Choosing a finish for bathroom tapware often stumps people. What’s the difference between brushed and polished nickel? What are the benefits of satin brass versus satin bronze? Fear not. Here’s a crash course in tapware finishes that will elevate your knowledge in less time than it takes you to brush your teeth.

1. Polished Brass

An all-time favourite. Polished-brass tapware can give a bathroom a vintage or contemporary look.

Advantages:

• It’s easy to clean

• Readily available

• Has a durable finish

• Is easy to match with other accessories and fixtures

Disadvantages:

• It can be more expensive than other finishes such as chrome and brushed nickel

2. Satin Brass

A nice twist on polished brass, the brushed-gold look has a lot of class. It’s bold without being too showy.

Advantages:

• A nice accent colour without the polished look

• Has a durable finish

• Has a Matt finish which means it wont show fingerprints and water spots

Disadvantages:

• It is expensive

• Hard to match with other accessories and fixtures

3. Oil-Rubbed Bronze

A great aesthetic alternative to standard chrome and brushed nickel, oil-rubbed bronze gives the bathroom a more traditional look and feel. It goes hand in hand with Tuscan or Mediterranean styles.

Advantages:

• Has a durable finish

• Easy to Clean

• Readily available

• Wont show water marks or fingerprints

Disadvantages:

• It is more expensive than other finishes such as chrome and brushed nickel

4. Satin Bronze

Satin bronze has a nice, smooth finish that’s in between copper and oil-rubbed bronze. Its subtle colour gives this finish more flexibility for different bathroom styles and settings.

Advantages: 

• Has a durable finish

• Is easy to clean and maintain

• Great alternative to copper

• Water spots and fingerprints won’t show

Disadvantages:

• Not readily available

• More expensive than other finishes

• Hard to match with other accessories and fixtures

5. Copper

Copper is unmistakable and bold. It gives the bathroom a rich feeling, especially when mixed with more subtle materials, such as marble on a vanity benchtop.

Advantages:

• Has natural antibacterial properties

• Readily available

• Scratches in copper will become darker and eventually blend in with the patina

Disadvantages:

• Requires more maintenance than brushed nickel unless you let is age naturally and it will develop a beautiful patina

• Its harder to match fixtures and accessories

• Not as durable as other finishes

6. Polished Nickel

If you like a smooth, shiny finish but are tired of chrome, try polished nickel. It’s darker than chrome and, with different levels of lighting, it can appear to change slightly in colour.

Advantages:

• Easy to clean

• Durable finish

• Great alternative to brushed nickel

Disadvantages:

• More expensive than other finishes

• Harder to match with accessories and fixtures

7. Brushed Nickel

The soft metallic look of brushed nickel has stood the test of time.

Advantages:

• Has one of the most durable finishes

• Keeps its finish longer than oil-rubbed bronze and chrome

• Doesn’t show wear, fingerprints or water spots

• Easy to clean

• Easy to find matching accessories and fixtures

• Relatively inexpensive

Disadvantages:

• Doesn’t coordinate with stainless steel, it blends instead of being a statement piece

8. Chrome

Chrome is a popular finish because of its versatility.

Advantages:

• Generally the most inexpensive finish

• Its easy to clean and maintain

• Durable finish

• Easy to match with accessories and other fixtures

• Works with almost every style

Disadvantages:

• Shows water spots and fingerprints

9. Matt Black

Matt Black is increasingly popular in the bathroom because of their ability to match other items, such as vanities and accent pieces.

Advantages:

• Easy to clean

• Does not show dirt, fingerprints or water spots

• Easy to coordinate other black matte accessories

Disadvantages:

• More expensive than chrome

• Shows calcium from the water

If you’re new to selecting finishes, it’s a good idea to buy all your other fixtures and accessories in a matching material and finish for a cohesive colour. Some finishes are a standard colour, such as chrome and most brushed-nickel finishes, but not all finishes from different companies look the same.To ensure you are getting the exact same finish on all your bathroom tapware, buy all your fixtures and accessories from the same company. When picking out additional fixtures, show your designer a sample to match. Here at Hurst Homes our team helps you to create cohesion and flow throughout your whole home. With over 29 years experience as a Wagga Wagga Builder, we are here to help you every step of the way to create your dream home. To organise a free no obligation design consultation, contacts us today on 6921 9988 or simply click here and fill out the form on our website.

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