Nancy,
Ok… guilty as charged! You are right, I have mentioned several times over the years that brass is out of style and I will continue to stand by those assertions, however I must admit that brass is making a comeback when people are going after a mid-century modern look. Keep in mind that the vintage look they are after is not necessarily the look in my grandmother’s bathroom with shag carpet and those sexy chandeliers, but a trendier, updated style with a modern twist! I also believe that your question pretty much sums up almost every industry that exists… cars, cell phones, televisions, furniture, home fixtures and the list goes on and on.
It is every industry’s job, in fact it is vital to their continued existence, to come up with new and innovative (or even recycle the old) products to keep the consumers consuming! If we (the public, do not continue to consume and if we no longer change our likes and dislikes, the retail world would literally stop turning and our economy would go right down the drain with it!) Change is the one constant that keeps our economy moving and honestly keeps things interesting. How boring would it be if we were still watching black and white televisions, driving Model T fords, listening to Big Band Music or wearing 70’s bell-bottoms? Ok… maybe the bell-bottoms might still be kinda cool and I am sure my parents would love for Big Band music to still be mainstream but, for the most part, it is a good idea that all of these trends rest in peace!
That being said, you can run the gamut from oil rubbed bronze, polished nickel, chrome, brass, rose gold, matte black, or white for your fixture choices, but none guaranteed to be the “in” thing when it comes time to sell. My recommendation would be to choose what suits your taste best (with the exception of brass) and be prepared to make changes if need be when the time comes to sell. I think virtually any choice you make can maintain somewhat timeless qualities, depending on what other finishes accompany your fixture choice. Of all the fixture finish choices, it is my opinion that chrome or brushed nickel have the best opportunity to maintain a timeless quality…..least likely in my opinion would be old school brass or rose gold. I honestly think the newer black matte finish has a chance to last, especially in a more industrial or contemporary setting. I would also suggest that once you choose your fixture finish, let that help guide you in choosing your knobs. I have seen it done several times and if done right you can mix and match your knobs by using all kinds of different styles or stick with a knob that coordinates with your fixture finish. Fortunately for you, mixing and matching is in these days so go for it!
Regardless of the route you take, I encourage you to take a road that will bring you joy and choose something that you will love and enjoy living with. If you are going to sell in the next 2-5 years, my bet would be that nothing you choose will be completely “out” of style by then, so the stakes are probably not very high. Choose what you like the most and when the time comes to sell you can make some minor adjustments if need be. I hope this helps and I hope you have fun with choosing new fixtures. It's always fun to spruce up a space with some new fixtures and textures. Good luck!
Dave Kimbrough
The Kimbrough Team
