Mixing metal finishes

11 years ago

We are doing a complete remodel of our master bath and using a very monochromatic look with cream colored natural stone on the floor, walls and surface. A similar cream color on the painted walls. The trim around floor, windows, doors and ceiling is white, as are the sink, tub and toilet.

The wood vanity and the wood paneling around the tub surround are both a very dark stain.

At this point I have purchased matte black fixtures for faucet, shower and tub. And have purchased glass and polished nickel for drawer and cabinet pulls. And polished nickel for the sconce lights. They remind me of "jewelry" on what I hope will be a classic looking bathroom.

So . . . what color should I go with for the necessary metal around the glass on the shower? I want to use as little as possible -- but there will still be some. Should it be matte black or polished nickel? This seems a big decision because it is not easily changed. For this reason, I'm leaning towards matte black because I have a larger investment in plumbing trim than I do in lights/pulls.

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Comments (6)

treasuretheday
11 years ago
I would have suggested polished nickel for your shower hardware because I personally dislike the way the darker clips and hinges stand out against lighter colored tile in a shower. My eyes go right to those things (which are not the most attractive!) Here's an example of what I mean...

[traditional bathroom design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2107) by charlotte home staging Jamie McNeilis, Accredited Staging Professional

But because you've decided on black shower fixtures, I'm not sure how I'd feel about mixing the finishes within the shower(?) I'll see if I can come up with a photo of that combination.
ShellKing
Original Author
11 years ago
I know what you mean, definitely. Glad I'm not using black for knobs or lights! I think my dark cabinetry will help too. This is a photo that I like -- kind of a jumping off point. I always wanted oil rubbed bronze, except for anytime any of the bronze showed through. When I saw the fixtures in matte black, I knew that was what I wanted. By the time we're ready for shower glass, I hope I have a clearer vision. Maybe I can post an updated photo of my bathroom and gather opinions.

[traditional bathroom design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2107) by san francisco interior designer Amoroso Design
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treasuretheday
11 years ago
That is a gorgeous inspiration photo... I've saved it in a couple of my Ideabooks as well. I wish that they showed the shower, although I imagine that it has all polished nickel as well. I agree, your darker cabinetry will help ground the space so that your eyes don't go directly to the clips & hinges as they do in the all-light room that I posted.

Hopefully, someone here on GW will have dealt with the same question and be able to post a photo.
ShellKing
Original Author
11 years ago
still working on the MB remodel . . .

Talked to the glass installer and we will be able to minimize the amount of hardware needed for our frameless shower door. We will need pivot hinges and a handle. The rest of the support for the shower will be incorporated into the marble and tile (cutting channels for the 1/2 thick glass).

Still undecided about what finish to use on those two hinges and door handle.
busybee3
11 years ago
i would definitely go with polished nickel... i am not crazy about the photo above with the cream colored tile and the dark fixtures and clips... even with dark cabinetry, i would go with the lighter color on the cream tile (if you had chosen a dark stone, then i definitely think dark fixtures and clips would look great!)
love your inspiration photo with dark cabinetry, PN fixtures, and light tile!!
ShellKing
Original Author
11 years ago
I ended up going with black for the shower handle and hinges to match the faucet and shower fixtures. I think it turned out great and I'm following up on this particular thread/post with photos. I used polished nickel for the sconce lights and the drawer pulls.

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