Brass is back in quiet tones, and soft shades of gold are shimmering on bathroom and kitchen faucets.

Old metals with updated finishes are finding their way into luxury remodels, renovations and rebuilds.

Chrome isn’t dead — it remains the most popular finish on the market, at least partially because of its low price tag, says Judd Lord, director of industrial design for Delta Faucet Co. But if you’re a fan of color, the trendy choices in faucet finishes will give you much to cheer about. Popular metals such as brass, copper, nickel and gold are enjoying new popularity in matte, shiny, satin and oil-rubbed finishes.

Here are some I particularly like:

Gold Faucet Finishes

If the idea of a gold faucet makes you shudder — if it conjures up images of a gangster moll’s dressing room or Trump Tower in the 90s — it’s time to discard your old notions about gold finishes. Today’s new gold finishes may delight and surprise you.
For warmth, elegance and opulence, consider Dornbracht’s Cyprum, a high-gloss finish that uses 18-carat gold and copper. It is available in both kitchen and bathroom faucets.
The rose-gold sheen of Cyprum is available on Dornbracht’s Tara and Tara Classic faucets as well as its 360-degree range of motion faucet called Pivot.
The pink undertones in the Cyprum finish are cheery. And considering how many trips most of us make to the kitchen sink in a day, the Cyprum finish is a real mood booster.
If you like the feel of luxury in your bathroom, Kohler also has some rich faucet finishes in gold. Kohler’s Vibrant Moderne Gold faucet is available in both brushed and polished versions. Kohler also offers a Vibrant French Gold finish that ties in nicely with period styles.
Waterstone includes precious metals — satin and polished gold — among its high-end faucet finishes. Consider Waterstone’s Gantry faucet in one of its gold or bronze finishes.

Bronze Faucet Finishes

Bronze finishes work in traditional and contemporary decor and can also accent a rustic look. Bronze finishes come in an assortment of shades, including oil-rubbed and brushed.



Pfister offers rustic bronze (vintage-inspired), Tuscan bronze (rich, distressed) and velvet aged bronze (warm with gradual color changes) finishes. Their Park Avenue Roman tub faucet is among those that include the Tuscan bronze finish, and Pfister’s Ashfield kitchen faucet comes in both the Tuscan and rustic bronze finishes.
Moen’s Annabelle Mediterranean bronze kitchen faucet combines modern design and old-world finish. The faucet includes Reflex™ technology — making it easy to move and adjust the spray head — and includes a pause function that lets you stop the water stream or apply it more forcefully for power cleaning.

Brass Faucet Finishes

Brass does not have to look brassy — like your grandmother’s doorknobs or a “gold” necklace you won at a carnival. Modern brass finishes whisper rather than shout. The Michael Berman collection at Rohl’s, for instance, includes a Tuscan brass finish that gives luster and warm color to modern faucets.
Barber Wilson and Co. has been making brass fittings for more than 100 years. The London-based company combines modern aesthetics and old-world charm to its luxury faucets. Their antique brass finishes are showing up stateside in places such as this Prospect Heights brownstone featured on Houzz.

Colorful Opinions Wanted!

What’s your take on the colored faucet trend? Are you excited by the new choices in kitchen and bathroom faucets or do you prefer more neutral finishes such as chrome and nickel?
We want to know! Is there a brass faucet you love or hate? A gold finish you love that we didn’t mention here? A bronze finish that looked fabulous in the showroom but not in your bathroom?
Please tell us in the comments section below or — better yet — add a Revuu in our forum. Did your finish hold up well over time? Was it hard to clean? Was it child-friendly?
Your opinions are essential to the success of Revuu, a community of homeowners, designers, contractors and renovators whose real-life experiences are highly valued.