Thursday, March 28, 2013

Mixing metals! Taboo, or To Do?

Progress on the master bath has slowed momentarily due to some unexpected plumbing hiccups.  Studs and I were hesitant to try and resolve them oursleves, as it requires rerouting pipes and vents and such.  The last thing we would want is to improperly ventilate the space or have some unsuspecting leak spring up after we've finished the job only to have to tear everything out again.  So, while we wait for the plumber to come do things the proper way, I've moved on to figuring out the small things like mirrors, hardware and lighting...which brings up the reason for this post.  How do you feel about mixing metals/finishes?  Is it a decorating faux pas or no a big deal?

After narrowing down a few options for lighting in the master bathroom and showing them to Studly, he posed the question, "is it okay to mix bronze and silver finishes?"  The sink faucets we chose are brushed nickel

 the bathtub hardware is polished silver {it came free with the tub, which saved us $400}

 and most of the lights I chose are oil rubbed bronze.  So, now I pose this question to you...is it okay for me to mix all of these different finishes or should I stick to one {maybe two} metal finishes for cohesivness?  Part of me thinks that mixing all of the metals might be distracting, but then another part of me says to just do what I like.  It sort of defeats the whole point if I have to settle on a light with the "right" finish rather than choosing the light I like the best.

In case you are wondering, here are the lights we are deciding between.

SCHOOLHOUSE PENDANT from BARNLIGHTELECTRIC.COM

THRESHOLD CAGED PENDANT from TARGET.COM
{have I menitoned how much I love the new Threshold line from Target...I could dedicate an entire post about it....maybe I will}

TIFFANY STYLE PENDANT from OVERSTOCK.COM

GLOBE PENDANT from WEST ELM.COM
{it's not something you'd probably see in a bathroom, but that makes me like it even more}

MERCURY PENDANT from WESTELM.COM


This next light didn't make the cut for the master bath because it's a little too large {17 inches tall}, but I think it's so cool that I might have to find somewhere else in the house to put it.  It's one light, but is bendable and can morph into three different shapes depending on your mood.

FOLDING WIRE PENDANT from BARNLIGHTELECTRIC.COM


SO COOL!

Well peeps, there you have it.  If you have an opinion on the matter, feel free to comment and chime in.    Seriously, you may save a marriage.  If Studly hears me ask him "what about this one" one more time he may slip out during the night and never come back.








6 comments:

  1. Gosh, on the metal finishes....I'd be more inclined to match the faucets but not care about the light, if the light is the same genre (retro, modern, classic, etc.) BUT, your faucets are so similar that I'd probably never notice they were different finishes unless it was pointed out. But for the lighting I don't ever think that needs to match finish-wise. I think that globe is fantastic, btw!! That minimal, clean look is so calming in the bath, I think!! :) Actually all of your choices would look so good, but I say go for the one you love!! We

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    1. Thanks for your input. I think going with the light Iike most is the best choice. I'm glad you agree. Btw, I really love that orb light too.

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  2. Love all the light choices - check out this blog post I recently found on mixing finishes in the bathroom - I say mix away!!! :) Good luck!

    http://whiteandgolddesign.blogspot.com/2013/03/how-to-mix-metals-bathroom.html

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  3. Thanks Jill. I'm heading over to check out the link you left right now.

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  4. I mixed oil rubbed bronze, black and some very subtle hints of copper and gold in my bathroom. Like mixed woods, I think it can be done tastefully. (I've mixed birch, teak and walnut throughout my house too.)

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    1. You make a very good point. A blend of different woods is way more interesting than just one variety. I imagine it is the same idea with metals/finishes. Maybe I should just stop thinking about it so much and just go with my gut.

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