How to Mix Metals in Your Home Renovation

Many of us probably grew up with the notion that it is not good to mix metals in home design.  The idea of having a stainless steel refrigerator in a kitchen with brass cabinet knobs sounds like it would clash – right?  Wrong!

Many of us probably grew up with the notion that it is not good to mix metals in home design.  The idea of having a stainless steel refrigerator in a kitchen with brass cabinet knobs sounds like it would clash – right?  Wrong!  There has been a revolution in metal use when it comes to interior design and many home renovations are now mixing metals for a modern, attractive home appearance.  The gold and brass fixture finishes of the 80s are gone and now gold and brass are not just trendy again, they are stylish!  They really do look good and many people want to use them in their remodel projects but are nervous to commit to something like gold and brass when many of their other home finishes are in stainless steel or silver since that has been trendy for quite some time.  Do not fret, there are many great ways to mix metal in your home renovation and have your home looking like the cover of a design magazine.

One of the most important things to remember when mixing metal finishes in your home is to not go too crazy.  Do not mix every metal tone or color that you have ever seen.  Houzz elaborates on how exactly to successfully achieve this, “When mixing metals, as with mixing colors in a color palette, it’s best to choose a dominant tone and a secondary tone to give the room a sense of visual structure. In this example, various items carry steely tones (the chest, chair legs, curtain rods, lamp), while only a few thin pieces are in gold.There’s no one mathematical formula for how much of each metal to use, but 70 percent and 30 percent is a good starting point for making sure one tone is dominant and the other is present enough to not feel misplaced.”

The other important thing is to remember to create a balance of color and texture that accentuates and ties together your metal fixtures and finishes.  Think about wood finishes, cabinetry, and fabrics when balancing your metals. If you are incorporating a lot of metal finishes you may want a more matte finish on your cabinetry or wood for balance of texture and tone.  Additionally, you can pull in multiple metal finishes subtly with the fabrics you choose for upholstery and drapery in the room.  Ultimately, balance and subtlety are key to mixing metals.  Don’t have 5 different metal tones all in a high sheen finish.  Choose a dominant metal color that will be the focus on the space and then accent with other colors while balancing texture and tone and your home renovation with mixed metals will be a success!