ARE GOLD AND BRASS COLORED CABINET HARDWARE RIGHT FOR YOUR PROJECT?

The fun thing about cabinet hardware is that it is pretty easy to change up, and with just a little investment, it can really transform the entire look of your kitchen or bath.

Depending on how you look at it, the possible not-so-fun thing about cabinet hardware is the endless color, style, and price choices on the market. Sure, it's great to have options, but let's face it, we can all get a bit of choice overload now and then!

So let's take a deeper look at one of the more critical cabinet hardware decisions - the color.

We have created a four-part series of articles about this very topic - HOW TO CHOOSE THE BESTCABINET HARDWARE FINISH

 

In these articles, we are examining some common questions about cabinet hardware colors such as:

• Should I use brass or gold pulls on my kitchen cabinets?

• Will this color of knob go with my appliances?

• Is this cabinet hardware finish popular?

• What color of cabinet handles will look best on my cabinets?

To make it a bit easier to digest we have taken our most popular cabinet hardware finishes and broken them down into four sub groups:

 

 

• The earth tones (eg. brass and copper)
  
• The silver tones (eg. satin nickel and chrome)
  
• The gold tones (eg. brushed brass and brushed gold)
  
• The dark tones (eg. black and graphite)

In part one of this series, we looked at four of our most popular cabinet hardware in the earth tones, and in part two of our series, we considered the silver tone cabinet hardware finishes like satin nickel and polished chrome. 

 

In this, part three of our series, we will take a closer look at cabinet knobs and pulls in the gold tones. 

 

So, let's get started and see if we can simplify and demystify the gold cabinet hardware out on the market by examining our three most popular gold tone cabinet hardware finishes. 

THE GOLDEN TONES

Gold + Brass + Champagne

 

First, what are the gold tones?

Gold cabinet hardware is sometimes referred to as brass because of the similarity of the finishes. And although there are variations from one shade to another, generally, gold cabinet knobs and pulls are warm yellow colors that resemble the precious metal - gold.

 

A symbol of glamour, nobility, and luxury, using gold in interior design has been around, well, since interiors have been designed! When it comes to cabinet hardware, the gold tones have come in and out of design favor. Recently, gold cabinet and door hardware were popular in the 80's and the demand for them dipped for a few decades, but they are back and modern and fresh and extremely popular.

 

So, let's get started and take a closer look at our three most popular gold-colored cabinet hardware. 

BRUSHED BRASS

 

Brushed brass has exploded onto the design scene in the last few years. One of the most popular finishes in home design trends right now, brushed brassis trendy and pretty, and versatile. 

 

A little about the brushed brass finish...

 

Brushed brass color and tone can vary from one manufacture to the next. We take a look at this in our blog "Comparing Brushed Brass Cabinet Hardware: Cosmas Hardware and Diversa Hardware". It is a quick and worthwhile read if you are interested in comparing the two manufacturers.

 

Generally though, brushed brass has a warm golden brass finish and yellow brass undertones. The hardware is "brushed," meaning the original coating of the finish was run through a machine leaving fine, linear brush strokes. This technique adds a beautiful depth to cabinet hardware and fun fact - the brushing process hides pesky fingerprints! We don't know if this is on purpose, but it is a fantastic feature - especially in the kitchen.

What Brushed Brass goes with...

• Brushed brass cabinet hardware is adaptable to its space. That just means that it pairs well with many other finishes, textures, and color pallets.

• Pairing brushed brass pulls with white kitchen cabinets is a cheerful and pretty look. The golden tones of the hardware really break up the monotony of an all-white kitchen.

• The brushed brass knobs and pulls are stunning when contrasted with even dark surfaces; consider jet black, slate, or charcoal cabinets with the brushed brass cup pulls or knobs. It is a contrasting yet harmonious look that adds some drama and pop.

• Brushed brass cabinet hardware seems like it was made to go with rich jeweled colors like emerald, jade, and ruby. This decadent look is particularly stunning on bathroom vanities and furniture giving the space a regal look.

• One of the things we love the most about the brushed brass cabinet hardware is its overall "prettiness"- so that is why we love it when it is side by side with other "pretty" colors. Pastel pinks, warm yellows, light woods, and calming lavenders - all of these tones look beautiful with brushed brass knobs and pulls. We especially love these pretty color combinations in baby's nurseries or smaller bathrooms like powder rooms.

