HOME DESIGN: Brass is Back!

Friday, October 2, 2009

Brass is Back!

(For some, it never really went away, but for others of us, it was GONE.) Metal finishes are like anything else: they go in and they go out. This is why I think it's important when choosing finishes for your home that you choose ones that work with your artchitecture & the feeling of your home versus what's hot or not. This way it always feels "classic."

I know of many people going through their entire homes and replacing all of the brass builder's grade hardware with brushed nickel or oil rubbed bronze or some other finish. It certainly improved the look of many homes. But I have to admit, I do have a thing for burnished brass right now. (Chandelier above in "antique brass" I recently had installed in a client's dining room and pendant below to go in her hallway.)

Sometimes brass just works in a home and it would feel funny to have anything else. The warm metal is needed and nothing else will do. This was definitely the case with this client's home and it really did open me up to brass. Here's another beauty:

As with all things, it seems that when you sort of ease in with one exception, (for example, antiqued brass) you start to open up your mind to other possibilities, like perfeclty polished brass:

Which I now think is just beautiful. I love this chandelier below:

Although I have to be honest, and I'm still not really into the typical 80- 90s brass dining room chandeliers unless they really work with a room's decor. -below- There are still alot of rooms out there with "inappropriate brass." hahahah (I'm not above painting brass that doesn't work... I know it could be a sin to some, but I'm not reverential about it... yet ;)

(Some friends of mine have actually managed to make theirs look beautiful with the addition of other brass in the room... I wish I had a pic for you!!) I COVET this lamp below:

And how gorgeous is this pendant?!:

{All chandliers above from Arteriors Home.) I thought I'd share a bunch of House Beautiful homes that have gorgeous brass accents... proving that for some of those design geniuses, brass was never really out. (because I'm sure you'll recognize some of these from a while ago.)

See how this room just needs brass (below) to give it the beautiful warm glow?

This modern brass mirror works perfectly with the sconces:

It works perfectly with guilded pieces too -like the chair s& sofa:

I've always loved this room below. The bed reminds me of the one we found on the side of the road this summer for our bedroom.

We all went crazy for Pheobe Howard's apartment & she uses lots of brass in it:

And, in case you're thinking it only works in more traditional spaces:

It's really unexpected in the room below:

I love how the brass on the light fixture & coffee table plays off of the silk curtains in this room:

And... in kitchens it can be just gorgeous! Check out this one below(found via Urban Grace from Southern Living.) I love the shiny warmth of it in here:

And I just LOVE LOVE LOVE Anne Turner Carroll's kitchen featured in Cottage Living. (images via Urban Grace) I remember seeing that brass hardware & just loving it.