Add a touch of gold to your interior with brass
Brass as a metal became an increasingly common material in the late 19th century, when it was frequently used in the manufacturing of lamps, candlesticks, hooks, and other industrial items.
The most common practice back then was to have a brushed and matte surface finish. Since then, the trend has varied between a polished shiny finish and a brushed matte surface.
Today, brass is a popular element in our homes and is a rewarding material to decorate with, as it suits and matches many different materials and styles.
Brass details contribute warmth and an authentic feel to your home. In this article, we have listed everything you need to know about decorating with brass and how to best match it.
Brushed vs. polished brass
What is exciting about interior design is that two products with the exact same form can look completely different depending on the choice of material and color. This also applies to brushed and polished brass. Furniture and decorations with brushed brass details often provide a rustic and almost industrial feel. Meanwhile, polished shiny brass is a more eye-catching material that easily draws attention. Polished brass provides an extravagant and luxurious feel and is excellent for decorating if you want to create an environment at home that feels precious and has a hotel-like atmosphere. Of course, there are no rules when it comes to decorating with brass. It is perfectly fine to vary both brushed and polished brass in your interior; the two contrasts can make the home feel more vibrant and exciting.
Candlesticks and lamps in brass
A candlestick in polished brass is a beautiful detail in the home. The warm tone of the brass and the polished surface emit a beautiful shimmer and glow. If you also make sure to polish it at regular intervals, it is just as beautiful lit as it is unlit. The same warm light is spread via brass lamps. A beautiful brass chandelier emits a warm and shimmering light. This can be compared to a silver chandelier, which gives off a colder light. Of course, this can also be regulated by the choice of light bulb, but it is further enhanced by the material of the lamp.
It’s in the details
As mentioned, brass is a metal that can be mixed and matched with many fabrics and materials. Because it is a clean and “hard” material, it works very well as details on furniture that is more cozy and soft.
Brass details on a bouclé or velvet sofa provide a really stylish contrast to the smooth and soft fabric, and it makes the furniture more vibrant when you mix two extremes of materials.
Brass together with other metals
You could say that brass is a warm metal, just like gold and copper. They are called warm because of their warm color tones. By mixing and matching these warm metals with cooler elements, you create a dynamic feel and life in the interior. Examples of cooler metals are steel, silver, and aluminum.
Playing with colors and materials is a perfect way to create life in a room.
If, for example, your bedroom is mostly in warm tones, cozy materials, and brass decorations, you can add silver-colored details to break it up and create life in the room.
If you instead have mostly cold tones in the bathroom with white tiles and stainless steel details, you can create a warmer feel through decoration. Add warm colors on towels and other elements in brass or gold.
First, you should therefore think about what you want to dominate, the colder or the warmer tone. Then you can choose decorations based on the opposite tone you have chosen to break things up and create a vibrant interior.
How to polish brass (and other metals)
To preserve the beautiful polished surface, simple maintenance is required. It can feel laborious and complicated, but in reality, polishing brass is both simple, inexpensive, and fast. The easiest way is to invest in a metal polish and a soft cloth. These can be found in most grocery stores.
