This is an interesting thread.

Great thread!
I'm wanting some advice. I'm doing a major home reno and I've bought all my tapware and it's all polished chrome. The cabinets for the kitchen, bathroom and laundry are a white semi gloss. In the kitchen we're having charcoal til floors, white textured gloss wall tiles and black marble look laminate benchtops in a slightly textured matte. The kitchen sink is stainless steel. Should I go with chrome handles? and should they be matte or polished, because i'm concerned that gloss will get really dirty. Also, the bathroom is similar but white marble look bench and lighter grey floor tiles (the two different floor tiles colours seem odd but trust me they work with the layout and both are repeated in other rooms) and going for this look in the bathroom.

Small Kohler Bathroom · More Info

Thanks, Melissa! I'm glad you are finding it helpful. While it is traditional to keep the fixtures and finishings cohesive throughout an open concept, mixing satin and polished finishes in the same color family is perfectly acceptable and can even lend another design element to the overall look. Chrome plays off white very nicely because of its bright undertones and just beautiful when paired with white porcelain sinks and backsplashes. I am always wary of chrome in the kitchen -- it looks wonderful when it is clean but kitchens are meant to be used! I would use chrome in the bath and satin in the kitchen and not worry one bit that they aren't the same. Follow the same rules with your door hardware. If you are concerned you can even order split finishes so the interior lever/knob to the bath is polished and the exterior to the hall is satin. Most every manufacturer offers that option! I hope this is helpful -- enjoy the reno :)

Hi Anna! My suggestion, believe it or not, would be to not change them out. Stainless steel will rust, however it can be easily cleaned with a scotch brite pad and it will look good as new as long as the rust isn't allowed to sit too long and create a pit. You can change them out to satin nickel on brass for the same finish color, but the brass can corrode if the satin nickel finish becomes compromised and it cannot be fixed. Stainless steel is solid and the same color all the way through so rust is easily rubbed off, brass under satin nickel is very different in color so you are basically trading one problem for another. Personally I would opt for the ability fix the problem -- hardware is expensive to replace! I hope this helps!

Hello, we are installing a new kitchen with a traditional shaker style pattern for the cabinets. The appliances are all stainless, and the tap is polished stainless with the traditional ceramic handles. We are thinking of using a polished nickel or polished chrome for the door furniture and the knobs on the cabinetry but not sure it would look right with the stainless. What do you think?

Hello We are remodeling the kitchen - we've painted cabinets semigloss whisper I.e. White, we already have a brushed nickel faucet.. the backsplash is warm brown , cream glass like tiles.. our floor is cream color glossy porcelain .. what color cabinets knobs should we go for polished chrome or brushed nickel .. thanks

My question is a flip to the others: I'm starting out with brushed chrome door hinges and I'm not sure which finish would be closest for the door levers. Help?

Hi Smirti! Sorry for the delay, I've been out for a few days. I would go for the brushed/satin nickel finish on the knobs. Not only do they look awesome with the whites/creams, but they don't show the fingerprints like the polished chrome would. Hope this is helpful!

I would go with the brushed/satin chrome if possible -- several manufacturers offer that finish. If they don't offer the levers in satin chrome, satin nickel or satin stainless would be your next best option. Although the color of the hinges would be a little brighter, only the levers and hinge barrel are visible at the same time and then only on one side of the door so the difference would be barely noticeable.

Wow! Can I just start by saying this is so informational and I'm so grateful i found this post! Doing a kitchen upgrade to quartz with stainless sink. Just ordered the delta Leland faucet in "arctic stainless" and I need to purchase a reverse osmosis faucet. I found some that I like the look of but only come in brushed nickel without a stainless option. If they are backed in brass, Would this color clash with the "new arctic stainless" that delta has changed to, do you know? Or to a generic drop in stainless sink for that matter? I don't want a bunch of near misses!

THANKS IN ADVANCE!!

