Chrome plating gives metal a slight blue shine. Often this tinge is seen as giving a sophisticated and cool look to the finished piece. Brushed nickel, on the other hand, has a natural yellow (or whitish) appearance. This slight yellow hue is often seen as a warmer color than chrome's blue.
Both chrome and brushed nickel are “classic” finishes, and they will work with traditional and modern design styles equally well. Chrome is reflective and bright, while brushed nickel is more muted and will absorb light rather than shine it back into the room.
If you're going for a shiny, super-clean look, chrome is the clear winner. If you don't want that super shine, you may prefer brushed nickel, which is a softer-looking metal that complements stainless steel appliances.
Brushed nickel adds a low-key modern and sleek look to your kitchen since it's not as shiny as chrome. Plus, unlike chrome, brushed nickel withstands fingerprints, so you won't have to clean it often. If you're looking for an understated finish that will still make a statement, brushed nickel is the way to go.
Brushed nickel is more of a subtle, softer looking finish. It has a slightly brushed appearance with a semi-satin finish. Some customers think of a brushed nickel finish as looking more like stainless steel and, therefore, it can tie in with stainless steel kitchen appliances very nicely.
Brushed nickel fixture coating is semi-satin, so it isn't very shiny or matte. It has a non-reflective texture and dull appearance. Brushed nickel finish is a classic finish that is often used on metal products, such as appliance pulls and door handles.
Yes. Brushed nickel and chrome are both considered silver. Chrome is a bright silver while brushed nickel is a soft, muted silver. Chrome is cooler while brushed nickel is warm silver.
The main disadvantage of brushed nickel is that it is difficult to match to other fixtures. Because the process of making brushed nickel involves etching it with a wire brush, you may not be able to find the exact same finish in all of your finishing touches for your bathroom.
Does this mean brushed nickel and oil rubbed bronze are out of style? Nope. And in even better news, there's no need to replace all the metals in your kitchen all at once anymore. Because mixed metals in the kitchen create a curated look in the kitchen that is so 2023.
Cons of Brushed Nickel Towel Bars
One of the key differences between brushed nickel and polished chrome is that brushed nickel will tarnish faster. It does not tarnish easily, but unless you maintain your brushed nickel bathroom accessories or fixtures, you could run into some issues.
Chrome tends to be considered more a more modern look, more contemporary than brushed nickel. On the flip side, brushed nickel is typically categorized as more traditional when comparing it to chrome. As with all things design, it comes down to personal preference!
O'Brien suggests mixing brass and dark bronze, brass and chrome, or brass and nickel, but never mix nickel and chrome. Also, he cautions that there is a limit to how many metal finishes you can mix together in one room. “There should be a main finish choice and maybe one accent,” he says.
Brushed Nickel is a cool-toned metal finish found in many lighting collections, from modern to traditional, but the brushed quality gives it a subtle warmth. Neutral color schemes, such as ivory, light brown, beige or slate, blend well with brushed nickel fixtures and create a soft yet contemporary effect.
Generally speaking, chrome tends to be on the higher end of pricing when compared to brushed nickel, as per Bath Select. Really though, it all comes down to what you're looking for. A high-end statement faucet finished in brushed nickel may be more expensive than a small chrome faucet.
Hard chrome wears less and better suits high-friction conditions. On the other hand, electroless nickel plating is more resistant to corrosion, meaning less maintenance and lower costs. But the difference is not significant, and both hard chrome and electroless nickel require occasional maintenance.
Shiny chrome is the most popular bath finish and comes with an affordable price tag. Nickel has a warmer tone and a more exclusive pedigree. Stainless steel, still the leading metal in the kitchen, looks indulgent in the bath, too.
Topping the list of kitchen design trends in 2023 are faucet finishes such as nickel, chrome, black, and brass and options like brushed, matte, polished, satin, and dual-tone finishes. GRAFF's faucet finishes do more than reflect and set trends.
Matte black hardware will continue its dominance in 2023, and we can't get enough! This trend is ideal when used as part of a monochrome decor scheme or as a statement piece against bright colors. It's the easiest way to turn an ordinary door into a cool, dramatic part of your home.
Brushed nickel, also called satin nickel, has a more subdued, matte finish, lending itself to a more traditional look. Brushed or satin nickel also works well in both light and dark spaces and with just about any color scheme.
Brushed nickel gets its slightly matte appearance from being treated with a wire brush. We're seeing more and more clients navigate towards a brushed nickel finish, and for good reason. This finish has a luxurious, almost hand-crafted aesthetic that hides water spots and fingerprints well.
Stainless steel is a classic choice for hardware and fittings because it complements most home styles. Brushed nickel and stainless steel often look very similar, but the difference is in their underlying tone: brushed nickel tends to have a golden or brownish tint while stainless steel has a faintly blue tone.
Satin nickel has a softer, matte, lustrous appearance, while brushed nickel has a slightly textured finish. If you're going for a more modern, understated look, satin nickel might be the way to go. But brushed nickel could be a perfect choice if you want a rustic, industrial feel.
Brushed nickel is extremely durable and tends to keep its finish longer than chrome. It doesn't show fingerprints or water spots and is easy to clean. Relatively inexpensive, it also matches nicely with most other accessories and fixtures.
In a test of durability, stainless steel will always come out on top. This is because stainless steel kitchen hardware is composed of solid metal, as opposed to chrome and brushed nickel plating.
The different finish names are used to differentiate between kitchen (Stainless Steel) and bathroom (Brushed Nickel) fixtures. These two finishes will complement each other, but it is recommended to use the same brand throughout your design wherever possible if you want your fixtures to match each other perfectly.