Satin Nickel is very close in appearance to stainless steel, but is available in a much wider variety of design styles. One of the most popular finishes, it is an available finish option for nearly every hardware design.
Satin nickel has a softer, matte look, while brushed stainless steel has a more polished look.
Although Polished Nickel fixtures are very nice, they are really not similar at all to what you might think of as stainless steel color. If you are trying to exactly match other stainless steel finish fixtures in your bathroom, Polished Nickel products will probably not going to be what you want.
Is stainless steel closer to brushed nickel or chrome? Stainless steel is usually in between nickel and chrome in terms of color, but nickel can vary and almost look brown at times.
When looking at a chrome product and a stainless steel product side by side you will notice a difference. A chrome plated finish is a brighter, shiner finish while although stainless steel is polished to a high mirror finish is it slightly duller and darker than chrome.
The key difference between brushed and polished stainless steel is that brushed stainless steel has a rough surface, whereas polished stainless steel has a smooth surface. Brushed stainless steel is a type of metal having a dull polish that is made through friction.
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.
Stainless steel and chrome steel share similar aesthetic qualities, including a shiny appearance. Chrome, however, offers a more lustrous and polished look than stainless steel.
Both satin and brushed nickel have the same basic properties: they're both shiny and reflective, but satin has more texture than brushed nickel. Satin also looks more like real metal, while brushed looks more like plastic.
Another way of distinguishing between chrome steel and stainless is through their appearance or looks. Chrome steel has a bright and shiny appearance while stainless steel is known for its satin appearance. However, using the visual method to distinguish chrome steel and stainless steel can also end up misleading you.
Chrome is a highly reflective cool bluish toned silver. Polished Nickel is a highly reflective warm toned silver. Satin Nickel is a slightly glossy, brushed warm toned silver. Stainless Steel is a matte, brushed warm toned silver.
Like Polished Nickel, Chrome is a highly polished and shiny finish, with a timeless and classic feel. Where these two finishes differ is their undertones. Polished Nickel boasts a warm pale gold hue, while Chrome shines with a cooler silver blue tone.
Brushed/Satin nickel will never go out of style. It is very versatile because it goes with almost any cabinet color and matches great with stainless steel appliances.
So as the satin nickel cabinet knobs and cabinet pulls aren't going anywhere anytime soon, we thought these often uncelebrated workhorses of a handle should get their time in the spotlight. So, if you wonder what cabinet color goes with satin nickel cabinet pulls?
APPEARANCE. 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.
Stainless steel jewelry offers enhanced durability, but sterling silver reflects light way better, giving it a shinier, whiter appearance. The choice between sterling silver jewelry and stainless steel is ultimately up to you, but you can consider the different factors we just mentioned.
Stainless steel and sterling silver also don't resemble each other when they are polished. While stainless steel is more shiny and reflective, sterling silver doesn't shine as brightly.
The short answer is yes. Most common grades of Stainless Steel can be reliably Chrome Plated, this may however not be the most appropriate process depending on your application. For decorative applications, it may be simpler to instead Electro-polish the item instead.
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.
Brushed chrome sockets have a satin/matt finish as opposed to the reflective sheen of polished chrome. The brushed effect comes from a process of finely scratching the chrome plate's surface after the plating has been completed. These scratches work to significantly lessen the reflectiveness of the chrome's surface.
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.
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.