Whether you are renovating your bathroom or doing a full-on kitchen makeover, there is always the question: should I mix metal hardware around the home, and how to do it? Mixing gold and silver might sound daunting and feel like they won’t work together, like adding oil to water – but think again!
Mixing different metals and finishes together can give an extremely stylish finish to any room, however, a little can go a long way, and if not done well, wrongly mixed metals can become an eyesore. Of course, there are no rules when it comes to mixing metals as it is a great way to show off your own style and personality. Nonetheless, there are some tips to ensure that everything will blend together, creating a stunning atmosphere.
At Ironmongery Experts UK we supply a variety of ironmongery, such as door handles, door stops, coat hooks and door knockers. Our family business was established in 1992, and in that time, we have gained a great amount of knowledge about all types of ironmongery to renovate houses and apartments. Continue reading below for our tips on how to mix hardware finishes.
1. Choose a dominant metal
Choosing a dominant metal and adding one or two other metals as accent pieces will keep the overall look balanced. Don’t forget to make sure one tone is truly the centre of attention of that room, and the other tone is present enough to not feel like it has been misplaced. According to Southern Living , “when it comes to mixing metals, you want the variety to be obvious and look intentional.”
2. Balance warm and cool tones
Metals are either warm, cool or neutral based on their undertones. Warm metals include brass, copper, gold, rose gold and yellow gold; while cool metals include aluminium, stainless steel, chrome, silver, pewter and nickel. In the middle of these two main tones, there are neutral metals, such as iron and black metals, which are perfect to be combined with any of the warm or cool metals. These neutral tones will not clash with other metal tones and are ideal to highlight brass and gold metals.
Better Homes and Gardens has an article in which they showcase different metal combinations, including silver and gold, nickel and bronze, copper and iron, among various other combinations. It’s the perfect article to give you some inspiration for your own combinations.
3. Play with texture and sheen
Using different textures and finishes will add variety to the overall decor of the room, making it more interesting. For instance, you can combine brushed metals, matte metals and hammered metals, among many others.
However, mixing two metals in the same colour family could create an incohesive space when placed near each other. For example, when you use satin chrome and polished chrome side-by-side it will look like you didn’t notice the difference between them, thus it won’t look good. So, remember to not mix two metals in the same colour family.
4. Consider your colour palette
House Beautiful mentions that when you mix metals together you should be aware that “the metals you pick need to co-exist with the items you already own – so, say, brass and crafted woods for farmhouse, or silver and white for a modern vibe.”
If the room you are renovating already has some warm colours, including reds, browns and yellows, stick to warm-toned metals, such as brass, gold and copper which will be the perfect fit. While cool-toned metals, such as chrome and nickel will pair perfectly with a room that has more cool coloured details, including blues and greens.
5. Separate metals by height
When thinking of placement for your different hardware finishes, think of separating them by height – all metals on the same plane should all be the same. Imagine your room with some horizontal lines separating the space. If you are renovating a kitchen or a bathroom, the separations will typically be cabinet furniture, faucets and then lighting. You could use cast iron for the low plane, polished nickel for the middle plane and maybe brass for the top plane.
This is a good rule if you are a beginner in mixing metals and you are renovating your first room. However, it’s simply a suggestion and you can break this rule if you want to have a bit more freedom with your metal combinations.
6. Don’t overdo it
It’s easy to go from an elegant space to a chaotic one really quick when you clutter a space with too many metal items. Space them out in different parts of your room and remember not to choose more than three metals.
