Comments on: Email Answer: Mixed Metals?

By: YoungHouseLove

YoungHouseLove — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 03:11:20 +0000

Layer layer layer and it’ll look great! Just remember to bring in a few items in each finish (accessories, frames, etc) so it looks intentional and lovely. Good luck!

By: TiffanyM

TiffanyM — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 03:09:37 +0000

I love oil rubbed bronze fixtures. We have updated all the switch plates and door knobs in our 1960s ranch home. Now working on a bathroom renovation with carrara marble and subway tile and love the look of chrome with it. Having new vanities made up in dark stain, so hoping the rubbed bronze faucets look good, everything i see shows chrome, i am going to try something new, hope it works. It will all match because it is a small space an reusing restoration hardware cabinet hardware on new vanities. I just wish I could find a picture of something similar, I would feel better, what ya think?

By: YoungHouseLove

YoungHouseLove — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 17:22:57 +0000

Absolutely! It’ll look great!

xo,
s

By: Cheryl Hannon

Cheryl Hannon — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 17:20:07 +0000

If the shutters on the house will be black and the caming on the glass of the front door will be black, can I still do oil rubbed bronze light fixtures, house numbers and mailbox? the front door handle is already oil rubbed bronze. Can black and oil rubbed bronze co-exist peacefully side by side? Thanks!

By: YoungHouseLove

YoungHouseLove — Mon, 03 May 2010 12:27:12 +0000

You might be able to buy some sort of “etching cream” to give you that brushed look over chrome (sandpaper would be very hard to get an even finish so we would avoid it). Just visit your local home improvement store and ask what they recommend. You also might want to try overstock.com when searching for the basin stand (they have amazing deals that seem to be available in every finish). Good luck!

xo,
s

By: kathleen dodds

kathleen dodds — Mon, 03 May 2010 10:38:32 +0000

Can anyone help me? I have brushed chrome/silver/nickel (don’t know which but they look lovely) on all the taps etc in the bathroom. I want to put in a metal basin stand but can only afford the shiny chrome one. What if I take sandpaper to it – will that scratch off the shine? I’m nervous to spray paint as the idea would be to store a towel on it so I’m afraid the paint might come off on the white towels. Any advice very gratefully accepted!

By: YoungHouseLove

YoungHouseLove — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 17:43:12 +0000

We’d say go for the brushed nickel fixture! Since you have more of it in the room it’ll look intentional, and then since all of the ORB is on one side you can bring ORB accessories into the brushed nickel side and vice versa with accessories (think a large brushed nickel peppermill and a large ORB bowl or frame) to further integrate everything so it’s layered and lovely. Hope it helps!

xo,
s

By: Leigh-Anne

Leigh-Anne — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 17:32:41 +0000

Like you, I love to mix metals. However, I am struggling to make it look intentional. You see, I have an ORB chandelier over the table in our eat-in kitchen, all the door knobs are ORB, but the faucet and cabinet hardware are brushed nickel. I can’t find an ORB fixture for the kitchen area in the style I like so I’m feeling compelled to get something in brushed nickle. But then, all the brushed nickle will be on one side of our eat-in kitchen while the ORB will be on the opposite. Our space is set up similar to Carla’s kitchen (posted in your portfolio). Any ideas? Looking forward to following you in 2010! Happy New Years.

By: threadbndr

threadbndr — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 03:33:04 +0000

I’m with Abby – old Craftsman bungalow = oil rubbed bronze except in the bath and kitchen, where I have chrome. I’m planning to switch out all the switch plates to metal ones soon. My doorknobs are all ORB except the one on the inside of the bath – which is old (read very heavy) chrome over steel. I think I’ll have to have that one replated – the local motorcyle shop has a craftsperson that does that on old bike parts, so I need to see what it will cost me.

You know what it totally weird about my house? Half the plugs and switches are brown and half are white. I honestly think the former owners picked up whatever was on sale – I’m just peeved that they got rid of the pushbutton switches. The new reproduction ones are pricy!!

By: Lindsay

Lindsay — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 17:09:46 +0000

I’m all about mixing metals… in fact, I’m probably not as careful as I should be. I think most everything in our place is brushed nickel, but some of the original door knobs are brass and I like the mix. On a somewhat related note, I just painted our dining room a silver-gray (Ben Moore’s Silver Fox) and it looks amazing with our gold-toned linen curtains. Not metal, per se, but mixed metal colors.