You can get a nice flat grey metal finish if you bead blast chrome or stainless. It's basically sand blasting with tiny glass beads instead of sand, much more gentle. Lots of Auto elects and small engineering /repair shops have them, I bribe my auto elect with a 6 pack to use his. to get the brushed look, sand in one direction only, not back and forward. Really only works on bigger areas.
Hope thats of some help