Silver, gold, brass and iron are great metals to choose for your hardware, furnishings, mirrors and décor but wait… its now trending to blend them in one room? You heard that right! Incorporating a mix of metals within your homely space is a great strategy for adding visual interest and depth and differs from the clean lines of Scandi style.

The 1980’s idea of it being taboo to mix your metals is a thing of the past! We’re at a place in time where gold and silver CAN be friends, maybe even best friends! And this works for your interior features as well as adorning your jewellery. Interior styling is subjective, but we’ve got a method to the madness of mixing your metals to ensure that your room conveys thought provoked design.

Mixing metals favours the more eclectic style, using an array of hues, textures and finishes to create a desirable interior space that can even provide aesthetic thermal comfort! It may seem intimidating, as if you’re breaking the rules of interior styling, but consider this an opportunity to get creative and enjoy the character of a mixed metal room.

The use of one dominant metal and a few accent metals is our recommended formula to obtaining style, sophistication and depth. The ideal measurements of texture and finish will grant you with the visual interest and depth that you desire. So here it is, the method you’ve been waiting for.... but before you start purchasing your items, it’s important to recognise that metals vary in hue and texture and the first thing you need to consider are the different tones available.

• Neutral metals – cast iron and other black metals
• Cool metals – aluminium, stainless steel and other silver metals
• Warm metals – brass, copper and gold

Certain colours pair seamlessly with each other. For example, warm rooms decorated in brown, red or yellow are complemented by metals like brass, copper and gold and cooler rooms decorated in blues, greens and violet pair with cool metals, such as chrome and silver. Neutral metals can be mixed with both warm and cool hues. An interior with a neutral palette, such as white walls with simple neutral colour shades, offers somewhat of a blank canvas to get creative!

Choose One Main Metal

This choice might be your favourite primary metal and will appear most prominent within your interior. Black kitchen cabinets radiate sophistication and by choosing a matte black, we’re sure it will add to the sleek effect. Incorporate a matte black metal mirror to add to the prominence of the matte black hue then add accent metals to allow the eye to swiftly pan to the other metals.

Choose 1 or 2 Accent metals

Matte black finishes offer a neutral tone and can be mixed with either warm or cool toned metals. A matte black kitchen will look fantastic with copper cup handles and accents of either copper, brass or gold incorporated in light fixtures, taps and in copper table and chair legs. The glow of the copper, brass or gold will add an immediate warmth to the kitchen, emphasising an aesthetic thermal comfort. The warm hues of the metal accompanied by the dominant matte black finishes will add sophistication and luxury.

Blend Finishes and Textures

Define your space by varying the finishes of your metal. Cabinet handles and door handles are an easy place to start and offer a contemporary touch for a stunning design. Adding even more texture to a room will elevate the experience of visual weight within your home. Additional touches may include larger furnishings like textured rugs with the metal hue in the fabric, textured wall tiles for the kitchen or bathroom or patterned and textured cushions for comfort. The distance and placement of metal and fabric textures determines the subtlety and assertiveness of the visual weight. Placing smooth and rough textures together will strengthen the rough texture and draw the eye towards it.

Let’s leave the rules of the 1980s in the past. Keita Turner of Keita Turner Design emphasises that moderation and context is the key focus in the mixing metal trend. By following this method of madness, you’re sure to achieve a balanced contemporary room.

We strive to eliminate the time-consuming uncertainty that goes into interior design. In addition to our renovation tips, we offer a variety of high-quality products that excel in both aesthetic and performance to help ease your decisions. Is mixing metals truly madness? We think not!