The plumber was coming to do all the hookups, and I still hadn't found a drinking faucet that matched the shape and finish of our sink faucet, the
Delta Trinsic in "champagne bronze." While purchasing the sink on Wayfair, I saw this inexpensive
Kingston Brass Continental drinking faucet that matched the shape. I decided to snap it up and just hope for the best with the finishes. When the fixtures came in, however, it was clear they were not even close—golden bronze vs. yellow gold. You won't believe what I did next.
 |
| Before: Delta Trinsic, champagne bronze / Kingston Brass Continental, polished brass |
I have to confess that I kept putting off dealing with it for a time, because—well, other tiny emergencies, such as
the electrical panel nightmare, kept getting in the way. But the longer I sat with the clash of the metals, the more it bothered me.
I'm mixing metal finishes in this kitchen—mainly chrome and brass. While most of the appliances are hidden behind panels, there's a bit of chrome trim on the wall ovens and a bit more in the adjoining rooms, like in the dining chair legs and light-switch plates. And there's brass throughout the house in the original brass doorknobs—one of the few remaining original details the previous owners left us. But these two faucets will be standing right under custom brass lighting pendants and wall shelf that are natural brass, which will patina over time and look lovely against the backdrop of the dramatic navy-veined Paonazzo slab marble backsplashes. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that the polished gold finish of the drinking faucet would stand out like a sore thumb.
With time closing in and appliance day hookup imminent, I'd pretty well resigned myself to just letting the guys install it—figuring that I could always replace it later as a DIY. But driving by Home Depot that night I had an idea. Why not give spray paint a try? I mean, as long as I'm okay with replacing it later, why not try spray painting it, see how the finish matches, and whether it lasts? The drinking faucet doesn't see much wear and tear actually—only the handle gets touched a lot, and that part is removable with a little elbow wrench, so conceivably I could touch it up as needed. I stopped in at the big box store and picked up Rust-oleum all metal paint and primer in several bronzy-golden finishes.
I know—painting fixtures is definitely risky, but I made sure to follow the golden rules of good painting:
Sanding & Cleaning
Primer & Paint (All in One)
To make matters even more complicated, I was painting at the job site, under the dim light of a single bare bulb. I actually had to use my phone flashlight to make sure that I was giving every bit of surface an even spray. In the end, I headed off to bed hoping for the best but not really certain how it would all turn out until morning.
The verdict? The color that I chose—
Rust-oleum Universal All Surface Metallic Satin Bronze Spray Paint and Primer in One—turned out to be a perfect match for the Delta champagne bronze finish! And, no, this is not a paid-endorsement.
FOLLOW UP
Follow the Renovation Diary:
The plumber was coming to do all the hookups, and I still hadn't found a drinking faucet that matched the shape and finish of our sink faucet, the
Delta Trinsic in "champagne bronze." While purchasing the sink on Wayfair, I saw this inexpensive
Kingston Brass Continental drinking faucet that matched the shape. I decided to snap it up and just hope for the best with the finishes. When the fixtures came in, however, it was clear they were not even close—golden bronze vs. yellow gold. You won't believe what I did next.
|
| Before: Delta Trinsic, champagne bronze / Kingston Brass Continental, polished brass |
I have to confess that I kept putting off dealing with it for a time, because—well, other tiny emergencies, such as
the electrical panel nightmare, kept getting in the way. But the longer I sat with the clash of the metals, the more it bothered me.
I'm mixing metal finishes in this kitchen—mainly chrome and brass. While most of the appliances are hidden behind panels, there's a bit of chrome trim on the wall ovens and a bit more in the adjoining rooms, like in the dining chair legs and light-switch plates. And there's brass throughout the house in the original brass doorknobs—one of the few remaining original details the previous owners left us. But these two faucets will be standing right under custom brass lighting pendants and wall shelf that are natural brass, which will patina over time and look lovely against the backdrop of the dramatic navy-veined Paonazzo slab marble backsplashes. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that the polished gold finish of the drinking faucet would stand out like a sore thumb.
