An article is coated with a multi-layer coating having the appearance of brass, nickel and stainless steel. The coating comprises a nickel or polymer base coat on the surface of said article, a chromium layer and vapor deposited on the chromium layer, a refractory metal nitride or nitride and oxide, or refractory metal alloy nitride or nitride and oxide that mimic the colors of brass, nickel and stainless steel. An oxide-containing strike layer comprised of nano-sized refractory metal crystals and/or preferentially oriented refractory metal phase with the refractory oxide for precipitation hardening. A refractory oxide layer intermediate the refractory metal strike layer and the stack layer comprised of alternative layers of refractory metal, substoichiometric refractory nitride and stoichiometric refractory nitride. This intermediate oxide layer acts as a non-conductive barrier to improve corrosion and pitting resistance. An ultra-thin refractory oxide top layer to provide further protection against corrosion.