Transforming your bathroom space with frameless glass shower enclosure can work wonders, but you need to pay attention to the other important elements too, like the hardware and the fixtures. From towel bars to knobs and hinges, there is a lot of nitty-gritty of having the perfect bathroom interior. The finish of these products is the most popular way to add a personalized style to your shower glass enclosure that will last long. It is easy to maintain and suits almost all styles of bathroom décor. Once you get an idea about the different hardware finishes available, tying all the different components together will become a fun experience.
Factors for Choosing Bathroom Hardware Finish
While remodelling or upgrading your shower enclosure, there are many pieces of hardware you will need to utilize. However, for a completely personalized style and look, you will need to keep a few factors in mind. The finishing materials are not actual metal but are only applied to the hardware to achieve the look of that material. And you need to pay attention to their compatibility with the material of the hardware, along with your personal aesthetic sense and budget when choosing the perfect finish.
1. Resilience
When it comes to bathroom accessories and hardware, functionality is the primary concern. For this, resilience is the first factor you need to consider since the hardware pieces have to withstand a high level of moisture, and are going to be used on a daily basis. This is the reason why wood is not used much in bathroom hardware sets, and instead, metals like brass, nickel, and bronze are more popular. These materials can withstand a high level of moisture and friction. Iron is a less used metal since it gets oxidized or rusted when it comes in contact with water or moisture, unless coated with a water-resistant material. Stainless steel ones are more in use because of their sheen and durability. The best part of metal hardware is that you can apply almost any type of finish on them.
2. Design
Of course, the design of your bathroom décor will have a lot to do with the material and finish you will choose for the hardware. However, the fixtures and the hardware are also the parts of your shower enclosure where you can dare to be creative and add a bit of personal quirkiness. For example, faucets come in endless shades and finishes, so you need to decide on the most appropriate one that goes with the style of your bathroom and can last long.
3. Cost
Unfortunately, most decisions are driven by the cost, rather than design and resilience. That doesn’t mean that having a stylish bathroom interior with hardware finish of your choice is not a feasible option. The bathroom hardware and accessories manufacturing and dealing industry are constantly upgrading their products to the latest trends to provide you with materials that are as beautiful as they are budget-friendly. One such instance is the recycled or antique brass which is found in abundance and is quite affordable too. Stainless steel is another option.
4. Finishes
Now that we have discussed the factors for choosing the materials, let’s take a look at the different options for bathroom hardware finishes. Each of these has its own unique advantages in terms of the above-mentioned factors, like resilience, design and cost.
Chrome
As the most common type of finish for bathroom accessories and hardware, chrome is also the most popular since it can be suitable for any home. Inexpensive and easy to maintain, the only drawback this type of finish has is that water spots and fingerprints become easily noticeable on it. You can easily solve this issue by wiping it up with a microfibre towel.
Brushed Nickel
Another type of finish that goes well with every type of interior is the brushed nickel finish. The only issue is that this type of finish does not go well with the stainless-steel product. So, unless you are keen on having hardware made of stainless steel in your bathroom, this type of finish should work just fine.
Rubbed Bronze and Oil Rubbed Bronze
Oil rubbed bronze finish has been around for quite some time as an alternative to chrome and brushed nickel finish. It is quite similar to rubbed bronze in many ways; the only difference is the colour. Both of these finishes are of dark brown colour, but oil rubbed bronze finish contains tiny flecks of gold and bronze that help in highlighting the accessories of your bathroom.
This type of finish is mostly applied to the areas of your shower enclosure where the chances of catching rust are high. Oil rubbed bronze has a darker tone and feels oily when touched.
Polished Brass
If you’re in love with vintage style décor, you’ll definately prefer a polished brass finishing to your shower enclosure hardware. It is a remarkably high-endurance finish, that has many options available in the market. However, this is a rather more expensive option than the previous ones on this list.
Satin Brass
If you want a finish for the hardware of your glass shower that is suitable for all types of décor, whether traditional or modern, then this is the best choice. A major benefit of satin brass finish is that fingerprints and watermarks are not easily visible on them.
Hardware finishes help you make a bold style statement when you are getting your bathroom remodelled with the latest hardware and glass shower in Toronto. Just make sure that the selected finishes and designs have a unifying effect on your bathroom decor.