How to Mix Metals Like a Pro Designer

Let's be honest: when you walk into a house where every handle, tap, and light fixture is the same brushed chrome, it can feel a little out of date. Mixing your metal finishes is not only okay, it's necessary for making a space that feels layered, expensive, and truly one-of-a-kind. This is the biggest secret in interior design right now, especially in stylish renovations.

But how do you keep it from looking like a hardware store blew up in your living room?

Top designers swear by following a few simple rules of proportion and balance. If you want to improve your furniture, kitchen, or bathroom without spending a lot of money, the best way to do it is to learn how to mix metals using high-quality pieces from stores like Urban Hardware.

The 70/30 Rule: Finding the Main Player The 70/30 Rule is the most important rule. You need one main metal and one or two accents that go with it.

70% The Dominant: This is the metal that holds everything together. In the kitchen, this could be the finish on your major appliances or your tapware (like Brushed Nickel). This should also apply to the hardware on the things you use the most, like the main lower cabinets.

30% The Accent: This is where the character comes in! If the main colour is Nickel, the accent could be cabinet pulls in Matte Black on the upper doors or a bold set of brass table legs on the dining hutch. This difference gives the picture more depth and draws the eye.

A lot of people make the mistake of trying to make all metals the same. That looks like a mess. Are you ready to choose your main metal? That's the most important place to start!

Warm Meets Cool: Making Contrast Right Away Pairing a warm metal with a cool metal is the easiest way to mix metals well. This makes things stand out without clashing.

Brushed brass cabinet handles and matte black lighting fixtures are a popular and very stylish combination right now. The brushed brass handles are the accent, and the matte black fixtures are the main colour. The dark colour makes the room feel more grounded, and the brass adds a touch of warmth and luxury. It makes the room feel modern right away.

The Unifier: The Living Finish Last piece of advice for furniture: If you're customising a sideboard or console table, look for a metal with a "living finish," like unlacquered brass. This metal naturally patinas and changes colour over time, which adds to the story of the piece. When you put this with a black metal furniture leg that has a clean, stable finish, the brass's natural, changing texture connects the new and old parts of the room.

Mixing metals shows that you know what you're doing when it comes to design. It shows that you've thought about more than just the basics. You can give your furniture and cabinets a professional, magazine-worthy finish with cheap, high-quality hardware by following the 70/30 ratio and putting a warm tone with a cool one.

What two metal finishes will you use together in your next project?