How to Mix Metals in a Room

A question I get asked a lot is: “Can I mix metals?”

And the answer is “Yes!”

Just like (spoiler alert), all of our furniture does not have to match. Gasp! The same is true about mixing metals or mixing finishes throughout our homes. With a few simple guidelines, you can make mixed-metals blend beautifully in your home.

First off, why would we want to mix metals? A room or space that uses the same finish on all of its metals can appear flat or one-dimensional. Create depth and interest by thoughtfully choosing metals that work well together in the overall design.

Secondly, where do we most often find metal in a room? Door hardware, light fixtures, plumbing fixtures, etc. Most hardware is made from copper, brass, and zinc, and the finishes land somewhere among the brass, nickel, chrome, and iron families. To take it a step further, you’ll see words like polished, satin, matte, antique, brushed, hammered, etc., to differentiate the finishes even more.  

Right out of the gate, we have a lot of combinations (and confusion). Before you start, focus on how many finishes will be used in the room. I live and breathe the design “rule of three.” It helps keep balance and order. If you’re overwhelmed already, pick two—if you’re feeling adventurous, decide on selecting three different finishes for your space.

Next, pick out “the star of the show.” What finish do you want to dominate the space? This can be an easy decision if you’ve got a light fixture that you already love, a beautiful tub filler, or a selection for your room that you want to take center stage. Is your chandelier antique brass? Amazing! Let’s make 60 percent of all the other metals in the room match. 

60-30-10 rule: This can be applied to any color palette application. Sixty percent is the dominant color, 30 percent is the secondary, and 10 percent should be an accent.

Remember, rules are made to be broken, but this can help keep you steered in the right direction.

We talked about this before when we discussed perfect white paints, but let’s look at warm and cool undertones when selecting metals. Gold and brass will be warm, and metals like nickel or chrome will be cool. When used together, brass can feel more balanced and become more vibrant when paired with a cool tone metal.

However, not all metals work well together. If you feel that your selections are too opposite, you might need to find a more complementary pairing. On the flip side, if your end result produces very similar finishes (i.e., chrome and polished nickel), it may look like an error instead of intentional. The same is true with the same metal with different colors and textures (i.e., brushed nickel and polished nickel).

Here’s something else to consider to avoid a visual error: Let’s say you’ve decided that your dominant (60 percent) metal is antique brass. There are countless versions of “antique brass.” To help maintain cohesiveness, make sure all the pieces are made from the same manufacturer, ensuring that the finishes will always match.

To create a more balanced look, you'll also need to think about how you will distribute the various finishes in the room. For instance, you might use a combination of light fixtures and wall decor to distribute the various metals. A good mix and balanced spread can help create a striking and easy-to-use look. I always tell my clients to think about similar sightlines. Your cabinet hardware is one sightline. Plumbing fixtures—another. Light fixtures—another. Put your groupings of metals together based on where they are in the room.

Again, rules are made to be broken—especially in design. They are there to help guide the process, but if it looks beautiful to you, that’s all that matters.

Amber Interiors

Park and Oak Interior Design

JH Interior Design