To mix or not to mix, that is the question.

I’ve always loved the look of mixed metals. I love mixing metals when I am wearing jewelry, and I love mixing metals when designing a room. The combination of a brass light fixture with stainless appliances in a kitchen gets me every time. A lot of people are nervous about mixing metals but we follow some simple guidelines that have helped us master this design concept and it results in rooms that feel bold, eclectic and unfussy.

The first guideline we follow is to limit the amount of rooms where you mix your metals. Using the same finish for your hardware, light fixtures and accents feels streamlined and clean. The contrast between rooms that are consistent in metal choice and the ones that mix metals creates an edgy vibe, without it feeling haphazard.

The second guideline we follow is to use both multiple times. In our den remodel, we used silver hardware for the draperies, a silver floor lamp and silver accents in the bookshelf while the mirror is accented with brass, the table has both brass and silver, and the lamp is brass. By using each finish multiple times in the room, the mix feels intentional instead of feeling like a mistake. We also mixed metals when we chose alternating silver and gold tones for the bookshelves. The grays/silvers have a soothing effect on the brightness of the gold.

The last guideline is: don’t overthink it! Mixing metals is a bold choice…it is much easier to stick with the same finish throughout. So, if you are bold enough to give it a shot then don’t over-analyze each piece or placement too much (are the 2 brass pieces too close together? Should a silver piece be in between?) Have fun with making the room your own unique, edgy, eclectic space.