Brass or matte black:
the finish decides more than you think.
The same door, the same benchtop, two entirely different kitchens — depending on which metal you choose.
The short answer
Brass — usually brushed or aged rather than polished — reads as warm, traditional and closer to a Hamptons or heritage palette. Matte black reads as contemporary, graphic and closer to an industrial or modern farmhouse palette. Neither is objectively better; the choice should follow the rest of the room's palette rather than lead it.
What brass suits
Warm timber tones, painted Shaker cabinetry, and light stone benchtops with visible veining all sit well against brass — see our Hamptons style kitchen guide for where brass is closest to essential rather than optional.
What matte black suits
Dark or monochrome cabinetry, concrete-look or honed stone benchtops, and a more graphic, contemporary palette pair naturally with matte black — see our industrial style kitchen guide for the fuller picture.
Durability and maintenance are similar for both
Quality matters more than the specific colour here — a good matte black or brushed brass finish resists fingerprints and wear similarly well; a cheap version of either shows wear quickly. Confirm the coating quality with your supplier rather than assuming the colour decides durability.
Materials & hardware guides
More in this series: Engineered stone benchtop care · Is a porcelain benchtop worth it? · Timber benchtop pros and cons · Blum Legrabox explained · Handleless kitchen hardware guide · 2-pack vs laminate kitchen doors · Matte vs gloss kitchen doors · Timber veneer vs laminate doors · 18mm vs 16mm cabinet board · MDF vs particleboard cabinets · Kitchen sink materials compared · Induction vs gas cooktop · Rangehood types explained.
Frequently asked
Common questions
If your question is not here, call the studio. We would rather talk it through than have you guess.
Ask us directly →Is brass or matte black more popular for kitchens right now?
Both remain popular, and each suits a different palette rather than one being generally more in demand — brass for warmer, traditional schemes, matte black for contemporary or industrial ones.
Does matte black hardware show fingerprints more than brass?
A quality matte black finish resists marking reasonably well, though any dark, matte surface tends to show fingerprints more visibly than a lighter or textured finish like brushed brass.
Can I mix brass and matte black in one kitchen?
It is possible but harder to do well — most successful kitchens commit to one accent metal throughout rather than mixing two, which can read as inconsistent rather than intentional.
Does brass tarnish over time?
A quality brushed or lacquered brass finish resists tarnishing well under normal kitchen use; an unlacquered or lower-quality finish can develop a patina more readily, which some households like and others do not.
Delivered assembled
The assembly is done
before it arrives.
Carcasses built square on a bench, Blum hardware fitted, doors hung and adjusted to even gaps. On site you are fixing finished cabinets to a wall, not building them on the floor. Our own team fits it in Central Queensland; your installer fits it anywhere else in Australia. Prefer to build it yourself? The same kitchen ships flat pack.
New build, kitchen fitted at fit-off
Long island, one delivery
Galley layout for a narrow room
Put it to use
Reading is one thing.
Your room is another.
Send us your dimensions and we will tell you what actually works in your space — and what it costs. Free, fixed, and yours to keep either way.