Gold, silver, bronze – oh my! While mixing metals is nothing to shy away from, we know this task may sometimes feel daunting. Luckily, when it comes to mixing metals in any room, you are not limited to just metal materials. Decorative art and other natural textures can pair beautifully with gold hues.

Mixing Gold and Silver

You know what they say – some rules were made to be broken. Well, perhaps in fashion, but when it comes to decorating, we’re all about re-inventing how you look at mixing metals in your home. The key is to stick with one dominant metal hue for your color palette. While this applies to all metals, we’re focusing on gold specifically this season.

For example, if your kitchen has cast-iron fixtures, which is more of a neutral metal (more on this below!), consider a healthy mix of gold and silver accents throughout to play off of the neutral of the cast iron. Looking to create that fabled gold and silver bedroom? Assess your room’s color palette first. If it leans more toward warm colors like yellow, red, and orange, utilize gold as your main metal. If it’s cooler, select silver instead.

Tips for Mixing Metals

When first considering how best to mix metals, it’s important to remember that gold is a warm hue. We know this may seem obvious, but decorating is all about balance, and so the warmth in gold should be balanced with cool-colored metal accents such as aluminum or stainless steel. Neutral metals that can complement both include cast iron and other black metals, which add a nice contrast and grounded feel to any room sporting a mix of metals. 

Different metal finishes also allow for further depth and variety when mixing metals with gold. Consider the cast iron finish of cabinet knobs and handles when paired with stainless steel appliances and gold light fixtures – which brings us to our next recommendation: while one may go head over gold heels, it’s important to mix no more than two to three metals in a particular room. There IS such a thing as too much of a good thing, even with gold.

Always strive to keep balance in mind as well – warm with cool. An effortless (not to mention fun!) way to incorporate this into your decorating efforts is to match your gold and mixed metals with your color palette. If your room has more warm colors, stick to warm-hued gold as your main metal. If it’s on the cooler side, consider cast iron or stainless steel and use gold as an accent instead.

Speaking of accents, geometric planters that can double as wall and tabletop decor are another clever way of incorporating gold without overpowering a room. Use mirrors to reflect your metal décor throughout – which can even feature a natural frame for added texture.

Spacing out your metals will also help strike this balance when mixing it up. Include them on various horizontal and vertical planes. For instance, if your kitchen sports a polished metal sink, consider adding light fixtures of the same metal to your space.

Looking for something more to add some glamour to your home? A subscription to Decocrated is just what you need! Every three months, you’ll get a wide variety of handpicked items right at your doorstep that will make your home feel revitalized.

Who knows, maybe mixing metals is in your future 😉