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gobruno_gw

Is it OK to mix shiny and brushed finishes? Pictures?

gobruno
14 years ago

I was thinking of doing a brushed nickel faucet in our guest bathroom, but a few of the options for sconces I like only come in polished nickel. Do you think I could mix those finishes? The bathroom is a white on white bathroom--white cabinets with carrara marble counters and floors and white subway tile. If anybody has any pictures of mixed nickel finishes, that would be great.

Thank!

Comments (8)

  • swampwiz
    14 years ago

    I have the same problem. I can only get satin nickel hinges on doors, but I want to have polished nickel knobs.

  • booboo60
    14 years ago

    Sorry, no pics, but it is totally ok to mix finishes! I was almost obsessed with mixing finishes when we were building but once your house is done everything comes together and you will not "see" the different sheens; meaning it all works. I think this topic is also on the home decorating forum.

  • mdev
    14 years ago

    We mixed finishes (in our bathroom) in our last house and I didn't like it. I didn't notice it as much at first but it started to bug me after a while. It's all a matter of taste- if you like it go for it!

  • brutuses
    14 years ago

    I don't think it's anything to obsess over. I do think I have the two different finishes in my bath, but can't remember and I don't have a close up photo to check it. So that should tell you how much I worried about it. LOL They are both nickle so I think that's what is important.

  • macv
    14 years ago

    Satin nickel finish is nickel plating on brass that has been chemically dulled and then lacquer coated. It is sometimes referred to as brushed nickel.

    The fact that it is similar in appearance to brushed stainless steel or brushed aluminum makes it seem more modern but for me it is far less elegant and attractive than polished nickel. Polished nickel is also somewhat darker with more complex coloring than chrome.

  • worthy
    14 years ago

    In my first new home build, I obsessed about matching--right down to polished brass supplies and valves on the w.c.s

    Now, to remove the new home feel, some designers even "mis-match" fixture styles in a room. I inadvertently did that in one bathroom in our home and didn't notice for a year! (Kohler and Moen.) Paying clients would probably be less forgiving.

  • dreamywhite
    14 years ago

    We are mixing quite a few finishes but I am also heavily obsessed with everything being the same. I am doing all of my bathrooms in polished chrome, all of my hinges and door levers in ORB and most of my lighting fixtures in the great room in this finish as well, but in my kitchen I am doing polished nickel knobs and pulls with polished chrome pendants BUT I have a satin nickel bridge faucet. I bought the faucet awhile ago from overstock and I love it so much that I am willing to "mix" colors just to use it. I was in a model home recently and they mixed everything so I felt it was okay to follow the same trend. Plus I think that ORB and silver look well together so it's okay to mix. The only left that I can't decide on is which color floor register to go with. That is a hard one for me.

  • gobruno
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Thanks for all the feedback! We're mixing finishes throughout the house, but I'm worried about mixing finishes in a small space like the bathroom. I decided to change my faucets (Kohler Margaux) to polished nickel bc the sconce we chose only comes in polished nickel (Robert Abbey Jonathan Adler Parker sconce). (Btw, if anybody has comments on that combo, feel free to chime in. I'm struggling with that bathroom). I generally lean toward brushed finishes bc I think it shows less finger prints and water marks, but I think that we could deal with it in that bathroom. Since the sconce and faucets are both such major focal points in the bathroom, and are within a 3 foot space of each other, I thought they should match. Interestingly though, the towel holder only comes in a brushed finish, but I decided I could live with that bc it's not a focal point and will generally be covered by a towel. With so much relating to this house, I guess all I can do is take a leap of faith and hope it will turn out looking the way I envisioned or at minimum not look like a wreck. Now I have to find a polished nickel mirror....

    Thanks!

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