Polished chrome and brushed nickel are finishes often used on glass shower enclosures. Benefits of these silvery tones include:

• Tried and true, never seem to really go out of fashion.
• Cool tones bring down the room’s color temperature which is needed for balance in some décor schemes.
• These finishes can help a shower area feel calm and refreshing.
• Chrome and nickel match pretty much any color scheme.
• They work well in mixed metal bathrooms, contrasting nicely with black or gold finishes.
• The brushed aspect of brushed nickel allows it to hide spots and fingerprints better than a glossy finish.

However, in spite of all these benefits, chrome or nickel is not always the right choice. While hardware in these finishes does add to the beauty of a glass enclosure, they are fairly subtle and don’t really “pop” against clear, acid-etched, or patterned glass. If you want your hardware to make a more dramatic statement of style, consider one of the three options discussed below.

 

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1. Satin brass provides bold luxury.

 

One of today’s favorite hardware finishes is satin brass. Unlike chrome and nickel, brass elevates a room’s color temperature. This is an excellent feature if your bathroom has lots of cool colors like white and gray, as the gold-tinged hardware can help keep it from becoming cold and uninviting. Other attractive features include:

• The rich brass finish definitely stands out whether the glass is clear, acid-etched, patterned, or tinted.
• Because it is a golden tone, satin brass makes the shower and the bathroom look more high-end.
• The satin aspect of satin brass helps it camouflage smudges and water spots.

If you’d like to increase the level of elegance even more, choose a decorative pull handle set like this. Brass shower hardware also partners beautifully with design elements like a chandelier or a framed vanity mirror.

 

2. Matte black has become a bold classic.

 

Black is a neutral color, but dark hardware makes a statement on clear, patterned, and acid-etched shower glass. It makes a nice contrast to white bathroom appliances as well as popular white subway tiles. As a neutral, matte black hardware can be used on a shower even if a gold or silver based finish is used elsewhere in the room. Matte black hardware became a hot trend some years back, and it appears to have staying power. It works well with modern aesthetics like biophilic, Scandi, and modern farmhouse.

 

3. Brushed bronze is a rising star.

 

Brushed bronze is also in the gold family of metal finishes, but it is softer and more subtle than brass. Also, its brushed quality helps it mask water spots and finger marks. Brushed bronze can add depth and character to a modern design, but it can also help keep the old-fashioned feel of a historic home. This finish looks lovely on modern hardware like the frameless slider in the photo as well as more traditional pieces.

 

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For hardware options in the finishes discussed here and more, check out the array of frameless shower door hardware available on the Glass Simple site. If you are a business customer, contact us at (571)707-7760 or use the online form to create a B2B account and receive site-wide price reductions of at least 25%.