We have an open floor plan and are mixing antiqued bronze with brushed nickel. I was advised that it was fine to mix the two, but to not go MORE than two, if that makes sense. And the lighting consultant told me it was fine to do the aged bronze in the living and dining and switch to a more modern in the kitchen because you're defining it as its own space. Now I ended up going with Tiffany art glass in the kitchen, so the metal finish on the lighting was less of an issue. As I think of it, it is dark and keeps with that antiqued flow. I would have had no qualms going with brushed nickel if the fixtures I liked were in that. I did do a brushed nickel fixture in the laundry room (same wall color as the main area) and it looks really cute. For us, the brushed nickel picks up the brushed aluminum (same look) of the door knobs around the house. So like I said, we ended up with two metals and as long as I'm repeating one or the other, I'm not worried. As far as the cabinet knobs, well... For the hutch in the dining I used a satin nickel or pewter or something, I forget. The dining set is cherry and the kitchen perimeter cabs will be cherry, but I wanted to distinguish them. I think I'll probably do dark knobs in the kitchen. The island will be white/glazed, and I know I want to do dark knobs there. I think it would even be fine to mix them up, doing nickel on the perimeter and antiqued on the island. I'm probably not going to do that though because I have some decorative knobs (sentimental value) that I'm going to bring in. I'll probaby just keep it simple and do all antiqued and be done with it. Our stove is stainless with black top and the other appliances black. I figure the stainless stove repeats that silvery nickel color found around the house. So I say you can mix it up, but make sure you are REPEATING something enough that it looks intentional, not isolated. The other thing I read is that if you're going to mix contemporary and antique, to mix them in equal doses. I think if you do an ENTIRE space with all matching fixtures and exactly the same, that could get pretty heavy. Ours is ok, but only because the art glass breaks it up. If we had done all matching fixtures over the kitchen, living and dining, that would have been too matchy-matchy, not very interesting. I'd definitely feel free to break it up with some color or another metal, so long as it's one that will be repeated in the space. Good luck! :)

Cross posted... I'd love anyone's take on how I should coordinate lighting (and finishes) in my open floorplan without being too matching. Finishes will probably be a combo b/n black and brass. The entry light (TBD), living room fan (black), brass swing arm wall sconces, kitchen pendants (2 over island) and a dining chandelier will all be potentially visible together, depending on viewpoint. I'm leaning toward going with a sputnik style for the entry, and lantern styles over the island and dining, but not sure. I'll attach photos of things I like for an idea....our style is clean, industrial modern with a little farmhouse. (lots of white walls, black windows, a little shiplap) Of course the Visual Comfort lanterns (gold) are $$$ so I've been searching for alternatives, not falling in love yet. Hinkley's Fulton is coming close but I prefer the shape of VC. Love Studio McGee's style if anyone is familiar and has any insight to wrangle me in a bit!

Would you be able to post a picture of the individual pendant you like? The pinterest link goes to a whole board and there are so many different styles there :) Personally I do think this goes with the geometric open framework type pendant in a lot of the pictures. It repeats the openness and the arms are squared instead of round so that is also cohesive. But I understand that it isn't quite what you were envisioning!

have been thinking about that. How does one go about picking the RIGHT one. what if I hire someone and I hate their ideas or we just don't seem to be on the same page?