Using metal accessories in decor

Metals have been used since the iron age in our everyday lives. Initially metals were used strictly for functional purposes in life. Today, metals play a key role in our home décor, and many are decorative and functional. This list will detail different metals used in décor.

Copper- Copper is one of the oldest metals used often during the roman era. Copper is commonly seen as a decorative element in kitchens. However, copper also have properties that make it resistant to bacterial issues as well. This beautiful soft metal looks particularly well as an accessory when paired with other warm hued natural elements like terracotta , honey pine, and cherry woods.

Stainless Steel- This metal is highly resistant to corrosion and thus an invaluable metal in society for a number of reasons. It is a mainstay of cutlery, flatware, and cookware. It is presently the most preferred request of finished on appliances in home décor and renovations. Stainless steel is a cool toned neutral metal, stainless steel naturally compliments contemporary and modern aesthetics. It can pair with brushed or satin nickle finishes, pewter and chrome. Easy to care for and a handsome partner to black granite, stainless steel also goes well with light oak and maple finishes or dark cherry finishes.

Pewter- a soft metal that has been around since the middle ages, pewter was once used as often as we currently use aluminum today. Its soft malleable ability make it a great decorative element today for accessories, cabinet hardware, and finishes. It is also a neural metal and can go well with all forms of metals in a design scheme. Items made of pewter are collected widely and they are often incorporated into design schemes around kitchens. It will remain a popular collectible and accessory for some time to come because of its ability to meld well with current trends and fads around silver colored metals used today.

Brass- Because if its similarity in look to gold, brass has been valued and used throughout history in many ways. In the last decade, brass finishes and brass plated decorative accessories were seen in many homes. Brass finishes were seen in hardware, lighting fixtures, faucets, etc. today, it's popularity has slowly been in decline as home owners gravitate towards the neutral cool appeal of stainless steel, and metals in the same color family. Because it was so popular in the last decade it is often a sign of a dated look today and is usually changed out for the newer trends. Because it is a warm hued metal, it pairs only with warm hued finishes in wood, granite and stone accents. This limits its ability to transition with décor and thus it will probably stay out of design schemes for some time to come.