Choosing the right finishes for your kitchen or bathroom cabinets can be the difference between a so-so update and a Wow! make over. If you choose to match your new finish to existing finishes, your look will be sophisticated and polished or you can create a lot of contrast by choosing unique or bright finishes.
When choosing new your hardware finish there are several things you want to keep in mind:
The style of the finish
Whether the finish achieves the look you are striving for
If the finish changes over time
This may seem like a lot of factors to consider and weigh when choosing your hardware pieces, but the expert design professionals at Premium Hardware can help you choose the right finish that matches the design you’re working towards. It may help to browse some of the finishes below to get a basic idea of what you may like, then stop into our showroom or schedule a consultation and see the finishes in person!
Popular Home Hardware Finishes
Brass
Pros: This finish matches a wide variety of styles and isn’t quite as bold as polished brass. Antique Brass is a great choice due to its durability making it perfect for high traffic areas of the home and busy families.
Style: This finish is versatile and can convey a look that matches various styles and tastes. It works best in a less contemporary design due to its antique look.
Design: Brass matches best with light color cabinets creating a great contrast as cabinets too close in color will blend in. There are a wide range of brass finishes to choose from, from a bright polish or matte finish to antique or burnished finish styles.
Some people like that an unlacquered finish changes over time, so it’s not always a downside. The antique look is somewhat dated as people are more interested in the many other colors that brass has to offer. Brass paired with gray cabinets is very much in style right now.
Polished Chrome
Pros: Polished Chrome has a shiny finish that can help brighten up your kitchen. Matching chrome hardware to chrome fixtures such as faucets or lighting pieces can create a uniform polished look.
Style: Chrome tends to be a more modern look, but it can match any style and variety of surfaces.
Design: Chrome looks best in modern contemporary design schemes. Polished chrome has a colder, blue hue where polished nickel is a warmer, yellow hue.
Polished Nickel
Pros: Polished Nickel is very durable and doesn’t change or rust over time. This finish is family friendly.
Style: Polished Nickel looks great against darker colors and gives off a homey vibe due to its warm tone.
Design: Have no fear! Polished Nickel goes with everything. Higher quality base metals will produce a more lustrous finish and reduce the amount of natural defects visible in the metal. Lower quality nickel and chrome don’t produce a great final product when applied with a finish.
Bronze
Pros: Bronze creates a bold look and is constructed out of strong materials which make it durable.
Style: It has a natural look to it and looks great as an accent color. Can be a bold look on white cabinets or a muted look on dark cabinets.
Design: Bronze works great rustic/ farmhouse style designs as well as traditional themes. Can compliment modern or traditional styles. Often looks good when mixing finishes among fixtures and plumbing.
Higher quality hardware is often made of pewter because you can get really detailed lines out of the material which looks great with finishes. Of course, any of these finishes can be applied to any material, it just depends on the look and feel you’re going for in your space.
Before finalizing your hardware finish, come into Premium Hardware and compare finishes to create the perfect look for your home. Contact us to set up a consultation and schedule a tour of our 2,800 square foot hardware showroom featuring all your favorite brands on display for you to browse and compare. See you soon!
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