of that, it's an open floor plan...so does all of our lighting need to be the same metal throughout?
I'm attaching a couple pictures of the model home, so you can see the kitchen layout and open floor plan (also would need to consider the foyer light fixture, not pictured). Thank you in advance!!
Comments (13)
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Mixing 'metals', doorknobs, bathroom hardware, etc!
Comments (3)I don't think so at all - you could definitely go with chrome in the bathroom. One resource I've used to see what may be considered 'acceptable' is the Houzz website. They've got thousands of remodel pictures, most of which were done by designers/architects - I have noticed that there are a lot of high end homes with ORB door knobs, but chrome in the bathrooms. Lots of postings also have pictures for other rooms, so you can see how they've carried out whole house remodels and what finishes they used throughout. Hope that helps - just my opinion! Here is a link that might be useful: Houzz website...See MoreMixing Metal fixtures in Kitchen/Dining Area
Comments (6)Just to add, the kitchen appliances will be stainless steel gourmet, with a 48" range. I've decided on chrome for the plumbing fixtures since it is less expensive then the other finishes (and we need to reduce costs where ever we can since prices have gone up in just a year's time). I can change the kitchen faucet to a "spot resist stainless" finish (which is what I put in the last house we built, and the kitchen island lighting was 3 pendants in a brushed nickel finish, and that looked fine with the stainless steel appliances and black cabinet pulls). The only place I'm having the dilemma in finishes is the kitchen since the lights I like don't come in a chrome finish. The bathrooms will have chrome plumbing fixtures with vanity lights in chrome, and black cabinet pulls. Also, the door handles/pulls will be black as well. We are also selling this house, and it will most likely be a second home for the buyers....See MoreMixing Metals in Hardware and Plumbing Fixtures
Comments (30)One Devoted Dame......I don’t see that whether or not mixing metals was done historically has any bearing on whether the ops home will look cohesive (or dated) if she chooses to tastefully mix things up a bit. I understand that a lot of folks feel that way, but I can't reconcile the generally accepted notion (here on the forums, anyway), that "timeless = architecturally appropriate" with "today, people mix metals all the time, it's no big deal." Generally speaking, we look back to architectural styles/norms throughout history, to determine if something is trendy or appropriate for any given house. History can give us important clues. If cohesiveness is important to someone, then yes, mixing metals certainly can be problematic. It doesn't *have* to be, but the likelihood is higher. If being "dated" is a concern to someone, then yes, ensuring that the home respectfully nods to historic precedent should be a priority. In the OP's examples above, of the faucet and pulls, I think the *lines* of each piece are similar, but the finishes are too different (on my screen, the pulls look matte-black rustic; the faucet looks shiny-polished silver) to look "cohesive." Whether they look "good" together is a different question, in my opinion....See Moreanother mixing metal color question, schoolhouse light fixture
Comments (3)I don't look at ceiling light fixtures much after a couple of months of their installation, and especially not when they are turned on. Everything on the light fixture looks different when the light is turned on, and so I think your choice should be fine. I have a ceiling fan/light in my bedroom that has high polished black blades, and I thought they were polished nickel when I bought it because they are so reflective....See More
abbyfaye
4 years agoabbyfaye
4 years ago
One Devoted Dame
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agonini804
4 years agoabbyfaye
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoHelen
4 years ago
lrunner
4 years ago
cpartist