I'm glad you found it helpful! You should be fine mixing the satin nickel, satin and arctic stainless. I looked up the specs on the Leland, but couldn't find the base metal listed anywhere so it could just be stainless finished. Regardless, nickel and steel are in the same color family so they should still be very close, but to be safe I would check them next to one another before committing to throwing away the box! I have satin nickel faucets with my satin stainless sink and I can't tell the difference. Good luck with the remodel!

Hi, would you mind ranking brushed chrome, brushed nickel, stainless steel and polished nickel? Which hold up best? Do any of them chip or fade? What's the range from cheapest to most expensive? Thanks!

Unfortunately there really isn't a clear cut answer. There are positives and negatives to every one. Full disclosure -- I'm a huge fan of stainless steel! It is relatively inexpensive, does not chip or fade, and will hold up well in the harshest environments. The negative is that it will rust if you don't wipe it down occasionally. Luckily it can be easily cleaned with a scotch brite pad (satin finish stainless only!) and it will look good as new. Also, since it is the same color all the way through, you don't have to worry about scrubbing through the finish. Polished stainless steel is beautiful and isn't as prone to rusting because it doesn't have any grooves to trap moisture, but you cannot take a scotch brite to it or you will ruin the shine!

All of the plated finishes, brushed chrome, brushed nickel, and polished nickel fall into the same category. They can fade/change color especially in harsh sunlight when plated over brass. They can all chip and will reveal the base metal if it is deep enough, which can be a huge problem. Once the finish is compromised, brass base metal will start to corrode and porous zinc will allow moisture to begin peeling the finish from the rest of the hardware. Fortunately most plated finishes are really thick and chipping isn't really much of a problem.

Price-wise the ranking would go from least expensive to most expensive, plated finishes on zinc, stainless steel, plated finishes on brass. Keep in mind that prices can vary greatly between manufacturers and country of origin.

I hope this helps!

It would be ok to go with the chrome, but with the farm look and the stainless steel sinks I would opt for either the stainless or satin nickel faucets. Hope this helps!

I am having a brushed stainless steel hand rail system built in a home I have purchased. I am also replacing all of the door hardware. Can you tell me whether the Baldwin satin nickel with lifetime finish or the Baldwin satin nickel without the lifetime finish would be a better match with the handrail system?

Either one is going to be fine, however the lifetime finish is much more expensive and for an interior application it isn't worth the added expense in my opinion. I would pick the standard satin nickel and spend the extra $$ elsewhere! I hope this is helpful.

Hi, We are in the process of selecting taps for a new house. I really like the appearance and practicality of brushed stainless steel and can find options for the basin mixers and shower bath mixers, but the options for shower rails and towel rails are very limited unless we go for polished chrome. Will mixing these finishes in the same room look OK? Also if the bath spout is polished chrome will it look odd next to a stainless steel mixer? We could choose all polished chrome and it would look good, but I hate the water marks it shows all of the time. Thanks for any thoughts!!

I agree, chrome looks great right after you clean it! I think satin stainless or satin nickel is just a better option when there is water involved since the satin finish won't show the water spots. I would suggest mixing the satin stainless with the satin nickel instead of chrome. If the finish is available in chrome it will most likely also be available in satin nickel, and most satin nickels match the satin stainless pretty well. Two satins will give you a more cohesive look than satin with polished as long as the color tone is close. Hope this helps!

Thanks that certainly does help.

Hi - we are installing an outdoor kitchen which will be exposed to the weather. What type of finish on handles would be most suitable?

In an exterior environment, corrosion is inevitable regardless of what finishes you choose. If you want to go with stainless steel, choose polished over satin. Without the grooves to hold moisture, the polished finish allows the water to roll off and retains little to aid in accelerating the corrosion process. Remember to treat stainless with a thin coat of carnauba wax and it will do wonders! Any of the plated brass finishes will hold up equally well, but once the finish is compromised the corrosion will start with a vengeance. Ideally, I would choose the polished stainless, even with the risk of rust it is easy to remove and will look newer for much longer!

