Only One Finish Allowed

“I love this faucet, but it’s only available in a copper finish and our kitchen is stainless steel. I should probably choose a different faucet.” 

Does this mental dialog sound familiar? Have you ever found yourself in your local hardware store or showroom trying to select items to add the finishing touches to your home and you are met with this “dilemma”? Well, I have good news for you, go ahead and buy that item that you fell in love with! Mixing and Matching finishes is OKAY!

Yes! You read that correctly. You can mix finishes within a space and have your project turn out beautifully. 


Over the course of my time as a designer, I've had clients share with me that they like a specific fixture but get nervous when they notice that the finish doesn’t match the lighting base, cabinet hardware or mirror frame that is already present in their home.  I then tell them that they should let that idea of having all matching finishes within a space go. They can mix and match finishes and they can do so fairly easily. 
The key is to make sure to stick to 2-3 different finishes and try not to exceed that amount. It’s also important when doing this to remember to consider the size of the space you plan to mix finishes in.  
My rule of thumb for finishes is: 

• Pick 1 finish for all of your plumbing fixtures [example: Polished Nickel]
  
• Pick 1 finish for all of your lighting and hardware [example: Matte Black]
  
• If there’s a 3rd finish it should be in seldom small accent details such as a brass mirror frame, or furniture leg for example.  
  

Sometimes it helps to find one light fixture that uses both of your primary finishes to tie them together; much like an area rug can tie your color scheme together. 

While mixing too many different finishes is something that we want to avoid, using one finish within a space can be a bit much as well. This can cause a space to look too “matchy, matchy”, and way too predictable. If you do currently have all matching finishes, consider introducing a new finish to your space gradually over time and watch how the overall look of your space changes.

Have you lived by the rule of “Only one finish allowed”? If so, would you consider introducing a new finish to your space? Let me know in the comments below. ​

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Photo cred: Nate Sheets Photography & Brynn Burns

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