The colour finishes of tapware, showerheads, and other bathroom accessories have recently taken centre stage in bathroom design. Renovators and new home builders are seriously considering them as important design elements because of their accessibility, affordability, and ability to tie the space together.
If you’re looking for a creative way to add colour and texture to your bathroom, tapware in unique finishings can be what you need.
Choosing the Right Finish for Your Bathroom Design
Chrome is often the go-to finish choice of many. It’s versatile, durable and widely accessible in many designs and price ranges. With good care, a high-quality chrome tap will continue to shine and look fantastic for many years.
However, if you’re trying to capture a vintage or eclectic aesthetic in your home, a ‘polished silver look’ might not be what you want. Worry not, there are plenty of metallic finishes available today to make your bathroom truly distinctive, from shiny brass to brushed brass taps. Here is a list of a few striking finishes to help create a stunning bathroom that stands out.
Brushed Brass
Those who are into soft design and warm spaces will want to take a look at the range of brushed brass taps. This finish is a warm approach to incorporating metal accents into your interior design. The brushed-gold look works well in modern and contemporary designs and creates a statement without being over the top.
Brushed brass has been buffed with a unique tool to produce abrasions that all face the same way. The brush strokes create a matte effect, diminishing the shine and giving the metal a more subdued, elegant appearance.
Besides the difference in shininess, brushed brass and polished brass also differ in texture. Thousands of tiny ridges make up the brush marks on the brass, which resemble the ridges that make up our fingerprints. Some prefer the subtle texture of the ridges on brushed brass finishes over smooth, unbrushed brass.
When it comes to styling this type of finish in a bathroom, one colour that compliments it well is green. Any shade of green, whether it be green painted on the walls or tiles, will help highlight the brushed finish’s vibrancy in the most enticing ways.
Consider pairing the green wall or tiles with a white background. The white colour will add a fresh, minimalist vibe to the bathroom while the green will give a natural touch and create a peaceful atmosphere. Brushed brass fixtures will provide the modern warmth that the space needs to feel finished.
Another fantastic colour to pair with your brushed brass taps is blue or, more specifically, blue herringbone. Being inherently linked to water, blue helps achieve a serene and unwinding environment.
You can also create a statement with your brushed brass tapware by combining them with neutral hues. In fact, many interior design experts agree that brushed brass is most effective when used alongside simple, minimalist bathroom designs and is a great option for those who love a subtle interior.
Black
Black is a bathroom faucet finish that has recently gained a lot of popularity. Due to the continued popularity of industrial interior design, homeowners are using black accents to give their bathrooms a modern feel.
Black bathroom fixtures will pair well with whatever other colour scheme you have in your bathroom. It’s a very versatile and classic choice that can match many options. A great thing about black taps is that you can carry the theme throughout your entire bathroom, with furniture, shower enclosures, and even elements like trays and accessories, all of which can be found in matching black finishes.
Brushed Nickel
Bathroom taps made of brushed nickel have a delicate metallic appearance but are very sturdy. It doesn’t show water stains or fingerprints and maintains its finish for a very long time. It’s less expensive than some metallic alternatives and has a colour profile that leans more toward a yellowish-grey.
Avoid using it with stainless steel fixtures, even though it complements nearly every style. The impact of your brushed nickel tapware is diminished because the colours end up looking too similar to one another and blending together.
Copper
Copper bathroom faucets are attractive and lend a bathroom a more traditional feel. In addition to its distinctive appearance, copper offers additional advantages that are ideal for a bathroom environment.
Copper is a material with antimicrobial properties. When microbes come into contact with its surface, they release copper ions that, within a few hours, destroy their cell membrane and viral coat. It’s an excellent option for bathrooms that are shared by a large number of people, where the risk of bacterial cross-contamination is common.
Although copper taps are generally used in traditional or rustic settings, your creative aspirations shouldn’t be constrained by this though. Eclectic bathrooms in what interior designers are calling the Modern Vintage style, blend traditional and modern elements. This means a copper tap can easily be paired with a modern countertop basin.
Rose Gold
Rose gold, a particularly intriguing metallic finish, is yet another addition that will give your bathroom a feeling of luxury and opulence.
Rose gold is made from a mixture of copper and silver, which leads to a stronger metal with a rose undertone that offers a significant point of distinction. Although many refer to it as pink, the final product is actually more pastel in tone.
Rose gold is a great addition to bathroom decors that feature delicate notes or pastel hues because it naturally exudes elegance. But be cautious when cleaning. Although rose gold is strong, harsh chemicals can harm it.
Mixing Finishes
Some decor experts will tell you that mixing metals is a no-no. Others will say that it will depend on what look you want to achieve. The fact is, we’re beyond the days of matchy and have moved into a much more eclectic design trend. As long as you don’t mix a lot of metals within the same bathroom, choosing any metal finish you want will be fine.
The secret to mixing different finishes is harmony. To achieve this, select finishes that are entirely polished or entirely brushed. Rose gold, which also has a brushed finish, looks good with brushed nickel. Or stick with the same metal clan. Choose a dark Venetian Bronze finish for your bathroom if you already have a lighting fixture in oil-rubbed bronze, which has a worn, gloomy appearance with bronze peeking through.
