Using mixed metals in your bathroom’s design can be a fantastic way to add a touch of elegance and a sense of visual interest to your space. This increasingly popular design trend offers many benefits, functionally and aesthetically.
How can you best use mixed metals? Why should you consider this design trend? In this blog, we’ll introduce you to everything you need to know about combining different metals to great stylistic effect.
Mixing Metals – What is it exactly?
Mixing metals in interior design refers to the use of different metallic finishes in an intentional blending stylistically. While, in the past, conventional use of metal finishes is to hero a single type of metal, nowadays it is becoming more and more common to actually use two contrasting and yet complementary metals to achieve a desired look and feel.
Why consider mixing metals in your bathroom?
This stylistic technique creates a visual depth and balance in a room, such as a bathroom, and when done with consideration and deftness can be aesthetically captivating.
If you’re a fan of the metallic look in general, you may find that only incorporating a single type of finish doesn’t give you the depth and sophistication you’re after. Mixing metals allows you to utilise the contrast in materials to add texture to the space without compromising the overall metallic aesthetic.
What metals are commonly used in bathrooms?
There really is a wide range of metallic finishes that look and function amazingly in a bathroom. Some of the more common options, however, include:
- Brass
- Copper
- Silver
- Gold
- Stainless steel
- Black metals
Of course, each of these metals will bring its own unique look and functionality to the table. At the end of the day, you will need to consider what sort of style you’re looking to achieve with your interior design and choose the metal finish that will best enhance that chosen aesthetic.
Mixed Metals in Bathrooms
The bathroom is one room of the house that is often relegated to just its ‘function’. But the truth is that the humble bathroom offers a lot of scope and opportunity to infuse style, visual flair and personality. The well appointed and designed bathroom can be elevated to your own personal hideaway and, considering the fact bathrooms are used every day, bring joy to your life on a regular basis.
So, how should you go about mixing metals in your bathroom? Firstly, you need to consider the durability of any metal you’re considering. Being located in the bathroom, any finish or material you choose needs to have the required resistance to moisture as well as general hardiness to stand the test of time when it comes to wear and tear.
Secondly, you’ll likely want to achieve a more sleek and/or modern aesthetic if you’re considering mixed metals. To do this, try to mix metals that complement each other colour wise and stylistically. One bold colour, such as gold or black, mixed with a more neutrally-toned colour is the key here. While contrasting metal finishes will certainly add depth and complexity to your space, the last thing you want to be doing is overwhelming the bathroom with an overload of visual stimuli.
Lastly, consider the ongoing maintenance required by any metal you’re thinking of using. Corrosion and even fingerprint marks are common problems interior designers face when choosing lower quality metals. Fortunately, by choosing high quality metal finishes, and armed with some simple, basic maintenance habits, you can mitigate these issues pretty successfully.
Benefits of Mixed Metals in the Bathroom
The Look
As we’ve mentioned above, mixed metals can really elevate the visual style of a bathroom. Whether you love the slightly industrial look of copper or the glamour of gold, metal finishes bring a sleek, sophisticated and visually appealing aesthetic to the room.
The Practicality
High-quality metal finishes offer equally high durability, temperature and moisture resistance. For obvious reasons, this can be invaluable in a bathroom setting. Remember, bathrooms are also exposed to a lot of humidity, so choosing a hygienic and easy-to-clean material such as metal can be a life-saver. Metals are also hardy, which is important for everyday traffic and activity.
The Flexibility
Mixed metals offer a ton of flexibility in application. You can incorporate large, reflective services of polished brass or simply infuse a touch of elegance with stainless steel fixtures, faucets, showerheads and towel bars. The degree and manner in which you use mixed metals in the bathroom is really up to you.
The Longevity
We’ve touched on the hardy, practical nature of metals already, so we won’t repeat ourselves. But there’s another aspect to mixed metals’ longevity that’s important to consider: It won’t be outdated stylistically! Using metals in a considerate way in your bathroom can help you achieve wonders in interior design and won’t leave your bathroom feeling outdated in just a few years.
Tips for Mixing Metals in the Bathroom
Choose a Dominant Finish
Start your design work by selecting one dominant metal as the focal point and main material. From there, you can establish an overall style and choose a complementary metal that will enhance the aesthetic.
Think About the Undertone
Mixing metals adds a dimension visually to your space, but you need to consider the subtle undertones when contrasting and incorporating different metals. To achieve that harmonious combination you’ll want the metallic undertone to balance and unify the dominant metal.
Focus on Elements
Using metal in a bathroom should be a strategic undertaking. Think about all the different areas where you could potentially incorporate mixed metals and then consider which ones will look the best. For example, you may choose to focus on accents and faucets. Sometimes, less is actually more.
Here’s a quick list to run through in your deliberation:
- Faucets
- Showerheads
- Shower door handles
- Cabinet hardware
- Towel bars
- Mirrors
- Vanity fixtures
- Toilet paper holders
- Lighting fixtures
Play with Proportions
It’s not just the finishes, visual colours and style of mixed metals that can offer versatility and depth to your bathroom. Think about how you can play with proportions as well. Using the dominant metal in focal points of the bathroom, with your secondary metal ‘just’ in accessories, can help you achieve a really balanced and impressive interior design style.
Synergise Mixed Metals in the Bathroom with Natural Stone!
The team here at Euro Marble knows all about mixing metals in the bathroom, and we love nothing more than matching a metallic style with complementary natural stone materials. From marble to granite, the organic textures of stone can provide a unique backdrop for the mixed metallic finishes, especially in a bathroom.
If you’d like to find out more about how stone can elevate your chosen mixed metals aesthetic, or you just need a little more inspiration and guidance about how to mix metals in your bathroom, make sure to reach out to our team today. We’re always here to help at Euro Marble!
