Two or three decades ago, a kitchen design would only consist of one color consistently throughout all of the cabinets and drawers, then a countertop color that would blend in with the cabinet color, then it would be finished off with a neutral shade of black white or beige for the appliances.
Designers then became bolder and more confident in their style choices by adding finishes like stainless steel to the appliances or a chrome or nickel finish to the drawer pulls. Essentially, uniformity and blending was the key to kitchen designs in years past. Now, the boldness of interior designers to step out of the box is even stronger, which is evident in mixing more than one type of metal for a kitchen design. This trend of mixing metals in a kitchen design has grown in popularity over recent years.
The most popular metals in kitchen design are combinations of brass with stainless steel, black, and white. Ultimately, this design creates a modern, sophisticated look that complements various other design styles. This trend has gained popularity in recent years and may be here to stay for many years. Let’s explore the details of a kitchen design where unlikely metals are mixed or combined in one space.
An Unlikely Pair
So, mixing metals in a kitchen design may cause your grandmother's and your mother's generation to gasp when they see a stainless-steel appliance combined with a white pendant light and breasts cabinet handles. After all, this is the first time they've seen this type of design, and they may have never thought that this combination of metals would be aesthetically pleasing.
Their choice of design was for elegance, having kitchen designs that were functional and stylish for their time. And also consistency in color, fixture, and type. But who says that you can't combine different styles of metals in their kitchen design? After all, design is all about being willing to create something new from what you thought could not be created or combined. And that means taking a risk.
When metals like copper and stainless steel or a bronze finish with black are mixed in a large living space like a kitchen, or great room, the design blends interestingly well. The mixture of these metals adds visual interest to your kitchen space. There are several ways to incorporate this trend into your kitchen design.
Take a risk in your home decorating and create something unique and beautiful. Whether you're updating your kitchen or building a new one, you should certainly go with this trend of incorporating brass elements with stainless steel, black, and white for a unique look. When you step back and look around at the entirety of your design, from range hoods to faucets, to hardware, to light fixtures, you’ll be pleased with yourself and enamored with the overall picture of your sophisticated kitchen.
You won’t be disappointed in the result, and you will most likely get plenty of compliments on your combination of mixing brass fixtures and lighting with stainless steel appliances and black or white cabinets.
Top Tips For Mixing Metals in Kitchen Design
As discussed above, there are many ways in which you can experiment with mixing different metals in kitchen design. While there are no hard and fast rules you have to follow (it is your kitchen, after all), there are certain ways in which you can ensure you carry out this task successfully!
For example, you should:
- Choose a color scheme.
- Think about your theme.
- Create a sense of contrast.
- Think about maintenance.
- Understand your budget.
Choose a color scheme.
Choosing a color scheme is a great way to get started when it comes to mixing metals in kitchen design. After all, this will help you to ensure that the different metals still work together to create a complementary, polished aesthetic - as opposed to looking like a random selection of appliances and kitchen fixtures.
When choosing a color scheme, think carefully about the kind of atmosphere you want to create within your kitchen and choose colors that correspond to this. For example, many studies have found that copper shads often elicit a positive emotional response, with many people finding it to be a “comforting” or “homely” color. As such, introducing copper features into your kitchen can be a great way to create a kitchen space that feels warm and inviting.
Alternatively, darker shades, such as black metals, can create a space that feels a little more sleek and sophisticated, and with the right lighting, will not feel oppressive or overwhelming - especially if you feature contrasting shades of white and other pale colors in addition to these darker metals, which will also help when it comes to adding new depths to your space.
Think about your ‘theme.’
When it comes to interior design, choosing a theme for each room can also come in handy during the renovation process, as it helps make decisions on what products to purchase that much easier. As such, choosing a theme for your kitchen can, by extension, help you to decide which metal materials you’d like to feature within the space.
For example, if you want to stick to modern, contemporary theming, then you may want to pay attention to which metal products are currently trending. Right now, chrome and nickel-based products appear to be particularly en-vogue, which is comforting as they also have a certain timeless quality, which means you aren’t falling victim to a micro-trend when introducing them into your space.
Create a sense of contrast.
While cohesivity is often encouraged when designing any space within the home, sometimes contrasting colors or materials can help you to create an eye-catching, dynamic space. As such, don’t be afraid to disregard more traditional color-matching rules, if only in the name of experimenting. For example, pairing dark colors with lighter shades is a great way to add new layers to your kitchen.
Think about maintenance.
When choosing new fixtures for your kitchen (or any space within your home), it's also important that you determine how much maintenance they require to stay in good working order. After all, as different metals have different qualities, some require more care than others in order to continue to shine.
For example, brass is an incredibly durable metal and as a result, it requires very little in the way of maintenance and care. Furthermore, it's very easy to maintain, as it can simply be cleaned using warm soapy water, which means you do not necessarily have to buy specialist cleaning products.
Your budget.
Your budget is almost important when it comes to mixing metals in the kitchen, as some products may be more expensive than others. As such, you should have an indication of how much you are willing to spend on kitchen renovations before you start shopping - as this will stop you from overspending while also encouraging you to be a little more conscious of your spending habits. Of course, you can also shop around with different providers in order to ensure that you are getting the best possible deal.
Again, it's important to consider the durability of the metals you choose to feature within your home here. After all, while some products may be more expensive than others, they may also be much more durable. This means that you will not need to replace them in a hurry, meaning you’re getting good value for money.
Sources:
- "The Brass Trend: 2023 Interior Design Trends", Design Build Ideas, https://www.designbuildideas.eu/the-brass-trend-2023-interior-design-trends/
- "The Dos and Don'ts of Mixing Metals,” Architectural Digest, https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/the-dos-and-donts-of-mixing-metals
- "Top Kitchen Trends for 2023", Kitchen & Bath Design News, https://www.kitchenbathdesign.com/top-kitchen-trends-for-2023/
- "Design Trends for 2023", House Beautiful, https://www.housebeautiful.com/design-inspiration/a35076687/design-trends-2023/
- "The Best of Both Worlds: Mixing Metals in the Kitchen,” Martha Stewart, https://www.marthastewart.com/7886346/mixing-metals-kitchen-design-trend