Just redid our bathroom fixtures and spent wayyy too long staring at finishes. One thing I learned: brushed nickel hides water spots and fingerprints way better than chrome, but matte black is even better at hiding smudges. Chrome looks shiny and fancy at first, but man, it shows every little spot. If you're lazy like me, matte black or brushed nickel saves you from constant wiping. Curious if anyone else has a go-to finish or trick for keeping fixtures looking decent without constant cleaning?
We went with brushed nickel mostly because it was cheaper than matte black at the time, but honestly, it's been a lifesaver for fingerprints. Chrome drove me nuts in our old place—felt like I was wiping things down every day. Has anyone tried mixing finishes, like matte black faucets with brushed nickel handles or towel bars? Wondering if that looks intentional and stylish or just mismatched and weird...
Mixing finishes can actually look pretty intentional if you do it thoughtfully. I've seen matte black faucets paired with brushed nickel hardware, and it worked surprisingly well—especially if you repeat each finish at least once or twice in the space. The trick is consistency: faucets and showerheads in one finish, handles and towel bars in another. It creates a layered look without feeling random. But yeah, chrome...I feel your pain there, fingerprints galore.
Totally get what you're saying about chrome, fingerprints drive me nuts too. But I've actually had luck pairing chrome faucets with matte black cabinet pulls—surprisingly sleek combo if you balance it right. Trick is choosing a matte black mirror or lighting fixture to tie things together...
Good point about mixing chrome with matte black—I did something similar, chrome faucet and matte black lighting fixture. Looks intentional without seeming overly matchy. Agree chrome is a pain, though. I like brushed nickel for practicality, but matte black feels more modern overall. Only downside I've noticed is matte black can show dust quicker, especially on horizontal surfaces like towel racks or shelves...still beats wiping water spots daily.