• Blue cabinets and vanities seem to be popping up all over the interior design theater, and we love all the different shades of blues from navy to teal and sapphire to steel and then paired with the brushed brass cabinet hardware? Well, it is a win!

 

A perfect example of mixing metals. The navy vanity has brushed brass euro pulls with chrome faucets and gold light fixtures.

Brushed Brass in the kitchen...

• Fixtures: Lights, faucets, and sinks in the gold and brass tones seem to be everywhere, so you would think that matching brushed brass hardware to a brushed brass faucet might be easy. However, there are also a lot of different shades of brass on the market that don't exactly match. But that is a-okay! Don't worry. Using different shades of gold or brass in the same "family" is stunning. The technique of "monochromatic varied" look is chic and cohesive and really balances out a room, especially kitchens.

• Appliances: Unlike fixtures, there really aren't a lot of brushed brass fridges and ovens out there on the market, so you will pretty much have to embrace the mixing metal technique when it comes to kitchen appliances and brushed brass hardware. That's perfectly fine, though, because brushed brass blends terrifically with black, stainless steel, and white appliances. We find that even some of the less mainstream and newer appliance colors like taupe and gray and espresso are perfect mates to brushed brass cabinet knobs and pulls.

Different shades of brass and gold cabinet hardware and fixtures are combined with stainless steel appliances for a balanced layered look that is simply transforming!

Brushed Brass and its style...

• The brushed brass finish may be modern and contemporary as far as trends go, but we are seeing this color in pretty much every home design.

• The old world feel of the "gold" tone make brushed brass knobs and pulls  great for more formal glamours settings like eclectic, Tudor, Hollywood Glam, Luxe or American Colonial.

• The simplicity and elegance of the brushed brass finish make it the go-to color in more comfortable, less formal settings like mid-century modern homes, vintage, or transitional.

 

         A light wood vanity features brushed brass Euro pulls and gold fixtures for a warm and delightful bathroom design!

BRUSHED GOLD

 

For some, the idea of "gold" in interior design can conjure up images of a tacky, gaudy,  over-the-top look.  Don't get hung up on the name "gold," though, because brushed gold is actually soft, inviting, and understated. When it comes to our brushed gold cabinet hardware, we think it is one of our prettiest finishes.

A little bit about the brushed gold finish....

Striking a balance between flashy yellowish gold and muted brassy gold brushed gold cabinet hardware is a soft pale yellow-gold finish with neutral undertones. There are whispers of brushstrokes that add a bit of glimmer and help hide fingerprints! The unoffensive color is soft and inviting yet still glamorous and bright.

What brushed gold goes with...

• Brushed gold cabinet hardware is light and reflective yet warm and neutral, so it goes with lots of different colors, textures, and styles. 

• We love this finish paired with the light neutral cabinet colors. The brushed gold strikes a harmonious design when paired with stark white, off-white, Chantilly, alabaster, and other light-colored cabinet colors.

• The neutral undertones of brushed gold handles and knobs also look good with graceful colors like, lavender, cornflower blue, mint green or dusty rose. The muted undertones of the brushed gold handles and knobs complement these pretty tones.

• Deep rich dark colors are perfect for the brushed gold. The sandy, muted undertone of the brushed gold makes the contrast not so jarring as it could be with yellow gold or brass. Think of deep rich colors like navy blue, plum, crimson, violet, or burgundy as the perfect backdrop for brushed gold hardware. Pairing the brushed gold handles with both dark and light colors in the same room strikes a very interesting yet harmonious balance.

 

Now this is a butler's pantry! The Diversa brushed gold pulls look just as good on the white cabinets as they do on the navy. Stunning!

• As you probably know, wood cabinets are popular for kitchens and bathroom vanities. The brushed gold cabinet hardware compliments so many different shades and textures of wood, so it is an easy go-to finish. Lighter kitchen cabinets like birch, maple, or ash blend the neutral tones of the brushed gold hardware. Contrasting darker wood cabinets like mahogany and walnut bring out the warmth of the wood when paired with the brushed gold handles and knobs.

Brushed gold in the kitchen....

• Fixtures: Think mixing metals! Brushed gold is a perfect jumping off metal for mixing metals. The light tones of the cabinet hardware mix so beautifully with other metal colors like graphite, iron, stainless steel, weathered nickel, cast iron, and more. The contrast of the different metals warms up a kitchens and makes light fixtures and faucets really pop.

