We love using metals in our projects and layering different finishes and tones is a great way to add character, texture and thoughtful details. Used thoughtfully, a mix of metals can elevate the look of a space, making it feel more considered and put-together. Here’s how we go about it.
Be selective
Select any metals that you feel drawn to and identify their undertones. Most are easy to gauge, brass is generally warm and chrome is cool for example, but some finishes blur the boundaries. Nickel is often considered a warm silver tone and there are some ‘champagne’ finishes that can pull warm or cool tones when paired with other finishes.
Refine your metal selection
We suggest using no more than three different metal finishes to ensure the final look is coherent. Choose one finish to be the dominant selection and another for an accent. If you choose three finishes, aim to split their usage 60% for the dominant, 30% for the secondary and 10% for the accent.
Consider how to group them
We like to group different metal finishes together to avoid a random or mis-matched look. Think about separating your space into vertical planes based on height and group the same finishes with each other. For example, metals could be split between low-level things like cabinetry and ironmongery, mid-level wall lights and ornaments and high level items like ceiling lights.
A simple un-written rule
Did we mention kitchens and bathrooms? When mixing metals in these spaces, ensure that the metal finish is the same across all the ‘wet’ brassware including basin taps, bath taps, showers and wastes. This is to ensure the result feels cohesive and higher quality. Try a different finish on pot fillers, lighting, mirrors or towel holders.
Find harmony and balance
We recommend always pairing one finish with at least one other item in the same finish to ensure that each different metal is repeated at least once. Using just one finish on it’s own can look a little lost unless it is a large object or feature of the overall space. Think about incorporating metal finishes when styling shelves or dressing furniture, adding in these little punctuations throughout the space will pull it all together nicely.