Difference Between Brushed Nickel and Chrome

The key difference between brushed nickel and chrome is that brushed nickel gives a dull finish, whereas chrome gives a lustrous finish.

We mainly use the terms brushed nickel and chrome when talking about hardware and fixtures in our houses. Choosing the correct finish for the fixtures inside our home is challenging since there are several options, having both pros and cons.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Brushed Nickel 
3. What is Chrome
4. Side by Side Comparison – Nickel vs Chrome in Tabular Form
5. Summary

What is Brushed Nickel

Brushed nickel is a nickel finish achieved by etching the metal with a wire brush to give it a textured look. We can use this process to get a warm tone and an interesting interaction of light and shadow on the brushed nickel metal surface. This type of metal finish is mainly useful in applications such as doorknobs, house numbers, kitchen faucets, bathroom fittings, cabinet hardware, and lighting fixtures.

More importantly, brushed nickel gives a dull finish in the absence of lacquer. It is less expensive compared to other forms of fixture material such as satin nickel and chrome.

We can define the appearance of brushed nickel as an antique or handcraft look and its tone ranges from golden to nearly a white colour. Additionally, it can complement earth tones, warm colours, stone, and tile. Furthermore, this metal surface can hide water spots and grime well. It is best for rooms with a warm colour, for traditional houses, when we need a re-modelling process with a low budget, and for kitchens with stone, granite or slate counters.

What is Chrome?

Chrome is a metal that is useful mainly in the automotive industry and in the manufacture of fixtures and hardware. This material is well-known for its resistance to rusting and corrosion. It has comparatively a low price as well. However, a major drawback regarding chrome metal is the requirement for cleaning its surface regularly. This is because the surface of the chrome metal can make water spots and fingerprints stand out.

Chrome usually gives a modern or industrial look, and it is shiny, sometimes appearing in bluish tones. It can complement cool colours as well. This type of metal is suitable for rooms with cool colour schemes, modern or industrial farmhouses, white-coloured bathrooms, and when we are doing a re-modelling with a tight budget.

What is the Difference Between Brushed Nickel and Chrome?

Brushed nickel and chrome are materials that we can use for hardware and fixtures in our houses. The key difference between brushed nickel and chrome is that brushed nickel gives a dull finish, whereas chrome gives a lustrous finish. Moreover, brushed nickel can range from golden to nearly white tone while chrome usually has a bluish tone. Brushed nickel fixtures are best for traditional houses whereas chrome fixtures are best for modern houses and farmhouses. In addition, brushed nickel fittings are suitable when re-modelling with a mid-range budget whereas chrome fittings are suitable when re-modelling with a tight budget.

Below is a summary of the difference between brushed nickel and chrome in tabular form.

Summary – Nickel vs Chrome

We mainly use the terms brushed nickel and chrome when talking about the hardware and fixtures in our houses. The key difference between brushed nickel and chrome is that brushed nickel gives a dull finish, whereas chrome gives a lustrous finish. Moreover, brushed nickel fixtures are best for traditional houses whereas chrome fixtures are best for modern houses and farmhouses.

Reference:

1. “Five Reasons to Choose Brushed Nickel for Your Kitchen.” Native Trails, 29 Dec. 2020, Available here.

Image Courtesy:

1. “2193” (CC0) via Pixabay
2. “Roman Tub Faucet (After Images)” By Chris Lattuada (CC BY 2.0) via Flickr