Brio Project / Alyssa Ence Photography
We get asked a lot of questions about metal mixing in the kitchen. Between hardware, faucets, lighting, and appliances there are a lot of finishes to choose from and ensuring a cohesive look can be overwhelming. Today we are answering your metal mixing questions and showing how we do it in our designs!
Q: I love brass hardware, but what about my stainless steel fridge?
Aveituna Project / Autumn Grace Photography
This is a common concern with our brass loving clients. If you do not want a mixed metal look, there are options. You can go with white and brass appliances (check out our Double Eagle Project) or you can use a panel-ready refrigerator to match your cabinetry (see Amber Fillerup Clark Kitchen). But we also love to embrace the metal mix. Here in our Aveituna project, we used all brass for the fixtures and hardware, but chose stainless steel for the appliances. The look works as another layer of contrasting warm and cool tones.
Q: Should my lighting match my hardware? What about my faucet?
Villa Bonita Project / Alyssa Ence Photography
Metal mixing with lighting is our favorite way to get the mixed metal look. Let the lighting make a statement in a color of it’s own, but make the look feel intentional by pulling in the same finish somewhere else in the kitchen. In our Villa Bonita kitchen, brass lighting contrasts with chrome hardware and faucets but is balanced by the barstools.
When we transformed this kitchen from Tuscan to coastal, we decided to keep the previous sink faucet. It had been updated since the original build, and trashing it seemed a waste. Although we selected brushed brass for the cabinetry hardware, the chrome faucet works with the stainless appliances.
Q: Can I mix more than two metal finishes?
Yes! In both our Arboles and Torina projects, we mixed black, brass, and silver. There are a few ways you can make this look intentional and not messy. One option is to let your metals define each category. In Arboles, our appliances are stainless steel, lighting is brass, and hardware + faucet are matte black.
In Torina, we visually divided the space in thirds with the upper half dark lighting, middle level chrome/stainless steel faucet and range, and the lower portion of the room brass cabinetry hardware.
Q: Is metal mixing a trend that will go out of style?
Summit Creek Project / Rebekah Westover Photography
Design is constantly evolving, with trending ideas going in and out of style. Hardware is no exception. However, a mixed metal look works in all styles, all budgets, and although it adds interest to a space, it doesn’t dominate like many other trends. We think it’s a look to love and will stick around.
We love to answer your design questions. Anything you wish we would write about? Comment below!
Happy Monday!
Xxo
Becki
Thanks so much, I love all the examples you gave, it really helped to visualise what the mixed metals look like together.
I love the light fixture from picture 3. What brand is it and dies it have a chandelier to go over a 48” round table? Thanks.
Hi, you can find this light fixture here. It comes in one size. Thank you
We are about to build a new house. The island pendants are brushed nickel and we wanted chrome hardware and faucet. Will that be a problem?
No – that would be lovely.
Hi! Thank you for this blog. Have you ever mixed brass and brushed gold?
Polished mixed with aged is a pretty combination that creates a cool modern/vintage mix. But order samples so you can see how it will look before you buy. It’s a lot easier to make those decisions with samples in the space:)
In the Summit Creek Project – you used a material for the hood and counter tops that look marble. do you mind lettting me know what you used? I’ve been looking around – but struggling to find an interesting pattern (that’s not just a repetitive blotchy pattern) in a materal that is more practical than marble for a kitchen. Hoping to use it for hood, backsplash and counters in kitchen! (I’m not a designer – just a home owner 🙂
Hi – It’s a beautiful Quartz – you can view the details here. Thank You
Hi, I have all stainless appliances, grey backsplash and grey, white and black granite. I would like to change the builders pendant lighting over my island to a brass and also the hardware on my white cabinets would this work or should I stick with the stainless look. Also my home is open concept. I have grey oak table, chairs are grey and side chairs are deep lapus blue, my counter chairs are the same color. I have brass accents and greys and blues throughout my open space.
You definitely can. Buy one or two pieces of the hardware first to try, but we love mixing metals.
Great, timely post…Could I get away with a satin gold main kitchen faucet and a brushed nickel smaller faucet at the island prep sink? The island pendant is a brushed gold metal.
Sounds beautiful. We suggest ordering and seeing how it looks in person but it sounds like it could create beautiful interest in the space.
Hi! I love all your work! Question: We are putting a series of tall (2×6) black aluminum windows in our painted white kitchen with a white oak exposed wood island (white Carerra marble on both counters). Since the black from the windows will be prominent, as well as the stainless from the range, I’m having a hard time thinking about lighting and pulls. Do I need to repeat the black somewhere in the design (lighting or barstools)? I’d love to incorporate brass somehow, but perhaps it’s overkill?
You can consider black sconces in the kitchen or glass pendant lights with black rods or even black barstools, or maybe black cabinet hardware. Don’t be afraid to mix black brass and white, it’s a beautiful combination.
Hi there! Renovating a very small kitchen in a Florida townhouse using white shaker cabinets and likely a whitish quartz on cabinets and wall. Also, stainless appliances. Husband hates brass! I love it lol. He would like chrome or nickel. Given that it’s small, should I stay just with one metal in addition to the stainless? Wondering if stainless appliances with chrome hardware, lights and faucet will be boring? Thx!
We love mix metals but your could do all the same for a timeless look. Also chrome faucet and nickel hardware on cabinet can be pretty. It’s best to order samples and play with the mix. Best of luck.