How to Decide on Your Bathroom Finish
When you’re designing a new bathroom one of the first things you need to decide on is the finish of your plumbing fixtures. How to decide on your bathroom finish doesn’t seem all that complicated. However, since it’s a rather large investment you want to be sure you have all the facts first.
Knowing what the latest trends are is a good place to start but there are always other factors that should be considered for your lifestyle & future plans.
commit to a bathroom finish that will help you achieve your ultimate goals.
Knowing what you want to achieve by renovating a bathroom requires a little thought. It might even vary from bathroom to bathroom within your home.
In recent years, I designed a sprawling old-world home from the ground up. There were 5 bathrooms & 3 powder rooms. In the powder rooms, we wanted the WOW factor. We incorporated both Satin Brass & Bronze between them.
If you haven’t already, be sure to check out my earlier blogpost A Powder Room that Wows for more on that subject.
In the bathrooms, we utilized Satin Brass, Bronze & Chrome to work with the overall look of the space and the color tones we selected.
My point is, you don’t have to lock into one finish for the whole house. It all depends on the location of other baths & whether it works best to use the same finish for continuity. But in most cases, you can mix it up.
Let’s explore the options together so you can make the best choice for your Bathrooms.
* This post has an affiliate link. There is no additional cost to you however I do make a small profit from your purchase.
I love the look of Satin Brass, especially on a sleek modern fixture.
1. Current Trends
Trends are fun to follow & even more exciting to implement in your home. One of the most popular trends in bathroom fixtures is Satin Brass. The subtle elegance of satin brass is warm & pops beautifully against white, black & gray as well as blue & green tones. Of course, it does work well with warm browns & creamy travertine.
If you’re someone who gravitates to gold jewelry over silver this could be a perfect choice for you. Although trends come & go we tend to like what we like. If you’re afraid you will tire of this look chances are it will be around for a while. I’ve recently have been seeing Polished Brass trending again across interior design furnishings. I believe that Satin Brass could be a great way to introduce a brass tone without committing to the Polished Brass that your parents had.
What I really love about Satin Brass is the beautiful way it adds warmth to a bathroom without going with dark walls & stone surfaces.
Polished Nickel is also still trending. It’s much more sophisticated than chrome & also warmer in tone. I tend to sway my clients this direction over chrome when I know their budget can handle the extra cost & I feel the space lends itself to a cosmopolitan look.
Black is another finish we are seeing these days. It’s a striking look that looks sharp in a farmhouse or in a rustic style home.
2. Best Value
When you have a fixed number for your budget that you don’t want to stray away from consider a Chrome Finish.
Chrome will always be the best value for bathroom fixtures. If you’re working on a tight budget or you want to splurge in another area of the bathroom chrome is your best choice.
When we were renovating our home years ago I knew I wanted quality plumbing fixtures. Choosing chrome as my finish allowed me to stay on budget without sacrificing quality.
Generally, you can expect chrome to price out about 25% less than premium finishes which would include Satin Brass, Polished Nickel, Bronze, Black & Copper. Brushed Nickel & Polished Brass will fall somewhere in between.
Hands down, Chrome fixtures will always be your best value.
3. Maintenance
All fixtures will look best & last longer if you wipe them down at the end of each use. Using a designated fingertip towel or microfiber towel like this will add years to your fixtures & keep them looking their best.
Some will change their look over time regardless. Some of the unique finishes like Satin Brass, Bronze, Black & Copper have what we call a “living finish.” Living finishes can change appearance over time from the natural oils on your hands not to mention constant moisture.
Some brands now have come out with protected finishes to avoid them changing over time. If you are considering a premium finish be sure to ask questions on this topic. It’s not necessarily bad. It’s like having a linen suit & knowing it will wrinkle & show creases. It’s the nature of the material. Copper gutters are another example of a living finish. Don’t worry though, your faucets won’t change that much but it is something you need to know ahead of time.
The question you need to ask yourself is… am I going for a specific look that nothing else will suffice or can I pull off my look with a finish that’s less maintenance?
One of the most popular finishes for low maintenance is brushed nickel. It’s one of the reasons it was so popular in the early part of the millennial. It’s a very forgiving finish.
Bronze & Black Finishes are striking as well as appropriate to carry off a more rustic, natural look. It’s important to know that some have what is called a “Living Finish” which means it can change over time from the oils on your hands as well as moisture.
Chrome or Polished Nickel will always be fashionable.
4. Timeless
Whenever I’m working with a new client on a bathroom project I can almost always pinpoint the timeframe the room was last renovated. The finish of the fixture is the first thing to give it away.
Polished Brass was hot in the ‘90’s, Bronze & Brushed Nickel were hot in the early part of the new millennium but Chrome is harder to pinpoint.
Chrome is timeless & I don’t see that changing.
5. Resale
I really don’t encourage clients to design for the next person that will own the home…however, if you plan to sell in the next few years stick to basic chrome. It’s a good value, timeless & always trending.
It’s so interesting because as I write this blogpost I realize that there are a lot of good reasons to stick to the simplicity of a chrome finish. So if you’re struggling on how to decide on your bathroom finish obviously chrome is a great choice for multiple reasons.
Explore your options & decide are you looking for the Wow factor of a current trend, the best value, your special look, low maintenance, a timeless look, or are you thinking about when you’re ready to sell?
The soft look of Brushed Nickel makes it the easiest finish to maintain. No fingerprints or change in finish.
I hope this helps you with how to decide on your bathroom finish & starts you on the path of a successful renovation.
I would love to hear about your favorite & least favorite finishes.
I look forward to your questions & comments below & hope you “like” this blogpost.
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