How to Mix Metals Like a Pro! (Interior Design Dos and Don'ts)

What type of color finish would work best for my bathroom doorknob if the rest of the bathroom hardware are all matte black and the tiles on the floor and walls are white with slight grey veining? Also, would I need to match the rest of the doorknobs finish of the other rooms that are on the same floor as the bathroom then?

We're in the process of doing major renos in our home. We live in a small (about 1200 Sq ft) rowhome in Philadelphia. I LOVE farmhouse sinks and am considering putting one in the kitchen. We are considering oil rubbed bronze fixtures (as we also are doing in the bathroom), so my question for you is can we pair that with a stainless steel or chrome farmhouse sink or would the ceramic be better?

I have never mixed gold in the coffee table. I wanted a round marble top with black legs but ebded up with a glass top and marble underneath with gold legs. One thing I noticed it softened the room. Should I paint the legs black?

I'm doing a new kitchen right now. Black cabinets on bottom. White on top. Stainless appliances. I picked brushed gold cabinet hardware for all. should I have used black pulls on top and gold on bottom or is gold wrong all together? I've bought it all but can return for 90 days. I also have 2 beautiful 12" black cage brass sputnik pendants that I love over a 5'x3' island that is on the perimeter of kitchen .White quartz countertops with very little gray veining. Subtle white subway tile backsplash. Black light over sink. Is what I'm doing ok?🙏

Hi Julie! I like the way you mix metals. I have never mixed metals, but now I will, just got a new vanity it comes with two sets of hard wares brushed nickle and black, I have a nice chrome faucet so maybe with black handles. Your thoughts? Thanks.

Hi Julie !
Thank you for creating these informative videos. Im then process of building. Home will be a warm white with light engineered hardwood floor and white kitchen with navy blue island. I’m going with brass hardware but afraid of using brass all throughout the home. I really wanted black knobs and hinges all throughout but afraid it won’t tie into the kitchen. I do want brass in some other rooms as well. Thoughts ?

Ok help please… stainless steel appliances, polished nickel faucet and hardware, aged gold lighting. So does that mean I have four different metals going on?

Ok help please… stainless steel appliances, polished nickel faucet and hardware, aged gold lighting. So does that mean I have four different metals going on? Oh and I forgot rubbed bronze windows

Great advice! Thank you!!!!!

Help! I have black door handles and hinges brushed nickel faucets and shower heads. It’s a farmhouse style home just built. All appliances are stainless steel and all walls including cabinets are a white. I love the gold contrast with the nickel and black but I have no clue how to put them in light fixtures or what to mix and match.

Hi Julie, I have a question for you regarding hardware for kitchen and bathroom vanities, can we mix handle and knobs on drawers and cabinets ? Is it old school, do sleek handles give modern look?

Thank you for this informative video. This helped me out immensely with a formal dining room remodel.

Too gud
Thanx for all ur ideas
Loving it
As always..😆😊🎊

I have chrome door knobs and white doors and ceilings. I have grey machiatto cabinets with brushed nickel hardware matching the appliances. My kitchen faucet and island pendants are brass.
I added chrome door knobs to go with my stair rails which have dark wood and chrome cables.
So now, I don’t know what color curtain rods a I should use. Black or Chrome?
Should I change my cabinets hardware to chrome or brass?
Thank you!

I'm decorating my new home with a modern design. I learn so much from your channel. Thank you.

So in a small kitchen + adjacent living room I'd like to have brass and matte black metal as my main metal, what do I do about appliances? Try to find black or does stainless steel work? Dishwasher is paneled but cannot afford to panel fridge and stove.

I have a design dilemma - in my kitchen the sink faucet is nickel , will it look good with gold pot filler installed ?

U really think the drain has to precisely match the faucet? I’m about to install a brushed gold single-hole wall mount Brizo faucet in a concrete sink. I thought a matte black pop up drain with matching decorative p-trap would be cool. Also blasting copper all over place! You’re the best.

Isn't it true that copper color belongs to the fire element and does not give fortune? Isn't it true that only gold, silver & brass colors are the only ones that give fortune?

In this episode, you forgot to talk about hallways, and how metal colors impact them. I wish you can make an episode about the pros and cons of painting all walls of a hallway area in just one metal color, like gold or silver. I feel the need to paint my hallway in gold or silver; Is that an ok idea according to Feng Shui?

Just found this wonderful video. Here’s my dilemma. I have builder grade dark neutral Sedona colored kitchen cabinets. satin nickel round cabinet knobs. Brushed nickel pendants above my island that I love. Chrome faucet and stainless appliances. I have a few small brass toned decorative pieces that have warmed things up a bit but I still feel like something has to give. I would appreciate your help!

5/1/22: Wow! You have truly put my mind at ease with this video, Julie. I am doing a MAJOR renovation and I was sooo concerned about mixing chrome & black matte. Now, with your expert advise, I feel confident that I can. Well, as long as I follow your "same function/same metal" suggestion. Love it! Thanks a MILLION!

Great content since we are renovating our house and I have been struggling with mixing and matching metals like door knobs, lighting fixtures etc, I wanted to know what metal colors for the lightings and cabinet hardware would go with white kitchen that has stainless steel appliances and faucet. Thank you!

