Want to Make Your Cool Chrome and Stainless Steel Accents Feel Warmer This Fall? Add Wood

Wood is the ying to chrome's yang. Like florals for spring and plaid for fall, wood and chrome is a pairing that feels splendidly right. As chrome continues to rise in popularity in our interiors, it brings with it an inherently industrial and futuristic feel. Certainly a stylish look, but not everyone's cup of tea. However, when coupled with wood, chrome's ultramodern look feels more grounded and approachable.

With bold and playful decor on the rise, chrome, stainless steel, and other cool metallics are a recent interior design trend that adds a shining style moment to any corner of your home. But keeping them from feeling too cold is all about balance, blending natural and man-made materials to create an equilibrium of aesthetics.

So, if you jumped on the stainless steel kitchen trend, or have decked out your space in cool chrome accents and are now looking for a way to warm up the look, mixing wood in with your shiny surfaces is the secret you've been looking for. Here's why.

Why pair wood with chrome accents?

The point of this pairing is centered around the idea of softening chrome's hard shell. If not implemented craftily, chrome can come across as rather cold and uninviting. The opposite of how you want your home to feel. The best way to use cool metallics is to warm them up with natural textures. The reason wood makes such a stylish and easy pairing for chrome is simply that it offers a natural, relaxed contrast to chrome's steely metal.

Mike Whitfield, luxury interiors expert at LUSSO Stone, says that the chrome-wood combo is an echo of the trend of pattern clashing. "Contrasting materials from two very different design worlds can have a striking effect in contemporary homes," he says.

Chrome and wood may feel like an unexpected combination (the wood comes from the natural world, while chrome is something man-made), but this is exactly what makes it feel so effortlessly chic. Mike goes on to explain that, "Chrome adds a futuristic, sleekness which is juxtaposed beautifully with the organic-feeling warmth and texture of wood.”

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How to Style Wood and Chrome

From what I have discovered, it all comes down to the details. A wooden, minimalist accent chair looks fabulous with a chrome table lamp resting beside it, and vice versa. Mike says, “The secret to styling contrasting materials together is to let one material take center stage. Chrome works best when used as an accent for fixtures such as kitchen taps, hardware, and light fixtures."

Modern kitchen ideas may be one of the easiest places to embrace the chrome and wood look. For example, a wooden kitchen unit with a mounted chrome tap creates a sophisticated feel while still letting both textures shine. Tom Howley, creative design director at Tom Howley Exquisite Bespoke Kitchens, says it is all about the finishing touches. "Handles, hinges, and taps put the finishing touch on every kitchen design, creating an elegant contrast with big impact," he says.

More specifically, he adds that "Polished chrome pairs nicely with rich wood tones. The chrome adds a sleek and modern look, whilst the wood cabinetry offers warmth and comfort — resulting in a beautifully balanced scheme.”

Alternatively, if you've got a stainless steel kitchen or countertops, consider styling wooden cutting boards, a butchers block, or other natural textures on top to warm up its look.

While homeowners continue to opt for the clean look and convenience of modern stainless and chrome designs, there is a growing desire to create spaces that exude character and charm — particularly come Fall. Mike says, "Blending two distinct materials such as chrome and wood or stone and brass, creates harmony between two otherwise disparate styles."