What is the difference between brushed nickel and satin nickel? I have Ara Delta faucets which are stainless. Would the brushed nickel or satin nickel go better??? Thanks

The difference is terminology -- one calls it brushed and one calls it satin but the finish code is still US15 or 619 (on brass). Color-wise satin/brushed nickel is very close to satin stainless, the only issue you might run into is sometimes the finish on the stainless can be coarser than that on the nickel.

We installed a Kingston Brass NB1600AL Water Onyx 4 inch
Centerset Lavatory Faucet with Brass Pop-up Drain, Black Stainless Stee. It is a shiny dark charcoal gra, kind of mirror-like. I cant find a vanity light to match it. All of the other hardware in the bathroom matches. I have found some in various finishes, but it is hard to tell which one will look the best, Satin Nickel or Brushed Nickel. The brushed nickel looks darker than the satin nickel, but Im not sure which would look better.

sorry - update to last comment:

We installed a Kingston Brass NB1600AL Water Onyx 4 inch
Centerset
Lavatory Faucet with Brass Pop-up Drain, Black Stainless Steel. It is a
shiny dark charcoal gray, kind of mirror-like - even though it is called black. I cant find a vanity light
to match it. All of the other hardware in the bathroom matches. I have
found some in various finishes, but it is hard to tell which one will
look the best, Satin Nickel or Brushed Nickel. The brushed nickel looks
darker than the satin nickel, but Im not sure which would look better. I also found a brushed stainless steel finish - but it is definitely lighter in color than the brushed nickel.

Paigerose -- so sorry I missed your question! 619 and US15 both refer to nickel plated on brass that has been satinized/brushed. The codes will be indicated on the part number, usually at the end. Satin or brushed nickel is exactly the same finish, just different descriptive terms.

Satin and Brushed nickel is the same finish? The pictures make them look very different, as I said in my comment, the brushed nickel looks quite a bit darker than the satin nickel finish.

Hi amyhjo. There is no difference between brushed nickel and satin nickel, they are the same finish. The base metal that they are plated on WILL make a difference in the hue, however, so it is good to know what color of metal the nickel is plated on and you will find that in the ANSI/BHMA finish code usually located at the end of the part number. 646 is nickel on steel, 619 is nickel on brass or bronze, and 670 is satin nickel on aluminum. Satin/brushed stainless steel looks very close to 619, satin nickel on brass. The color variation you are seeing is due mostly to the color of the base metal and the thickness of the plating. Be careful relying on pictures of finishes, they almost never look the same in person. Black stainless steel is beautiful, but is a color unto itself -- there just aren't any other finishes that match it. Going with a contrasting finish color is a great design idea!

Ok, I will have to figure out which finish she prefers then. Is Satin or Brushed Nickle finish not good for bathrooms?

Thank you.

It is absolutely fine when plated over brass, it has been the go to choice for higher end bathrooms for many years. It won't rust and the finish is beautiful.

I’m looking at brushed nickel for my bathroom, but the lavatory faucet I want only comes in satin nickel, from a different manufacturer. The other tub and shower fixtures would be brushed nickel, all from different manufacturers. And relatively far apart from eachother (tub is across the room), lavatory is about 6 feet from shower hardware. It’s hard to tell from the photos if the colors would be all ok together or not.

As long as all are plated over the same metal the shade variations will be dictated only by the thickness of the plating, and that should be minimal. Brushed nickel and satin nickel are just different words for the same finish so that isn't anything to worry about. Photos are difficult to rely on because they look different on different monitors and most photos have been enhanced to show better online anyway. If your retailer has a friendly shipping/return policy as most do, I would order them and see what they all look like together. It is really the only way you are going to know for sure and returns are typically pretty painless.

I’ve read the entire thread.. good information. I have brushed nickel faucet I will re use in my kitchen remodel. Going with slate GE appliances, the cabinets will be white and handles I like are stainless steel brushed & don’t come in brushed nickel. Going with 10 inch so they will be very noticeable. Do you think it will be noticeable that handles don’t match the faucet? Also, you mentio grade of 304 - my spec show grade is 303 (Schwinn manufacturer). Is this brand lesser quality? Thank you

In most cases you will not be able to tell the difference in color between the satin stainless and the satin nickel finishes so I wouldn't worry too much about that. 303 stainless is a modification of 304 with added sulfur and phosphorus to make it more easily machinable, but in the process makes it less resistant to corrosion than the 304 stainless. I'm not sure if there would be enough of a difference to me between the two grades if I really loved the pulls! Hope this is helpful :)

Great thread! We are in the process of building a home & I'm shocked by the cost of satin nickel pulls for my kitchen cabinets & drawers... $14. Each & we'll need over 40. My question: is there really a difference in quality in satin nickel?