Thank you! This is so helpful!!!

What about doorknobs/door hinges? Since those are consistent throughout the house, is that always considered the ‘first’ metal in a room? Or since they are the same through the house they don’t count in the number of metals say for a bathroom. Thanks!!!!

Hi Julie! Thank you for a great video. I have a question for you. We are planning on building our dream home and we are going with a more neutral-toned design using white, black, warm neutrals like grey and beige. The metals I so far have in my mind are matte black and brass, I am not 100% sure about a third metal to incorporate. What would you recommend I look at as an accent option?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Can gold and chrome go together. Gold fixture on frameless mirror and rest of bathroom is chrome. Would it be ok to do matching gold hand towel hanger and towel hanger in gold to repeat some gold element? Please help

Hello, please can you answer my question. I have a beautiful coffee table with silver legs. I want to use gold finishes in my living room and don’t take the coffee table away too, should my furnitures leg have also silver or it is better with gold?

Can you help with lighting and drapery?

Love u so much. I’m now recommending you to all my pals when they relocate. I have def made some expensive mistakes as a first time buyer in Brooklyn but u have been there to cushion the blows xoxo

Hi Julie, I’m renovating my basement t and Main floor and want to put door hinges/door handle satin nickel and kitchen cabinets can I use black and gold for my kitchen lights?

Watch this video again and again ! It is very important! Thanks for the effort and sharing

Hi Julie! Loved this! I want to redo my kitchen cabinets. Bronze upper cabinets and blue bottom cabinets (white countertop). How do I tell my contractor, or how would I DIY this. I cook a lot so it has to be cleanable for sure. Also does gold hardware pair well or black, and would the sink faucet be gold/black too? Thanks for your help!

Very helpful - Is it okay if I have different finishes in each bathroom? I love chrome, but in one bathroom the gold mirror is brushed so I think I should do brushed nickel fixtures and in another I have mirror framed medicine cabinets so I feel like I should do chrome, right?

Mixing metals is the most stressful decision for me during this renovation. I just don’t know enough about design. My kitchen has stainless appliances and faucet and brass pendants and cabinet hardware. My little girl’s bathroom has nickel faucets and gold hardware and sconces. So my question number 1 is can I use nickel with a little black in my bathroom on the separate side of the house? Question number 2. Should interior door knobs be brushed nickel? My contractor made that assumption and ordered them. Will that look right or should I change it?

I have a nickel brass railroad spike it’s unique looking and it’s made in a sand mold

1400 sqft beach condo. Brushed gold on all faucets, some minor brushed stainless trims and all kitchen appliances. What would you say to using oil rubbed bronze on all door handles - it is already used on the frames of sliding glass doors that cover the entire focal wall view to ocean.

Thank you so much for your professional designing insights. I love mixing metals in my decor, but am having trouble harmonizing them to achieve balance. Can brass and gilt bronze fall under one color tone just like silver and chrome?

Love your channel. I have a new home with brushed nickel drawer pulls, door knobs and lighting. Faucets are chrome so not the optimal contrast. How can I improve this look in my large main bath?

I have a lot of antique brass pieces. Should I display them all in one particular room or where is the best place to put them?

I love your hair!!! your taste too!!

This was such a huge help! I'm picking out hardware for my new home which has 3 kitchens. Matte black is the finish for my primary kitchen and primary bath fixtures. However, I'm considering introducing champagne or satin brass as the contrast metal in hardware. Our appliances are all stainless. The primary kitchen island is charcoal gray with an 11' mont blanc quartzite slab; and the lower kitchen counters are a light maple, whereas the uppers are a parchment white (not bright white). Would it be best to use the same champagne or satin brass throughout the primary kitchen? The 4 warehouse pendant lights over the island are matte black, jute, and cream glass. (We live on the ocean in Washington State.) The other 2 kitchens have dark blue lowers with the parchment white uppers; these kitchens have brushed nickel faucets. As an aside, the charcoal colored cabinets are also found in the open concept space next to the fireplace and in the AV room as floating cabinets. The amount of hardware throughout has become overwhelming. Thank you for your input and expertise.

This makes me feel better, I used gold, bronze and
Silver with my decor. I found some really pretty silver vases and paired it with a bronze mirror and was worried I made a mistake 😅

Julie, what are your thoughts on mixed metals in a large (16x9) walk-in closet? I'm turning a spare bedroom into a closet. The doorknob is brushed nickel (and has been for years). The clothing rod will be chrome. That leaves the drawer pulls and full length mirror. I love a black accent and I've come to appreciate bronze.

Great ideas but I wish you would show some Normal homes not just big expensive ones.

some designs just look like someone mixed their drogas (not Julies!)

So I’m still not finding my answer. Mixing metals in your home- how many finishes should you have? How do you mix to look cohesive throughout the entire home? I’m guessing one main finish throughout the house with one to two mixed with it in each space. Not sure why it’s so hard to find this answer. If it was in the video- I missed it.

Amazing clear video with great examples. I needed to see this.

Can you do matte black ceiling light, matte black kitchen handles/pulls, chrome sing and faucet, and brass legs for stool? 😅 I wanna bring brass in or copper but I'm struggling