The old rule of making sure to match all the metals in your kitchen is no longer in vogue.
Modern kitchens boast a variety of metal finishes on the cabinet hardware, the light fixtures, the plumbing and appliances.
This is in keeping with a larger trend of mixing paint/cabinet colors and layering textures/wood stains throughout the home – not just in the kitchen.
One of our favorite combinations is a matte black finish contrasted with brass.
There are many different types of metals and finishes to consider in both warm and cool tones. Warm metals include brass, gold, copper, and oil-rubbed bronze. Cool metals include chrome, polished nickel, and brushed nickel. Metals also come in a variety of sheens and finishes, including matte, satin, brushed, polished, oil-rubbed, aged, and antiqued.
According to Lifestyle Blogger Jane at Home, black can be considered either a cool-toned metal or a neutral and makes a great third metal to balance out your mix. She recommends mixing cool metals with warm metals to create a nice, eye-pleasing balance.
“In general, I wouldn’t mix two metals in the same family, such as nickel and chrome, unless they’re far apart in the space or you’re also adding a warm-toned metal to the mix,” she writes.
What metals are most popular?
Chrome is having a moment, but polished nickel and brass continue to be popular choices.
Copper became popular around 2017 and is still beloved today. We love this fairy-tale-inspired English kitchen featured in House and Home with its whimsical wallpaper, vintage cookware and a bespoke copper hood.
Photographer: Courtesy deVOL
Designer: House of Hackney
Most interior designers agree you can safely mix shiny with matte–as well as warm with cool.
To be sure, we encourage you to create a mood board or have a mockup/sketch created so you can see the metals together and ensure everything looks cohesive.
To see more real-life examples of mixed metals in the kitchen, visit our gallery.
To read more about mixing metals in the kitchen, here are some blog posts we recommend:
- https://chrissymarieblog.com/kitchen-trends-2022
- https://jane-athome.com/mixing-metals-in-kitchen/
- https://houseandhome.com/gallery/20-kitchen-vent-hood-ideas-next-reno/#image-6
When you’re ready to start designing your dream kitchen, reach out to us!
