Mixing metals in your kitchen

Mixing-metals-in-a-kitchenWhen you’re planning your kitchen design, the choices for finishes can be staggering. From a myriad of types of metals to the finishes of each piece, it is easy to get overwhelmed.

Luckily, there are no hard and fast rules in kitchen design. When picking design elements like faucets, cabinet hardware, light fixtures, décor and more, customers often wonder if it is acceptable to mix metals throughout the kitchen. The answer? Definitely!

Be deliberate

If you decide to mix metals in your kitchen, it’s important to ensure that your design decisions look intentional. For example, you probably do not want every element in your kitchen to be polished chrome with just one copper faucet. The copper faucet could end up looking like an afterthought.

Pick a favorite

One of the best ways to mix metals in your kitchen is to choose a dominant metal and then use other metals as accents. Mixing metals usually looks best when you use two or three different types, but not more than three.

Moreover, as you choose where to place each type of metal, think about organizing them by plane. In other words, place everything that is on the same visual level — across a horizontal plane — in the same metallic finish.

Other tips for mixing metals

– Natural iron works well as a neutral. It can balance out warm gold hues as well as cooler silvers.

– Think beyond items like hardware, faucets and light fixtures. Remember to consider the types of metals you’ll be using in art, frames, mirrors, shelving and other decorative items.

– As you choose and place your metals, try to balance colors throughout the kitchen as well as warm and cool tones.

– Beyond types of metals, you can also mix finishes. For example, you can place polished chrome in a room with matte-finished items.

In the end, your final kitchen design should look good to you. Remember that design choices are extremely personal. Tastes and opinions vary from person to person. Because this is the kitchen that you will cook, entertain and live in, the right choices when mixing metals are the ones that make you happy.

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