Mixing Metals In Bathroom: All You Need To Know to Pull It Off

What does mixing metals in the bathroom mean?

Mixing metals in the bathroom simply means mixing two different metal finishes throughout your space, instead of sticking to a single finish. Such as using black with gold, oil-rubbed bronze with copper, etc.

This can be achieved with truly any metal you have in your bathroom.

What metal finishes can you mix together in a bathroom?

One of the most important things to remember is to group your metal finishes by dark and light-colored metals.

You’ll want to mix one dark finish with one light finish. And if you’re wondering about black, it can be mixed with just about any other metal finish and still look good! That’s why I highly recommend picking matte black as one of your two finishes when going for the mixed metal look in your bathroom.

What metal colors should not be mixed together?

Don’t mix together any metal finishes that are too similar in color. So don’t mix brass with brushed gold (since they both have gold undertones), or brushed nickel with chrome (since they both have silver undertones).

Okay, that’s a lot to think about! Where do I start?

Always start with your focal point: the vanity area!

The vanity area consists of the faucet, light fixture, and mirror. Once you have your two finishes picked out, you can start mixing those metals.

For example, you could have a matching gold light fixture and faucet, but mix in your secondary finish with a black metal framed mirror. By using your mirror as the second finish, it can act as a separator between the two gold pieces. This is exactly what I did in my bathroom (see the image above) and it turned out great!

Between your faucet, light fixture, and mirror, this vanity area will be what you base the rest of your bathroom on. Essentially these 3 are your anchor and where you should be mixing metals first.

If you don’t start with mixing metals in the vanity area first but instead throw in a random metal color elsewhere in the room, it’s going to look less purposeful and might look out of place!

RELATED POST: 17 Amazon Bathroom Vanity Mirrors You Will Obsess Over!

How to choose which of your two finishes to carry throughout the bathroom?

So you have your two finishes picked out in your vanity area, but what color do you make all the other metals in the room? Which of the two finishes do you make your toilet paper holder? Your shower curtain rod? Your other light fixtures?

Primary Finish

Typically you’ll want to pick a main, or primary, finish between the two you chose at the vanity. This will be the finish that you will carry throughout the rest of the room.

So think about other bathroom accessories. If you decide you want your primary finish to be black, then that’s the color your toilet lever, trash can, towel bars, and almost all other bathroom accessories should be.

Secondary Finish

You can use your secondary finish throughout the rest of the bathroom, but be sure to use it more sparingly and subtly than your primary finish. You almost want it to blend in and not be something that’s going to be catching everyone’s attention.

I think a good example of this is my organic modern bathroom. My primary finish is black, but this shelving unit hung over my toilet has gold bars on it. It’s very subtle compared to the rest of the bathroom, especially since the walls are light.

Technically you’ll want to use each finish at least twice to consider it mixing metals.

So back to the organic modern bathroom example, gold was my secondary finish and I only used it on my light fixtures and shelving unit. All other metals in the bathroom are my primary finish: black.

Wall Color

Something else to consider when deciding which finish you use for your primary and secondary finish is the wall color. Let’s talk about the two finishes you chose and how they play into the wall color.

If your bathroom is painted a moody or dark color (dark green, dark blue, etc.) then you’ll want to use the lighter metal finish you chose as your primary finish. In this scenario, matte black will really get lost. Butttt if you accented a dark bathroom with gold accents…now we’re shining bright light like a diamond!

If your bathroom is any neutral color such as creamy white or grey, you’ll want to use the dark metal finish you chose. The dark finishes will ground the light bathroom and will help accent your walls.

Following these guidelines will truly accent and highlight the mixed metals in your bathroom, which is one of the beauties of mixing metals!

Similar light fixtures

Another question is, which finish do I use on other light fixtures in the bathroom?

It’s simple! Whatever finish you chose for your vanity light, then match your other lighting fixtures throughout your bathroom to the same finish. This will create a nice, cohesive look throughout your bathroom and look intentional.

And that’s huge because one of the most important takeaways from this post is that you want your choices to look intentional!

How many metals can you mix in a bathroom?

Simple answer: two!

