Polished Chrome Versus Polished Nickel

Robert Frank Interiors discusses the pros and cons of polished chrome versus polished nickel kitchen and bath fixtures.

As a Pasadena interior designer, we are tasked with specifying the fixtures and finishes in our interior design projects. And polished chrome and polished nickel are two of our favorite finishes for kitchen and bath fixtures and hardware. When it's time to decide on what finish to use in your home it's important to understand how these two finishes vary in order to make a well-informed decision.

The Pros and Cons

Polished Chrome

Known for its low maintenance and reflective surface, polished chrome is generally the most inexpensive finish. It's a very easy finish to clean and maintain. It's durable, easy to find and easy to match with accessories and other fixtures. It is extremely popular for faucets and most kitchen and bathroom hardware.

Solid Chrome hardware does not truly exist – it is actually chrome plating over materials such as brass, steel or copper. Choosing a high-quality base material such as solid brass will ensure the durability and strength of your fixtures and hardware over time. The downside to most chrome finishes is they do show fingerprints and water spots.

Polished Nickel

Polished nickel, which is nickel plating on brass which is then polished, is warmer in tone when compared side-by-side with polished chrome. While some feel that polished nickel is a more luxurious finish, it does have a couple of downsides in that it is a pricier finish and it does require some periodic maintenance. And, like polished chrome, polished nickel can show fingerprints and water spots.

Unless lacquer coated, polished nickel fixtures will naturally tarnish over time, particularly in humid environments, such as bathrooms. This patina can be periodically be removed with a soft cloth and a liquid soap and water or a 50/50 solution of water and white vinegar. Do not soak the fixture in the vinegar solution or allow the vinegar solution to soak on the finish. Heavy tarnish can be cleaned with an application of Simichrome Polishing Paste, then buffed with a soft cloth.

A Note About Brushed and Satin Finishes

Satin finishes have gained popularity because of their low maintenance and contemporary feel. Brushed and Satin Nickel (sometimes these terms are used interchangeably) is a matte color and has been lacquered. Technically, a brushed surface will show brush marks along the surface whereas a satin look will not show these hand-made brush marks. These surface finishes do not show scratches and wear as easily while still providing a silver color. The problems with satin and brushed nickel, however, come in trying to match one vendor's satin nickel to that of another. Different vendors have different standards and processes for creating this finish and can make it difficult to create a uniformed look.

You Decide

Since both Polished Chrome and Polished Nickel have their own pros and cons, it can be hard to choose which will serve your purposes better over time. Using existing hardware in a space is a great place to start. In a bathroom with mostly polished chrome hardware it is best to match it with more polished chrome. If brushed nickel is already being used try to match it as closely as possible with new brushed nickel pieces but realize the finishes may vary slightly from piece to piece. If no hardware is currently installed it comes down to personal preference. Depending on the style of the project, our personal favorite is polished nickel.

Robert Frank Interiors is a full-service Pasadena interior designer specializing in pre-construction planning, architectural and interior detailing, furniture, fixture and finish specification and project management for residential projects. We work in collaboration with our clients to design and build beautiful, functional spaces that reflect our clients' lifestyles and personalities.