Via My domaine

I get asked for my opinion on design dilemmas relatively often, and there's one question that has cropped up several times recently – can you mix metals in your interiors? For years people tended to choose just one metallic finish (and for years that finish was silver, at least here in the UK) but increasingly we've fallen in love with metallics of every hue – silver, brass, bronze, copper...

Metals are an essential finishing touch to any room – the texture and shine they add is like jewellery to an outfit. But what if you have stainless steel sockets and want to install fabulous brass wall lights? What if your fire surround is edged in brass and you want to put a silver mirror over the mantelpiece?

It's something I used to worry about too, but I firmly believe that you CAN mix your metals, IF you follow a few simple rules.

1. If you're going to mix, then share your metals around. If everything in a room is silver and you plonk in one brass item, chances are that it won't look balanced. If you dot a few different metallic accents around then it will look intentional.



2. Make a display of your mixed metals by grouping some pieces together – a collection of mixed metal vases or a display of mirrors as shown above. Or try a cluster of copper tea lights and gold objet d'art on a contrasting silver tray for example. It's like saying, "See? I did that on purpose," without actually having to say it.

dimmer switch // lamp // pull handle // cushion //

3. Find something that combines more than one metallic finish in single piece. It could be a painting with gold and silver leaf, or a cushion that combines metallic embroideries. Or choose hardware that features more than one metal (thus reducing anxiety over what colour sockets/switches to install!) Buster & Punch do some fabulous hardware in mixed metal finishes – dimmer switches with bronze and silver; beautiful and tactile cupboard pulls and furniture knobs (I'm seriously lusting after them all).

Don't painstakingly match everything (too try-hard); don't stick to a single metal (too bland); just follow these 3 simple tips for mixing metals and it will all work together. You'll be far less susceptible to the next metallic fad too (burnished bronze is my bet by the way)!



SaveSave