Mix & Match Metals- Selecting Kitchen Fixtures

I appreciate the art of Mix & Match. Interesting rooms incorporate various colors, textures, materials and styles. Art work, furniture pieces, throw pillows, upholstery fabric and rug designs can be combined to create depth and interest to a space. Instagram is filled with design ideas that have most people wondering “How did they think to put that together?” I take particular notice of posts by local designers ex/ @schnabelcashman and @matthewcarterinteriors. Love local designers who are talented on many levels with a sophisticated sense of visual aesthetics. Ever walk into Scout Antique & Modern on Liberty Road? Those folks combine the most eclectic pieces from different eras creating a look that is both unique and interesting. Their selections appear intentional, not a complete hodgepodge of unrelated items.

Remodeling a kitchen and picking out hardware, fixtures and lighting requires some professional finesse as well. In today’s world, remodeling clients have more metal choices than ever to consider. What used to be a fairly direct choice of Silver, Gold, Brass or Iron now includes everything in between. Options now include metals that are Brushed, Oil Rubbed, Distressed, Lightly Distressed, Matte, Polished, Antiqued or Satin. Each metal has a myriad of characteristics. There is German Bronze, Honey Bronze, Light Bronze, Mahogany Bronze, Medium Bronze, Old English Copper, Pewter, Black Iron…Wait, everything doesn’t have to match? How in the world does one know how to combine all the finishes to create the perfect look? Does the light fixture have to be the same finish as the faucet? Do the pull and knobs on the cabinetry have to match the faucet? If you have a stainless sink and refrigerator do your fixtures all have to be silver? What guidelines do you follow for selecting hardware if you have a custom copper hood? What about old door knobs and hinges- do they have to be replaced?

We answer questions like the above daily at AKB. Our answers are based on the combined details of a project. Sometimes it makes sense to keep everything in the same family… and sometimes, mixing metals can be an effective way to make a room interesting. Creating that perfect look that personalizes your space is what we do best.