How to Choose the Right Drapery Hardware Finish for Your Home
Misti St. Pierre on Dec 16th 2025
Selecting the right finish for drapery hardware is just as important as choosing the fabric itself. Finish choice affects how the hardware interacts with wall color, trim, furniture, and architectural style. Because drapery hardware sits at eye level and often spans the width of a room, the finish should feel intentional, balanced, and suited to the home’s character.
Rather than matching finishes exactly, successful interiors rely on coordination. The goal is to select a finish that complements the surrounding materials while reinforcing the style of the space. Below is a guide to styling each Metropolis Iron finish and understanding where it performs best.
Frosted Gold Leaf
A white base brushed with a golden faux finish
Frosted Gold Leaf offers a soft, luminous warmth without feeling heavy or overly ornate. Its light base allows the gold highlights to catch natural and artificial light, making it ideal for rooms that benefit from brightness and elegance.
This finish pairs well with soft neutrals such as ivory, cream, warm gray, blush, and pale taupe. It works beautifully in traditional, transitional, and French inspired interiors where subtle sophistication is preferred over high contrast. Frosted Gold Leaf is especially effective in formal living rooms, dining rooms, and bedrooms with light fabrics, layered textiles, and decorative moldings.
Sterling Silver
A white base brushed with a bright silver faux finish
Sterling Silver brings a crisp, refined look to window treatments. Its brightness makes it well suited for interiors that lean toward cooler color palettes or require a clean, polished appearance.
This finish complements white, gray, blue, and soft charcoal interiors and pairs naturally with marble, glass, and chrome accents. Sterling Silver is a strong choice for coastal homes, contemporary spaces, and transitional interiors where light reflection helps open up the room. It works especially well with sheer fabrics, tailored panels, and minimalistic design schemes.
Blackened Iron
A bronze base brushed with a black faux finish
Blackened Iron delivers depth and contrast while retaining warmth through its bronze undertone. It offers a softer alternative to flat black finishes, making it versatile across multiple design styles.
This finish pairs well with warm neutrals, natural wood tones, linen textures, and earthy color palettes. It is commonly used in modern farmhouse, industrial, Mediterranean, and transitional homes. Blackened Iron works particularly well when the hardware is meant to frame the window and provide visual grounding without dominating the space.
Bronzed Brass
A bronze base brushed with a brass faux finish
Bronzed Brass adds warmth and richness without the shine associated with polished brass. Its brushed character makes it approachable and easy to integrate into both traditional and updated interiors.
This finish complements beige, camel, warm gray, olive, and muted jewel tones. It pairs well with wood furniture, natural stone, and layered fabrics. Bronzed Brass is often chosen for classic homes, transitional interiors, and spaces where warmth and subtle contrast are key design elements.
English Brown
A brown base brushed with a deep brown faux finish
English Brown offers a grounded, earthy presence that blends seamlessly into warm, traditional spaces. Its depth makes it ideal for interiors that emphasize comfort, texture, and timeless design.
This finish pairs well with cream, tan, rust, forest green, and deep blue palettes. It works beautifully in traditional homes, rustic interiors, and Old World inspired spaces. English Brown is especially effective when paired with heavier drapery fabrics and richly detailed furnishings.
Antique Copper
A brown base brushed with a copper faux finish
Antique Copper introduces warmth and character with subtle metallic highlights. Its aged appearance makes it ideal for homes that value texture and handcrafted details.
This finish pairs well with warm whites, terra cotta, sage, deep reds, and natural stone. It is commonly used in Mediterranean, Spanish, Southwestern, and eclectic interiors. Antique Copper performs especially well in spaces where natural materials and layered finishes are prominent.
Renaissance Gold
A black base brushed with a deep gold faux finish
Renaissance Gold is bold, dramatic, and richly layered. The dark base provides contrast, allowing the gold highlights to stand out and create visual interest.
This finish complements jewel tones such as emerald, burgundy, navy, and charcoal, as well as deep neutral palettes. Renaissance Gold is best suited for formal interiors, classic architecture, and spaces where hardware is intended to be a focal point. It pairs well with ornate drapery, decorative trims, and detailed millwork.
Charwood Pewter
A black base brushed with a pewter faux finish
Charwood Pewter offers a balanced blend of dark structure and soft metallic highlights. It is refined without being flashy, making it highly adaptable.
This finish pairs well with cool neutrals, soft whites, gray tones, and natural textures. It works particularly well in contemporary, transitional, and modern classic interiors. Charwood Pewter is an excellent choice when a subtle metallic presence is desired without introducing warmth or shine.
Warm Champagne
An almond base brushed with a champagne faux finish
Warm Champagne provides gentle warmth with understated elegance. Its light base keeps the finish soft and approachable, while the champagne highlights add dimension.
This finish complements beige, cream, light taupe, and soft pastels. It works well in transitional, coastal, and modern traditional interiors. Warm Champagne is often chosen for bedrooms, sitting rooms, and spaces where a relaxed yet refined atmosphere is desired.
Ornamental Ivy
An almond base brushed with an ivy faux finish
Ornamental Ivy offers an organic, nature inspired look that blends beautifully into earthy and botanical interiors. Its subtle green undertone makes it unique while remaining neutral enough to coordinate easily.
This finish pairs well with warm neutrals, sage, moss, soft browns, and natural wood tones. It is ideal for cottage style homes, traditional interiors, and spaces with a connection to outdoor elements. Ornamental Ivy works particularly well when the goal is softness and harmony rather than contrast.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right drapery hardware finish is about understanding the relationship between architecture, color, texture, and light. Each finish serves a different design purpose, whether it is to brighten a room, add contrast, or reinforce a specific style. When selected thoughtfully, the finish enhances the window treatment while contributing to the overall cohesion of the space.
By considering how each finish interacts with wall color, furnishings, and architectural details, homeowners and designers can create window treatments that feel intentional, balanced, and enduring.
| Finish Name | Base Color | Overlay Tone | Best For Home Styles | Complementary Colors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frosted Gold Leaf | White | Soft Gold | Traditional, French, Transitional | Ivory, blush, taupe, warm gray |
| Sterling Silver | White | Bright Silver | Coastal, Contemporary, Transitional | White, gray, blue, charcoal |
| Blackened Iron | Bronze | Black | Modern Farmhouse, Industrial, Mediterranean | Warm neutrals, wood tones, linen |
| Bronzed Brass | Bronze | Brass | Classic, Transitional | Beige, camel, olive, muted jewel tones |
| English Brown | Brown | Deep Brown | Traditional, Rustic, Old World | Cream, tan, forest green, navy |
| Antique Copper | Brown | Copper | Mediterranean, Spanish, Eclectic | Terra cotta, sage, warm whites |
| Renaissance Gold | Black | Deep Gold | Formal, Classic, Ornate Interiors | Emerald, burgundy, navy, charcoal |
| Charwood Pewter | Black | Pewter | Contemporary, Transitional | Cool neutrals, gray, soft whites |
| Warm Champagne | Almond | Champagne | Coastal, Modern Traditional | Beige, light taupe, pastels |
| Ornamental Ivy | Almond | Ivy Green | Cottage, Traditional, Nature Inspired | Sage, moss, wood tones |