The Bathroom Design Mistake That's Making Your Space Look & Feel More Cluttered

Even if you have a large master bathroom, the wrong design can leave your space feeling overdone and messy. You may have too many patterns, not enough light, or simply too much going on in a small space. There are lots of potential design mistakes to avoid in this room, and whether you're designing a remodel or saying goodbye to your traditional, builder-grade bathroom, mixing too many metals is one of the biggest decorating errors you can make, leaving your space looking and feeling cluttered (even if it's not).

Mixed metals are an ongoing debate in the world of home decor. some designers insist you should use only one finish for every plumbing fixture in your home, while others think that incorporating a few different metals adds personality to your overall design. However, too many metals can become a bit much. Metal finishes are everywhere in our homes, from stainless steel appliances and pewter picture frames to chrome mirrors and black metal plant stands. When it comes to small spaces like your bathroom, using multiple types of metal can make everything look a little too busy.

One designer on the side of mixed metals in bathroom decor is Margie Kaercher, a Florida designer and founder of Hearth & Honey Homes. While speaking with Southern Living in 2025, she said, "I'm the biggest fan of mixed metals, but if it's done randomly and without intention it can go wrong quick." Instead, she recommends choosing two distinct finishes and juxtaposing them to create a clear contrast.

For small spaces like bathrooms, most designers recommend limiting your metal finishes to one or two choices, often one dominant metal and one accent finish. The contrast is what makes it feel intentional, according to Margie Kaercher. "One of the biggest pitfalls is mixing metals that are close in color but not an exact match, leaving it to look like you tried to match and missed," she told Southern Living. She added that using two contrasting metals by design "feels distinct and digestible."

One way to find your two contrasting finishes is to consider that metals can be grouped into warm and cool categories. If you choose a warm metal like brass, copper, or bronze for your dominant finish, creating contrast with a cool metal like nickel or chrome adds depth and personality to your decor without making your bathroom feel messy.

If you need to add a third metal to your bathroom design, avoid pairing finishes that match too closely, like chrome and polished nickel, as the effect can look mismatched rather than intentional. You can also choose a neutral finish, like matte black, which goes with both warm and cool metals. Another trick when you're mixing metals in your home decor is to group like items, such as all your plumbing fixtures or all your lights, and use one finish for each category to avoid making your bathroom feel cluttered.