Mixing Metals Throughout Your Interior
Some people remain convinced that mixing metals is a recipe for disaster. One of the most popular recent trends has been to utilize monochromatic design schemes in which silver, nickel, or chrome was the dominant metal. However, that preference is quickly changing as designers are beginning to play with the looks of different metals— including brass, bronze, silver, and rose gold—all within a single space.
Not only does a clever cocktail of metallic influences draw attention to the beauty of the individual materials (rather than having them simply become uninteresting design elements), but it also brings with it somewhat of a daring attitude that will carry throughout the interior of your home.
Whether you want to employ a copper-and-glass coffee table in a room dominated by a silver chandelier, or juxtapose gold hardware with brass accessories, you can be sure that the final effect will be sophisticated and eye-catching. After all, if you can mix patterns, textures, and colors, then why not metals?
Select One Dominant Metal
To avoid visual chaos, you should pick one dominant metal to ground a room and build the rest of the décor around it. For example, if you pick gold, you can add some silver and copper accents to the interior but be sure that the gold is still prevailing. The dominant metal will visually establish the space while other shades will add some variety and visual interest.
Combine Tones
When mixing metals, you shouldn’t limit yourself to using just cold or warm tones. Contrasting shades of metals complement each other and mutually bring out the best in them. There are virtually no rules as to which kind of metal goes best with another kind, so you can feel free to combine iron with copper, brass and silver with gold, and so on.
Cool metallic tones (such as silver, nickel, and steel) bring a slick, modern aesthetic to a space, whilst warmer tones (gold, rose gold, bronze, and brass, among others) are inviting, flattering, and subtly glamorous. A mixture of both cold and warm tones can offer a very unique look, perhaps producing modern flair with a touch of glamour, or minimalism with an inviting appeal that signifies refined rawness.
Get Creative
Don’t save your metal-mixing for just your hardware and finishes. Textiles, artwork, picture frames, and wallpaper are all tools with which you can practice metallic combinations. You can also play with contrasting the different textures of metals. Combining matte, polished, and hammered touches on your assorted metals will make the space look chic while providing a custom feeling. However, if you are using a lot of different metals within a space, you may want to limit the variety of the finishes to preserve a sense of unity.
As a design coordinator with DeLeon Realty, I work with homes that may have spaces featuring both brass hardware and chrome fixtures. Since we strive to keep each space as original as possible, this design trend helps us in many ways, but especially in saving money and time for our sellers during their renovation processes. We can use the dollars wisely where they matter the most, tying everything in together to form a great end result that stays true to the style of each home.
