Bathroom finishes: what the 2026 palette actually is
Trend articles tend to list colours without commenting on whether they survive the room they are installed in. This is a short manufacturer's view of the finishes specifiers are asking for in 2026, and a note on each one's behaviour under contract cleaning.
Brushed gold (PVD)
The dominant premium finish in our faucet range for two years running. PVD gold survives alkaline cleaners and chloride exposure far better than electroplated gold. It is the correct choice for hotel and contract specifications that want warmth without risk.
Matte black
Still strong in residential and boutique hotel. Watch the cleaning regime — matte black shows limescale faster than any other finish. Specify with a softened water supply where possible.
Brushed nickel
The most forgiving of the warm finishes. Good in traditional, transitional, and any specification where the owner wants character without the maintenance burden of matte black.
Chrome
Not a trend — chrome is a baseline. It is still the most forgiving finish against limescale, bleach, and industrial cleaners, and for that reason it is still the correct default for high-turnover contract bathrooms.
Coordination across the room
Every finish above is available across our shower, faucet, and accessory lines, finished to match. That is the difference between specifying a colour and specifying a room.
Request physical finish samples before committing — screens lie, and PVD gold in particular looks very different in daylight than it does on a browser.