More than two finishes mixed together will begin to look a little chaotic. Your bathroom will start to look off-balanced. So stick to two metal colors when mixing metals in the bathroom – two is the magic number here!

Does vanity color matter when mixing metals in the bathroom?

Yes, it does!

If you have a vanity that has a light and airy feel to it, dark colors like matte black are going to look stunning when compared to a lighter color like nickel.

But on the flip side of this, a dark vanity will look best with light colors like brass and nickel.

What color should my cabinet pulls be?

For a more consistent look, you’ll most likely want to stick to the same color finish for your cabinet pulls as you have for the faucet. And speaking of consistency, wherever else you have pulls in your bathroom, match them with your vanity pulls.

However, just like everything, it is totally up to you!

What finishes are out of style?

Luckily for you, there really isn’t a single finish that is out of style.

With that being said, when you think about trends (what’s here for a good time, not a long time) vs. what is classic, there are a few better options to choose from than others.

For example, oil-rubbed bronze was very popular at a point in time. But now it is one of the least popular bathroom finishes.

Gold/aged brass is always a classic to use in your bathroom. This finish doesn’t seem to age poorly. It trended once, and it’s doing it again!

I might be biased since a lot of my home is accented with gold finishes throughout including chandeliers, light fixtures, hardware, etc. But it’s true that gold does add that touch of elegance and luxury.

Black is classic and here to stay. It’s one of the safest choices when choosing bathroom finishes because it goes with just about everything. Plus, it’s neutral enough that when done right, it can stay in style for a long time.

A finish that had a good run, but is also becoming decreasingly popular is chrome. Chrome can also be elegant when used the right way. But a lot of builder-grade homes that were built in the early 2000s adopted this color as their go-to, and in large quantities, it can look a little cheap – especially when it’s in every corner of your house. And yes I’m talking from personal experience. 🙂

A good alternative to chrome is a brushed nickel, or stainless steel if you want to give the same vibe but do it in a modern way!

Bathroom Fixture and Hardware Inspo

You know I couldn’t leave you without some beautiful fixtures and hardware to choose from!

Here are several collections of hand-selected fixtures and hardware that I absolutely adore and would buy for my own house. If only I had enough sinks and bathrooms, I’d buy them all!

If you are looking for luxury pieces for mixing metals in the bathroom, and what I have in most of my bathrooms, I highly recommend Signature Hardware. For a cheaper option that still makes your bathroom look stunning, there are some really incredible options on Amazon.

Mixing Metals In Bathroom with Faucets

You can’t mix metals in a bathroom without starting with the main attraction: the faucet. These options below are the perfect place to start when selecting your hardware.

Mixing Metals In Bathroom with Light Fixtures

The most exciting metal accessory to pick out is the bathroom vanity lights. They bring so much warmth and character to your space! You can’t go wrong with any of these.

RELATED POST: 23 Inexpensive Vanity Lights That Make a Serious Statement

Mixing Metals in Bathroom with Sconces

Similar to the bathroom vanity light fixtures, you may also want some sconces to lighten up the room. And these options are some of the most adorable!

Mixing Metals in Bathroom with Cabinet Hardware

Cabinet hardware is one of the best times to show your personality in your bathroom! Go for something unique that will get your guests talking.

RELATED POST: 28 Best Cabinet Knobs and Handles on Amazon That Will Immediately Elevate Your Cabinets

Mixing Metals in Bathroom with Mirrors

These bathroom mirrors are perfect for when you are mixing metals in your bathroom. If you like these and want to see even more options, check out this post – 17 Amazon Bathroom Vanity Mirrors You Will Obsess Over!

Mixing Metals in Bathroom with Bathroom Accessories

Now for the finishing touches, the bathroom accessories. You don’t want to forget about all the other places you might have metals in your bathroom like the towel bar, towel hooks, toilet paper holders, shelving units, and trash cans!

Mixing metals in the bathroom is not as scary as it seems! I hope this post gave you all of the confidence to get that design-worthy bathroom by answering the question “Can you mix metals in a bathroom”? By now you should know the answer is ABSOLUTELY YES!

Remember, let your personality play into your decisions. You’re now that much closer to having the bathroom that all of your friends are talking about. 🙂