With time closing in and appliance day hookup imminent, I'd pretty well resigned myself to just letting the guys install it—figuring that I could always replace it later as a DIY. But driving by Home Depot that night I had an idea. Why not give spray paint a try? I mean, as long as I'm okay with replacing it later, why not try spray painting it, see how the finish matches, and whether it lasts? The drinking faucet doesn't see much wear and tear actually—only the handle gets touched a lot, and that part is removable with a little elbow wrench, so conceivably I could touch it up as needed. I stopped in at the big box store and picked up Rust-oleum all metal paint and primer in several bronzy-golden finishes.
I know—painting fixtures is definitely risky, but I made sure to follow the golden rules of good painting:
Sanding & Cleaning
Primer & Paint (All in One)
To make matters even more complicated, I was painting at the job site, under the dim light of a single bare bulb. I actually had to use my phone flashlight to make sure that I was giving every bit of surface an even spray. In the end, I headed off to bed hoping for the best but not really certain how it would all turn out until morning.
The verdict? The color that I chose—
Rust-oleum Universal All Surface Metallic Satin Bronze Spray Paint and Primer in One—turned out to be a perfect match for the Delta champagne bronze finish! And, no, this is not a paid-endorsement.
FOLLOW UP
Follow the Renovation Diary:
i'm trying to match and having the hardest time! Does the hot water make the paint peel?
ReplyDeleteHi Emily, Heat won't make the paint peel, as the product is primer and paint. But it's very important to sand the entire fixture carefully, roughing up the finish so paint will adhere properly. After you sand, wipe all the sanding dust away using Tack Cloth. Then spray on the primer/paint and let it dry for the amount of time listed on the instructions. If you decide you need another coat, you have to sand and tack cloth again, then apply the second coat. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteHaving the hardest time finding the right overflow plate to match the new champagne bronze fixture I just installed. Going to give this a try and just spray paint the old one and the shower rod. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI would try this too. I think it will work! Please let us know how it turned out.
DeleteThe overflow plate delta sells is $75!!! Thanks for the info I will be trying this instead.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great solution. Did it work for you?
DeleteIt worked. A year later, there is some wear on the handle. I plan to make a post about it, as soon as I get some time. I'm going to sand just the handle and spray just that again.
DeleteI got the delta champagne bronze overflow plate on Amazon for 30 bucks
DeleteThanks for sharing! There are so many folks out there who love this finish and finding all the matching parts is helpful.
DeleteI have an overflow plate from the Champagne Bronze delta faucet I installed that I do not plan to use. Would you like it?
ReplyDeleteThat is very kind, thank you.
DeleteThank you for this tip!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome. Let me know how yours turns out.
DeleteFacing the same kind of issue. Thanks for writing about this!
ReplyDeleteI was so hopeful that this paint would match the delta cuddled bronze. I have two lights I have to paint to match the faucets. Unfortunately, the paint is way too dark. It doesn't match at all. I'm going to try and match it with an automotive paint, I think I'll have better luck.
ReplyDeletePlease lmk how that works out for you. I have some radiator covers that are metal and have seen too many decades of paint build up. I'm thinking of taking them to a local auto-body shop to have them stripped and powder-coated.
DeleteHi! These posts are so helpful and inspiring! I have a question - how tall are the elements in this part of the kitchen? i.e. the backsplash slab (with the shelf at the top), and the faucet? And how deep is the shelf? i want to do something similar and am curious about "clearance".
ReplyDeleteThank you! The marble slab on the sink run is 18" high. The faucet is 15-1/2" high. The shelf is 4" deep. Good luck with your project!
DeleteThank you for this nice sharing. Great post.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading!
DeleteThanks for the info, I’ve been trying to figure out which spray paint will match. I have a few accessories that I would like to paint to match. Mountain plumbing makes drink faucets that match the delta champagne bronze. I have the same kitchen faucet that you have and the mountain plumbing next to each other and they look great. Just fyi in case the spray paint doesn’t hold up on a high tough area. The model number is MT1843FIL-NL in champagne bronze.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing. There are many people who love the look of this faucet, but it's hard to source all of the matching fixtures, especially right now with all the supply chain issues.
Delete