The thing about contemporary design is that rules are always meant to be broken. As such, there is a rising trend amongst interior designers to mix and match a variety of metals together in their designs. People who are traditional and conservative might find it hard to wrap their heads around this idea. However, the fact is that mixing multiple metals with different accents together can enhance the visual aesthetic of any space. When mixing and matching metals, there are some guidelines that you should follow to simplify the whole process.
Primary Colors
When you are choosing which metals to use for your contemporary interior design plan, the general rule of thumb is to pick 2 to 3 primary colors or hues for your rooms. Note that out of these few choices, one of them will be the dominant hue. The other colors will act as secondary accents. When planning out how to mix the metals, never mix them in equal proportion. As you can probably guess, use the primary hues more than the secondary ones in order to draw more attention to the primary colors.
Characteristics of Metals
Before choosing the metals that you want for your design, you need to ensure that you are familiar with their characteristics. For example, if you are thinking of rose gold, you should note that it has warm undertones. Despite this, it can be paired with chrome because they are both very reflective by nature. Other than color, texture and shine can be factors that unify the different metals as well.
Another example would be nickel. Nickel can be paired with other colors like gold and brass because they all have warm undertones too. However, matching it with chrome might not be such a good idea because chrome is cooler finish to it. When designing your room, note that the color black is an extremely versatile one. Black is very neutral and can be paired with any other color. Black finishes are good for tying the features of a room together but its best applied when paired with coppers.
Textures and Finishes
In the past, homeowners and interior designers could only choose from either polished or matte finishes. However, there are so many more options today when choosing the different sheens and textures of your metals. You can opt for many different types of visuals, such as burnished, oiled, antiqued, and hammered. Although it might be harder to make a choice, it makes it much easier to combine metals of the same color even though they might come in varying textures. If you want to personalize your room, you can choose to mix and match metals with different colors and textures for your own personalization.
Use Horizontal Visual Planes
Once you have decided what metals to use, the best way to distribute them is horizontally. This balances out your room and adds a sense of strength and grace in the design. It will also make the space more uniformed. Creating a visual balance by combining different metals in an asymmetrical room is always a good idea. Homeowners can always use a wide range of furniture that come in different shapes, colors and sizes to add to this balance as well.