2013 Design Trend: Brass

Arhaus

I have a new design crush:  brass!
Which makes absolutely no sense at all.
If you've lived as long as I have, you've seen trends come and go, and brass is one of them.
There was a time when I couldn't rid myself of brass fast enough!

Restoration Hardware

But the new resurgence of brass is much different than the 80's and 90's when brass was all shiny and new, not allowed to patina, and considered cheap as years went by.

It was replaced by chrome, pewter and satin nickel.

Shades of Light

The brass I'm crushing on is warm and glows with a wonderful mellow patina.

Like this brass coffee table I fell in love with in the lobby of The Windsor Court Hotel in New Orleans.

Yet, there was a time I wouldn't look twice at this!

Restoration Hardware

Now I'm crushing on antiqued brass like this bar cart from Restoration Hardware.
I can just see it all decked out with martini shakers and crystal decanters.


When we bought our home in the late 90's, we inherited a "house of brass."

The previous owners had remodeled it in '93 and every faucet, towel bar, switch plate, door knob, cabinet hardware, hinge and light fixture was brass. 

Although I de-brassed the house then, I can now appreciate my beautiful brass door hardware throughout the house that I left alone.

Although I wasn't opposed the the golden finish itself, it was the shiny-ness of it then.

I replaced the cabinet hardware with antiqued, aged brass...

...and brought in gold accents with light fixtures,

curtain rods,

and gessoed frames.

 Although I still love the elegance of polished chrome for plumbing fixtures, lately I've been noticing brass used more and more in kitchens and baths.

For instance, all the faucets are aged brass in my friend Lisa's home.
No chrome for her!
Which brings me to the bottom line.
Yes, brass is back in a big way.
And, it's ok to mix metals.

What's your take on brass?
Can you love it?


 Or leave it?