• Appliances: Generally, it is hard to find gold ovens or refrigerators on the market, so matching your cabinet hardware to a brushed gold appliance is going to be a bit tricky. Don't worry though, the unoffensive nature of the brushed gold cabinet hardware means that the finish pleasantly pairs with other colors. Think of matching your brushed gold hardware with stainless steel, black, taupe, white, and ivory finishes.

 

 Pretty blues and soft pastel colors really compliment the brushed gold pulls.  And don't the brushed gold pulls just look wonderful with the stainless steel range?

 

Brushed gold and is style...

• The brushed gold finish is both really pretty and really inviting. We find that because of its light undertones and warm finish, the brushed gold knobs and pulls are showing up in every design scheme out there.

• The gold tones have been around in the more formal styles like neoclassical, English and Colonial for years, but we are seeing that casual modern interiors are turning to gold now too. Brushed gold cabinet hardware is becoming very popular in kitchens and baths in contemporary decors like transitional and modern as well as the classic and traditional styles.

   

Brushed gold cabinet hardware and brass faucets and fixtures paired with the stainless steel range strike an impressive balance in this stunning and inviting kitchen.

GOLD CHAMPAGNE

 

One of the more popular gold tones - gold champagne is a newer finish that takes the brass out of the brass and mutes the gold tones.

About the finish...

Although similar to other golden hardware, gold champagne cabinet hardware has a deep toasty-beige finish from marrying the two colors. Just like the sparkly drink it is named after, champagne. The color is a beige yellowish light tint closer to a neutral pallet than anything else. That natural neutral tone of champagne is blended with a deep rich gold finish with brown-hued undertones giving cabinet hardware a toasty warm caramel-like finish.

What it goes with...

• The gold champagne cabinet hardware has a balanced quality between bright gold and earthy neutrals. It looks great with either end of the spectrum, from bright cool colors - to warm, soft colors

• Bright painted furniture like yellows, oranges, and reds look fabulous when accented with the darker rich tones of gold champagne cabinet knobs or pulls.

• Warm brown cabinets or rich dark cabinets also compliment the gold champagne handles. Chestnut, espresso, walnut, and other chocolatey brown wood kitchen cabinets or bathroom vanities look spectacular with the gold champagne hardware. I mean, come on - chocolate and caramel, aren't they a perfect match?

Elevate your bathroom vanity with with warm woods and gold champagne cabinet hardware.

 

• Our favorite looks are the gold champagne pulls and knobs on dark-painted surfaces. The gold champagne handles look particularly gorgeous with dusky olive green, pewter gray, smokey sage, and other rich earthy colors.

• We also love these gold champagne cabinet handles paired with lighter woods. The soft undertones of the sandy champagne color blend perfectly with woods like maple and oak.

Gold Champagne in the Kitchen...

• Fixtures: Many kitchen hardware fixtures like faucets and lights come in gold tones, and matching the same finish can be tricky. However, these champagne gold cabinet knobs and pulls look great when paired with similar gold colors. It is unnecessary to be all matchy-matchy! The same warm gold color in different shades makes a beautiful monochromatic look that balances a room.

 

• Appliances: Gold champagne has an unoffensive finish. Yes, it is gold colored, but it is also warm and soft at the same time. Because of this warmth, the gold champagne cabinet hardware balances stainless steel and white appliances. They complement black, gray, slate, and taupe oven and refrigerator finish.

 

Different shades of gold and brass are mixed in one kitchen and the result is a stunning cohesive design 

Gold Champagne and its style...

• The muted finish and warm undertones make gold champagne hardware a perfect fit in less fussy, more informal designs like contemporary-glam, cottage, transitional, or coastal. Although it is gold and could conceivably fit into more formal settings, the warmth of the finish makes it a better fit for the more modern, relaxed design styles.

 

 The gold champagne hardware fits right in with this pretty kitchen. Mixing metals has never looked so good!

 

 Wrap up...

And there you have it. Our most popular gold toned cabinet hardware finishes.

As you can see, gold toned cabinet hardware is perfectly pretty and looks great in so many different design schemes. Whether you are updating your kitchen cabinets, fixing up a bathroom vanity or restoring some vintage furniture, consider the gold cabinet hardware for your next project.

For more inspiration, check out our final part four of our cabinet hardware finish series when we take a closer look at the dark tones like black, black nickel and graphite.