You bet!
BUT....if it were as simple as that I wouldn't get asked this question on a regular basis. Wondering how to mix hardware finished in your home?
Read below for all of my tips and tricks!
1) Be Intentional.
Mixing finishes in your home has to be intentional. I recommend keeping all items of the same group matched to the same finish. For example, if your kitchen cabinets are all the same color then all of the hardware should be the same color. If you have a statement island or island with a different paint color from the rest of the kitchen they you can feel free to add a different finish to the hardware on the island.
The goal here is to make sure you don't appear to have run out of hardware for a project and then grabbed the next finish you could find into the space to finish the project.
2) Think Of Rooms As Separate Spaces
Did you know you can mix and match finishes throughout your home? My master bedroom has all gold fixtures, while my main living area has matte black. Why? I wanted my master bedroom to feel special! Every time I walk into our master bedroom I find finishes, paint colors, and textures that are unique to that room of the house.
Does this room coordinate with the rest of my home? Of course! But it isn't matchy-matchy. I wanted that room to feel like a sanctuary from the rest of the house.
3) No More Than 2 Finishes Per Room
Coming off the point above, you want to limit your finish choices to no more than 2 finishes per room. For example, in my kitchen the appliances, sink faucet, and island pendants are all stainless steel. I chose to swap out the cabinetry pulls for matte black. I wanted the perimeter of the kitchen to feel different from the island (where my sink and pendants are located).
Now what about open concept floor plans? This is where there is a difference in opinion among designers. I think you can mix 3 finishes if you do it strategically. This requires that one finish is continued throughout the entirety of the space. For example, if you have matte black and stainless steel in a kitchen then you will want to continue one of those finishes into the second space in the open concept floor plan. This could look like matte black and gold accents in a living room next to the kitchen.
So now that you know the rules, what are my favorite pairings?
I prefer to stick to a neutral and accent when mixing finishes in my projects.Neutral finishes for me include black, matte black, and oil rubbed bronze. Think darker colors that will be your base in a space. I define accent finishes as gold, rose gold, brass, silver, chrome, and stainless steel. These finishes typically capture the eye a little more and pull light through a space.
A few things to keep in mind...
Areas with lots of natural light tend to showcase neutral finishes better than dark spaces. Accent finishes can sometimes produce a glare in spaces without shadows.
Not all finishes are the same. Different brands can have slight differences in the way the color of the finish appears to the eye. I see this often with shades of gold and oil rubbed bronze. If possible, stick to the same brand for consistency.
Don't lose sleep over hardware finishes! One of the easiest things to swap out in a home is hardware. It's a cost effective way to reinvent a space. If you are worried about resell value or getting bored with a certain finish in a few years you can easily swap it out.
If you are still stuck on where to begin with picking hardware finished please do not hesitate to reach out! I offer interior design consulting services for this exact reason. We can pick out the finish, shape, and style for all of the pieces in your home together - no big deal!
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