Kitchen Design Ideas With Bronze Hardware

Hardware can bring kitchen décor together or completely undermine the decorating style. As of 2010, shiny gold and silver fixtures are a thing of the past, being replaced by their less flashy, brushed-finish cousins. These understated finishes bring subtle gleam to a kitchen and can become the underlying common thread that brings all the other decorating elements together. Bronze is among the most popular metal tones for hardware. As a result, there are many styles of bronze hardware to choose from. Choose one style and stick with it throughout your kitchen, drawing that common thread that will turn your kitchen from put-together to stylish.

Streamlined Oil-Rubbed Bronze

Oiled bronze has a dark, mottled finish fading from dark brown to light copper depending on the light. Many oiled bronze fixtures have smooth, clean lines rather than ornate shapes. The finish is enough decoration to make C-shaped drawer pulls and circular cabinet-handles look stylish.

Make sure your drawer pulls, hinges and cabinet handles all follow the same design. If you pick drawer pulls with a subtle, asymmetrical curve, choose smooth egg-shaped cabinet handles and amorphous hinges.

Bright Brushed Bronze

Bright bronze is not oiled, allowing the coppery-red metal to show completely while the brushed finish keeps it from looking dated or glaring. This style of bronze fixture is all one color, making it suitable for more decorative hardware. It comes in dozens of shapes, from knots and spirals to animals, instruments, and sea shells.

For a themed kitchen, animals or musical instruments work well. For a an elegant or eclectic kitchen, pick spirals and knots, again keeping matching all of your hardware to bring everything together. Make your kitchen look even more cohesive by displaying brushed bronze pots and tea kettles.

Pitted Bronze

Pitted bronze combines a slightly tarnished finish with darker chips or pits dug from the metal. This finish is best used in an eclectic-rustic style. Many twig- and leaf-shaped drawer pulls and cabinet knobs come in this style; alternate leaves and twigs for the best design results. Some hinges in this style have vine scrollwork etched into the surface.

This style pairs best with cast iron accents, old-fashioned copper kettles, wooden countertops and willow twig furniture.

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