Verde 40 Inch Chandelier by Kalco Lighting

With just a little bit of creativity and a dash of personality, lighting can be the artistic touch you need to complete your space. Spotlights bring clarity, uplifted shades add ambiance, and a softly dimmed glow helps you dial up the warmth.

But lighting is about more than illumination and direction. The finish of your lighting hardware is just as important.

Lighting finishes range from tactile brushed bronze to modern matte black, and from glamorous gold to suave, silvery pewter. Knowing how to choose hardware finishes for your lighting can help you level up your interior styling and bring beauty to even more areas of your home.

Why Lighting Finishes Matter More Than You Think

What do you need to consider when choosing lighting for your home? The size, for sure: you need your lights to fit your space without overwhelming the room. You might also consider the strength and direction of the light, and how you can use it to layer glow and adjust the mood of a room at any given moment.

Lighting finishes are another key consideration and are more important than you might realize. The finish of lighting hardware is the exterior material: the color and texture you can see and, in some cases, feel.

The right finish can completely change how a lighting fixture works in a room. Matte black hardware, for example, can create the illusion of floating lights when used in a cozy nook. But use the same lighting finish in a bright study, and it enhances the clean lines and clarity you want for a working environment.

Texture can be just as important as looks. For floor lamps that switch on at the unit, you want a finish that’s pleasing to the touch. Brushed metals can be wonderfully tactile and offer a softer, more vintage style than smooth, reflective metals like bright steel. Or consider a coated metal finish that’s smooth, elegant, and available in a rainbow of colors.

In addition to the aesthetics, it helps to know how the finish affects the longevity of lighting fixtures. For example, it may seem intuitive to invest in metal fittings for your bathroom. After all, the sparkle of stainless steel is a perfect partner for modern showers and crisp, white tubs.

Choosing the right lighting finishes completes your interior design goals and protects your lighting for years to come.

Related reading: Choosing the Right Ceiling Fan Look and Finish for Your Décor

York 16 Inch Large Pendant by Minka Lavery

Define Your Style and Palette

You don’t need to be an expert interior designer to select lighting fixtures that complement your home beautifully. All you need to do is take some time to define the style or theme you want to echo and the color palette you’re working with.

Take inspiration from your existing décor and furnishings. Choosing ultra-modern, slick, steel-finished light fittings for a room that otherwise embraces a vintage-chic look will create a disconnect between styles. There’s nothing wrong with a little contrast, but make sure you’ve visualized each fixture in its soon-to-be permanent home to avoid color clashes and design faux pas.

Popular Finishes and How They’re Typically Used

Here are just a few of the many lighting finishes available. Let your existing finishes, décor, and inspiration guide you, and always consult an expert if you’re unsure whether a particular finish will work in your space.

Polished Chrome or Chrome Polished Nickel

The bright surface of chrome polished nickel creates dynamic reflections that brighten any space. These lighting finishes are often used in bathrooms and kitchens to match or complement sink and shower hardware or appliances.

Pure White

White hardware must be cleaned regularly to look its best, so it’s often used for low-hanging pendants, lamps, and other easy-to-reach fixtures. A lavish white pendant over an expansive dining table can create a warm pool of light and serve as a talking point, elevating your dinner parties to new heights.

Matte Black

Conversely, black is a color that can hide away in dark corners, small spaces, and under cupboards. Create the illusion of floating lights or subtly add layers of glow without letting your lighting hardware steal the show. You can also use larger black lighting fixtures as centerpieces to match minimalist décor or create clean, crisp lines in areas like a study or utility room.

Aged Bronze or Brass

Vintage-style light fittings with brushed or aged brass are popular for a variety of purposes. Brass is surprisingly useful in bathrooms as it’s rust-proof and corrosion-resistant, particularly when treated for those qualities. Brass can be used for flowing, curvy fixtures or sharp, geometric lighting cages, making it exceptionally versatile.

Copper

Copper is another popular choice for bathrooms as it can be polished to a brilliant, reflective sheen. However, if untreated, over time it may develop verdigris — the bluish-green patina that forms on copper as it oxidizes. Brushed copper offers a softer, more textured feel.

Gold

Gold is too soft and expensive to use for most types of lighting hardware, but a gold-colored finish is a popular choice when you need to add a little glitter and glitz to a room. Bright, polished gold-style fittings add opulence, while burnished or brushed gold brings warmth and a gilded feel.

Colored Glass

Lighting hardware includes shades and surrounds, and colored glass creates a unique look and feel. Although potentially fragile, the range of tones and transparencies available makes this type of hardware desirable for home stylists who want to create eclectic, colorful spaces. Plus, glass can be smooth, textured, bubbled, almost opaque, or completely clear.

Consider mixing and matching lighting finishes by:

• Combining dark hardware with bright or clear shades for interesting contrasts
• Using one bright finish in a room with mainly dark lighting finishes to create a focal point
• Blending different textures
• Alternating slightly different tones of metal or glass to create interest

Take inspiration from rooms and homes you love, as well as interior design websites and blogs.

Zen 34 Inch Large Pendant by Hubbardton Forge

Room-by-Room Lighting Finish Guidelines

These guidelines give you a glimpse of the many possibilities available to you when choosing lighting finishes.

Room	Suggested Lighting Finishes	Practical Tips
Living Room	Allow your personality and existing décor to drive your choice of lighting finishes here. In a busy living room, matte black finishes can blend in and help calm the overall look. Grey and white finishes are also delightfully minimalist, creating clean lines without drawing the eye away from other focal points. To add color, use easy-to-clean glass shades combined with coated fixture finishes.	For high-up light fixtures, avoid complex hardware that’s hard to clean. Keep it simple and reachable with an extended duster or soft cloth.
Bathroom	Brilliant blue glass or metal finishes match coastal bathrooms, but so do creams, soft yellows, and amber tones, mirroring a shoreline palette. Brass and anodized aluminum are rust-proof and highly corrosion-resistant, as are some nickel lighting finishes.	Avoid wood, wicker, and bamboo finishes that may succumb to moisture damage. Also, steer clear of fabric shades that may harbor mold or mildew.
Kitchen	Bright, reflective lighting finishes add sparkle and a clean feel to modern kitchens, while brass and aged bronze tones complement a vintage vibe. Brushed nickel is another option that’s ideal for hiding watermarks and fingerprints, especially in high-traffic kitchens with low light fixtures.	Avoid metals that corrode or rust in moist environments. Consider how often you want to clean your kitchen light fixtures, and how complex that may be, depending on the lighting finishes you choose.
Bedroom	Antique satin brass and other pseudo-vintage bronze-style metals are ideal for a softer aesthetic. If your bedroom décor is ultra-modern, consider matte black, white, or wood tones.	Steer away from bright colors that create too much vibrancy for what should be the most relaxing room in your home.
Study or Home Office	Black-and-white finishes are utilitarian and match most modern office or study furniture. But you can upgrade your working environment with the classic brass lighting finishes or bold, confident colors that help you stay alert.	If you have office lamps or manually manipulated lights, invest in finishes that will stand up to frequent touching.

Remember to consider durability, color, style, and what you want the new lighting fixture to add to your home. Use online catalogs to view lighting finishes and fixtures and visualize them in your space before purchasing.

If you want more advice on choosing hardware finishes or on how lighting can completely transform your home, contact our team or drop into one of our stores. Check out our online catalog for more inspiration.