SINK FIXTURES DRIVING ME NUTS LATELY
- I get what you’re saying, but honestly, I think we notice the flaws because we’re the ones who have to answer for them when clients call back.
- Every finish has trade-offs, sure, but some are just less hassle over time. Brushed nickel, for example—kind of boring, but you don’t see water spots as much and it holds up.
- Unlacquered brass looks great for the first six months, then you’re either polishing all the time or living with patina (which not everyone in the house likes, trust me).
- I’ve had clients swear by matte black, but it shows toothpaste and fingerprints like crazy. Same with chrome, except you get water spots too.
- At the end of the day, I think it’s less about us being picky and more about daily life being messy. Fixtures just catch it all.
- If there’s a magic finish out there, I haven’t seen it yet... but I’m open to being proven wrong.
SINK FIXTURES DRIVING ME NUTS LATELY
Brushed nickel really is the workhorse, isn’t it? I get why people call it boring, but honestly, it’s the only finish I’ve seen that doesn’t have clients texting me photos of “mystery spots” every other week. Matte black looks sharp in the showroom, but in a real house with kids or, heck, even just toothpaste, it’s a fingerprint magnet. I’ve had folks try to convince me that the “lived-in” look of unlacquered brass is charming, but that charm wears off fast when you’re the one scrubbing it.
Here’s what I keep wondering: are we overthinking it, or is there actually a finish out there that holds up to real life and still looks good after a year? I’ve seen some of those new PVD finishes advertised as “lifetime” but haven’t installed enough to know if that’s just marketing. Has anyone actually seen those hold up, or is it just another promise that falls apart once the warranty’s up?
SINK FIXTURES DRIVING ME NUTS LATELY
I’ve actually been curious about the PVD finishes too. They look great on paper, but I haven’t seen them in a busy kitchen after a couple years. Has anyone tried mixing finishes in one space to balance durability and style, or does that just end up looking chaotic?
Has anyone tried mixing finishes in one space to balance durability and style, or does that just end up looking chaotic?
We mixed brushed nickel with matte black hardware in our kitchen—honestly, I was nervous it’d look weird, but it actually works. The black handles hide fingerprints way better than the nickel faucet, though. If you keep it to two finishes and repeat them, it feels intentional, not chaotic. Just don’t go overboard with too many styles at once.
Honestly, I’ve been debating this exact thing because I’m on a pretty tight budget and can’t swap everything at once. Our sink faucet is chrome (came with the house), but I wanted matte black pulls for the cabinets since they’re cheaper to switch out. At first it bugged me, but after living with it for a bit, I barely notice anymore. I think as long as you’re consistent with the “secondary” finish—like all handles matching—it doesn’t end up looking chaotic. Has anyone noticed if certain finishes show water spots or scratches more? Chrome’s been kind of a pain to keep clean.
