We recently asked a group of shower professionals to share which hardware finishes are trending as well as those that are on their way out. With responders from California to Tennessee and lots of states in between, we’ll share what glass pros in the field have reported about what’s hot and what’s not for glass shower hardware finishes.

California Gold

Starting on the west coast, a pro reported lots of champagne bronze and other gold tones in California. Not only does this seem fitting for the “Golden State,” it also sounds like it might be a trend that is working its way across the country and to the east coast.

3 Bs on the East Coast

Here in Virginia, matte black has been our customer’s favorite pick this past year. Brushed nickel remains in second place, but satin brass is on the rise, and we’ve also seen a slight uptick in brushed bronze. Combined with the declining popularity of chrome, this indicates that we could be looking at gold tones prevailing in 2026 here in the Commonwealth as well. Adding weight to this prediction are reports from Tennessee, Georgia, and New Jersey that gold and bronze tones are dominating.

Black and Gold in the Midwest

Glass shower companies in states like Idaho, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan mention lots of gold, brass, and bronze finishes as well as a continuation of popularity for matte black. Interestingly, glass with matte black framing and no grids is on the rise in Wisconsin, which is a shift from the recent market dominance of frameless and grid-style glazing.

Similar Styles in the Lone Star State

Turning to Texas, the picture is similar with glass installers highlighting the popularity of black, brass, and brushed bronze finishes. On the other hand, the fate of silvery tones remains in doubt with one pro reporting polished nickel as a common choice and another noting that very few customers prefer chrome in their service area.

Staying on Top of Trends

As shared by a glass expert, plumbing fixtures tend to appear in new finishes – like champagne bronze – and then glass shower companies have to find a tone that will coordinate with this bath hardware. Thankfully, décor trends have moved away from totally monochromatic “matchy-matchy” spaces. Mixed metal bathrooms – where two or three distinct finishes are included – are popular with designers and home décor bloggers. While this is primarily an aesthetic choice, it also offers a solution for practical problems like:

• Hard water will leave spots on dark or shiny finishes. If a homeowner wants matte black in this situation, it might be better to use brushed nickel for the shower hardware (it will camouflage water spots) and bring in matte black on other fixtures.
• A mixed metal design is an easy solution if a homeowner can’t find hardware to match the unique finish of a faucet or shower head.
• Unlacquered brass is popular in some areas, but there are concerns about offering an unprotected finish that a homeowner may not like as it ages and changes. A glass professional can recommend that they use this on items that are fairly inexpensive and easy to replace, while choosing something tried and true for their glass shower hardware.
  
  
  

Here at Glass Simple, we currently offer finishes like matte black, brushed nickel, satin brass, brushed bronze, and chrome, but we are tracking sales and trends and adding to our finish options as demand dictates. Based on our own observations and those shared by out of state pros, we expect to see lots of matte black and satin brass hardware orders in 2026. Give us a call with frameless shower hardware questions or to place an order – (571)707-7760.