By Alex, The Interior DIYer
When it comes to metal accessories in your home, people automatically think you need to decide on one metal and stick to it, “Gold. I’m going to make all the accent pieces in my living room gold because the storage cupboard handles are already gold and I don’t want to fight it.”

As you can imagine, this is going to be incredibly limiting, so the first step is to relax and stop taking things so seriously! There aren’t a strict set of rules so don’t worry.

Let’s not make a Twilight thing out of it either. There shouldn’t be teams when it comes to metalics in your home; no Team Gold or Team Silver, because let’s not forget there are a spectrum of teams in between. Brass, copper, rose gold, brushed chrome, iron, nickel, steel – the list goes on. So don’t shoot yourself in the foot; try mixing things up a bit. Have fun with your space!

It can at times appear a little overwhelming and almost harsh if the metallic accents in a room are strictly only, for example, copper. I find it can make things look a little too ‘catalogue‘ and not a collection acquired over time; I firmly believe every home should consist of a collection from every stage of your life. Every piece has a story and every room has layers, so don’t make your home look like a two-dimensional catalogue.

If you’ve been loyal to silver for years but find yourself recently moving towards rose gold, good! Don’t hide your beloved silver accents. Let them mingle a little with some of that rose gold. Set up a little date for them on your mantle. See how they like each other and see what colour could bring them together – maybe a teal backdrop or accent could unite them.

I like to think of (and treat) metalics as a neutral. If you start to think of them in this way, it’s easier to start incorporating a mix of them into the same room. If you’re not sure how to start, then I’d suggest not to put them side by side at first. Leave a little bit of breathing room between them. Also try incorporating them at different heights; a brass frame on the wall, a nickel accent on a shelf, and another brass accent on a table below. Use height to your advantage.

If you’re still not convinced about mixing metals, you can start by simply mixing various styles of one metal – for example, gold. There’s brilliant gold, vintage shades of gold, and brushed gold, all of which are in the same palette but have very different feels. They match, yet at the same time are different and make their own statement.

They key is to be bold and try something new. After all, variety is the spice of life!