I'm glad you found it helpful! The short answer is yes, there really is a difference. Satin nickel plated on brass is far superior to satin nickel plated on zinc , and the price will reflect that. We have had issues in the past with the finish peeling off zinc hardware, but have never had the same issue with the brass. The quality of the plating has as much, if not more, to do with the peeling as the metal they are plated on, and a relatively small portion of zinc hardware sold will ever have those issues, so ultimately it is up to the consumer to weigh the options. Plating on either metal is a multi step and expensive process requiring strict adherance, so any scrimping along the way will result in a sub-par finish. As a result, the lower priced hardware will generally have a lower quality finish. Although I prefer satin stainless steel when available, the downside is stainless is a very hard material and difficult to cast into intricate shapes, so the more ornate pieces will almost always be brass or zinc. I hope this helps!

Thank you so much for the information. You have made a very difficult decision for me easy. Great detailed answer.

How about putting brushed chrome with stainless steel in a bathroom (shower / sink)?

I'm sure the answer is up there ^^^^ but I can't read through any more of the thread without just knowing the answer. Thank you!

No problem! Satin chrome is a bit brighter/whiter than the warmer/darker tones of the satin stainless steel, so if satin nickel is available it would be a better match. If satin nickel isn't an available finish on this particular item, satin chrome would be your next best option. There will definitely be a shade variation, but it will still have the brushed silver finish like the satin stainless. I hope this helps!

Thank you for the vast information on finishes. It is very helpful. But I still have questions. My main question is about finishes for door levers for our remodeling project. Our bathrooms have white wall tiles, white vanities, grey floor tiles, polished chrome plumbing fixtures with a contemporary look in a 60's house With white oak and natural staiNed floors and edge comb grey (BM) colored walls. The metal stair railing is painted black charcoal. The Architect patio sliding doors are Pella and have satin nickel handles. My debate is the finish of the hardware for our interior doors. What would look best: polished chrome or satin nickel or stainless steel or other? I have looked at Omnia 36, Baldwin Soho, and also foreign brands such as Ento, FBS, Turnstyle, M&T. Can you please advice? Thank you

Hi SPB! Although polished chrome, satin nickel, or satin stainless will all look beautiful, there are some things to consider with each choice. The polished chrome is beautiful when it is pristine, but can be difficult to keep that way. If fingerprints are an issue for you I would steer clear of polished finishes and go with a satin. Satin nickel finished over brass allows for many style options since the brass is very malleable, while satin stainless is a much harder material and more difficult to shape so most styles are modern or contemporary. Stainless steel is the same color all the way through so it will hide any nicks or scratches, while satin nickel being brass under the finish will show brass if damaged through the finish. This may not be an issue for you like it is in our house, so it may not need to be a consideration when choosing your hardware. When choosing a manufacturer, either Baldwin or Omnia would be a good choice. Both have been in business for 60+ years and manufacture a superior quality product. Omnia has a more unique selection of modern and contemporary styles for interior doors but their handleset selection is lacking if you don't want a mortise set, while Baldwin offers a better selection of both mortise and tubular handlesets. If you find a style you love you can't go wrong with either. I hope this is helpful!

Thank you. We are in line to go with Baldwin soho 5485v lifetime satin nickel and for sliding doors, Cavilock CL400 in satin nickel, and emtek hinges in satin nickel. if you have comments, please send them. Thanks again

My pleasure! The Soho in lifetime satin nickel is a great choice :)

I am in love with these cabinet pulls. Where can I find these?? Thank you Jodie - Jodiehkirsh@yahoo.com