Ask Joshua - Timeless hardware finishes

Hi Joshua,

I’m planning to update all the hardware throughout my house. My husband and I go back and forth on what finishes we should. I want something that’s timeless and is going to still look good in 10 yrs. I want brass but my husband is concerned that brass/gold is just a design trend that end soon. He suggested bronze instead. What do you think?

Thank you,

Nicole - Fremont, CA

Country eclectic style kitchen designed by Joshua Jones, JJones Design Co. It was rendered by Stuccco.

Hi Nicole,

Thanks for asking a great question on your hardware finishes. When you’re making an investment into your home, you usually don’t want to have to redo it in a couple years, so you do want something timeless. It’s also important for resale value as you want something that’s going to appeal to buyers and not look tired and dated or outright laughable if you followed a very loud and short-lived trend.

In my opinion, just about all metal finishes are timeless as long as they are well constructed and coordinated with your color scheme. Gold and brass became popular again since manufacturers updated their stylings and came out with a lot of matte or brushed surfaces, which tone down the glitzy shininess of the old gold fixtures from the 80’s that often looks cheap now in retrospect. In general, I tend to go for matte or brushed versions of metals, unless it’s a stainless steal or sometimes nickel. A high quality brass, bronze, or silver finish will look good years to come if it matches your color scheme.

Sorry if that didn’t necessarily settle the debate between you and your husband! I wish you the best of luck on updating your hardware!

Warmly,

Joshua

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