If you’re a long-time reader, you probably remember our major kitchen remodel about two years ago. I couldn’t wait to show it off, so about a month after it was finished, I invited a good friend over.
She stopped dead at my faucet.
After just a month, it had already developed a few water spots and areas of discoloration. She turned to me and said she’d have to take a Xanax to live with my faucet.
I laughed because I was thinking the exact opposite. To me, it was finally getting good!
That’s when I realized unlacquered brass isn’t just another hardware finish. It’s a personality test.
As a living finish, unlacquered brass is meant to change over time. Some people love watching it develop character, while others want their hardware to look exactly as it did the day it was installed. Neither is wrong, but before you invest in unlacquered brass, it’s worth knowing which one you are.
The good news is that you don’t have to guess!
I’ve now lived with unlacquered brass in my kitchen for two years, and because different pieces get different amounts of use, they’ve all aged differently. In this post, I’ll show you exactly how my hardware and faucet have changed over time, what surprised me most, and how to decide whether unlacquered brass is the right choice for your home.
What Is Unlacquered Brass?
Unlike traditional brass hardware, unlacquered brass isn’t coated with a protective lacquer to keep it looking shiny and new. Instead, it’s a living finish that’s designed to age naturally over time. It’s what we antique lovers and collectors refer to as patina.
As it’s exposed to air, moisture, fingerprints, oils from your hands, and everyday use, the bright golden finish gradually darkens. No two pieces will age exactly the same. In fact, two identical cabinet pulls in the same kitchen can look completely different depending on how often they’re touched.
That’s exactly what happened in my kitchen.
The three cabinet pulls below all started out looking identical. After two years, the only difference between them is how often they’re used.
Why I Chose Unlacquered Brass
When I was planning our kitchen, I never considered a lacquered finish. If you’ve been around here for a while, you already know I have a thing for patina. I love old books, worn wood, and antiques that have earned every scratch and ding. So choosing a finish that would develop character over time wasn’t a compromise. It was exactly what I wanted.
Is Unlacquered Brass Right for You?
Now that you’ve seen how unlacquered brass changes over time, the real question is whether you’ll enjoy living with it.
Obviously, my friend wouldn’t. She likes her brass nice and shiny, and she said she’d feel the need to clean mine every five seconds.
For some people, the changing finish is the whole appeal. Every fingerprint, water spot, and area of wear adds character and tells the story of a well-loved home. It’s one of the reasons unlacquered brass pairs so beautifully with antiques, natural stone, linen, and other materials that become more beautiful with age.
For others, those same marks can feel messy or even dirty. If you love everything looking polished, perfectly even, and exactly as it did on installation day, unlacquered brass may not be the best fit.
You Might Love Unlacquered Brass If…
- You love antiques and vintage pieces.
- You appreciate the beauty of patina.
- You’d rather have character than perfection.
- You don’t mind a finish that changes over time.
- You want your home to feel collected rather than brand new.
You Might Prefer Lacquered Brass If…
- Fingerprints and water spots drive you crazy.
- You prefer a bright, polished finish.
- You want every piece of hardware to match.
- You’d rather your fixtures look the same year after year.
- You know changing finishes would bother you.
What No One Tells You About Unlacquered Brass
If you spend a few minutes looking at photos online, you’ll probably notice the same thing I did. Most images show unlacquered brass either brand new or beautifully aged. What they don’t show is everything in between.
Here are a few things I’ve learned after living with unlacquered brass every day.
It Changes Faster Than You Think
When I chose unlacquered brass, I knew it would develop a patina over time. What surprised me was just how quickly that process started.
Within the first month, my faucet had already developed water spots and subtle areas of discoloration. That’s exactly what my friend noticed when she came over after our kitchen remodel.
If you’re expecting your hardware to stay bright and shiny for months or even years before it begins to change, you’ll probably be surprised. A living finish starts responding to its environment almost immediately.
Every Piece Ages Differently
One of the things that surprised me most is that unlacquered brass doesn’t age uniformly. Time isn’t what determines the finish. Use is.
A pantry door that’s opened dozens of times a day will darken much faster than a cabinet you only reach for occasionally. The same is true for faucets, drawer pulls, and door hardware. Every piece develops its own unique patina based on how often it’s touched.
If you look at the first image again, you’ll notice that the centers of the pulls are quite dark, almost brown, while the ends are still relatively shiny. That’s because we only grab the center of the pulls. The ends are almost never touched.
Now, I will say that most of my cabinet pulls have aged at about the same rate, with one notable exception: the pantry doors. Which is actually a little embarrassing because it reveals just how often my family goes looking for a little snacky snack!
So, if you’re expecting every cabinet pull to age exactly the same, you’ll probably be disappointed. That’s simply not how unlacquered brass works, but personally, I think that’s part of its charm.
Water Spots and Fingerprints Are Part of the Process
If you’re constantly wiping away every spot or fingerprint, unlacquered brass will probably drive you crazy.
I don’t see them as something that needs to be cleaned away. I see them as part of the finish developing over time.
And before you ask, I’ve never been tempted to polish mine. The patina is exactly why I chose unlacquered brass in the first place.
The Finish Gets Better with Time
This is completely personal, but I actually prefer the look of my unlacquered brass today over when it was brand new.
It feels warmer, softer, and like it belongs in the kitchen instead of looking like it was just installed yesterday.
Would I Choose Unlacquered Brass Again?
Absolutely.
If I were remodeling my kitchen tomorrow, I’d choose unlacquered brass all over again. In fact, I like it even more today than I did when it was brand new.
Over the past two years, it’s developed a warmth and character that perfectly complements the antiques, natural stone, wood, and other timeless materials in my home. Instead of looking like something that was just installed, it feels like it’s always been here.
That said, I wouldn’t recommend unlacquered brass to everyone.
If fingerprints, water spots, or an ever-changing finish are going to bother you, you’ll probably be happier with lacquered brass. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with wanting your fixtures to stay bright and polished.
But if you love materials that become more beautiful with age, appreciate the character of antiques, and believe a home should look lived in rather than perfectly preserved, I think you’ll fall in love with unlacquered brass too.
Is Unlacquered Brass Right for You? A Final Check
Before you decide whether unlacquered brass is right for your home, ask yourself these questions:
- Do signs of age and wear add character…or just look dirty?
- Would you rather your fixtures tell the story of your home or stay looking brand new?
- Are you okay knowing your faucet and cabinet hardware won’t all age exactly the same?
If you answered “character,” “tell a story,” and “yes,” there’s a good chance you’ll love living with unlacquered brass as much as I do. If not, that’s perfectly okay. Lacquered brass and other finishes can be just as beautiful. It all comes down to what makes you smile every time you see it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Lacquered brass has a clear protective coating that keeps it looking bright and shiny. Unlacquered brass has no protective coating, allowing it to naturally darken and develop a patina over time.
No. That’s part of what makes it a living finish. It will continue to respond to air, moisture, and use throughout its life, although the rate of change generally slows as the patina develops.
Yes. If you decide you prefer the bright, polished look, unlacquered brass can be polished back to its original finish using a brass polish. Just remember that because there’s no protective lacquer, the patina process will begin again as soon as it’s exposed to air, moisture, and everyday use.
Unlacquered brass is definitely having a moment, but I don’t think that makes it trendy. Unlike finishes that become popular because they’re the latest style, unlacquered brass has been used for centuries and is valued for the way it naturally develops patina over time. If you love antiques, natural materials, and finishes that become more beautiful with age, I think it’s a choice that will outlast today’s decorating trends.
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