Brass and Gold Accents Make a Comeback
Warm metals can be the perfect pick for vintage-modern spaces
I live in a loft in Brooklyn, a recent transplant to Greenpoint (love my neighborhood!). I work as a freelance writer, blogger, stylist, gilder, and crafter. I curate a daily personal lifestyle blog called the Haystack Needle (http://www.thehaystackneedleonline.com). I'm also one half of the shop Cabin 7 (http://www.shopcabin7.com) — a collection of gilded objects for the home. I started out in magazines, working in the home department of Real Simple magazine and later worked as the home editor of Redbook. I love to scout cool finds for the home — everything from an amazing loveseat to a green laundry detergent that really works. I'm a new mama to our baby girl, Juniper, who amazes me every day with her curiosity for life and big smiles.
I live in a loft in Brooklyn, a recent transplant to Greenpoint (love my... More »
I'm going to go out on a limb and say I'm digging all the warm brass and gold you see used as hardware and fixtures in the home now. I never thought I'd say that. In fact, even with jewelry, I used to be a straight platinum or sterling silver kind of girl. But now I'm loving rose golds for necklaces and rings as well as the warmer shades of brass and gold that I'm seeing pop up in the bathroom, kitchen, and around the house as accents. Here's inspiration for something I thought I'd never say — loving brass and gold.
More: A Little Sparkle, a Little Shine
More: A Little Sparkle, a Little Shine
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Could this bathroom be more rad? This is not your '80s bathroom with gold fixtures. All the gold-toned fixtures (even the plumbing on the toilet) has the right gold tone that looks luxe, modern, and works so well with all the white tile and splashes of bright orange.
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Hello, dream bathroom. Everything about this bathroom walks that line between vintage and modern. The clawfoot tub (with the mod black finish) looks so pretty sitting under the warm gold tones of the shower faucet. And the plumbing and towel bar matches metals, so the space looks cohesive.
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One brassy framed mirror sitting above a gorgeous blue painted chest with brass knobs: that spells glamorous. A knob in any other color would not have looked right on this fanciful blue chest.
This warm brass faucet is a less common choice for a farmhouse sink. But I think it works. The color is more matte and muted and looks pretty against the sage-green cabinetry.
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In this bedroom, the light fixtures have a warm, brassy metal finish that feels sweet and feminine. Chrome or stainless steel would have added a different vibe to this space.
Tip: Stainless steel and chrome have a naturally modern style to them. So if your space is more vintage in style, consider an aged brass or gold tone for your accents. The colors may complement each other more.
Tip: Stainless steel and chrome have a naturally modern style to them. So if your space is more vintage in style, consider an aged brass or gold tone for your accents. The colors may complement each other more.
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A pair of modern shaped reading lights in brass flank this bed. The lights are subtle enough to keep your focus on the headboard, and the brass metal feels luxe and pretty.
| The shiny brass pendants in this kitchen take center stage — yet they're not loud. The shape of the lights feels vintage, and the brass is a lovely little bit of shine in all the black and white of the space. |
| Here's a more unusual choice for a kitchen: a large chandelier in a gold-toned brass with black shades. It's definitely an eye-catcher and feels very sophisticated. |
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The knobs of the cabinets and sconces in this room are all a warm, brassy metal that works so well in this white space. This room has a lot of white mixed in with a little peachy pink.
Tip: Like paint colors, metals come in many different shades. What color does the metal cast? Once upon a time, gold only had a yellow tone. Now, you can see golds and brass with peachy, pink undertones that feel more modern.
More: Metal Mixology
Guest Picks: Brass and Gold Accents
Tip: Like paint colors, metals come in many different shades. What color does the metal cast? Once upon a time, gold only had a yellow tone. Now, you can see golds and brass with peachy, pink undertones that feel more modern.
More: Metal Mixology
Guest Picks: Brass and Gold Accents
Comments
bepsf So glad Brass is finally making a comeback!
18 months ago · Like
lucca Not a fan of the gold or brass; but love the dog!
17 months ago · Like
Dressing the Home Brass is a classic, in my opinion. I have told plenty of clients not to worry about changing their brass to nickel or chrome or anything else, as long as they liked it. I have found it amusing that so many people rushed out to change every door knob and hinge in their homes because someone told them that brass was "out".
17 months ago · Like
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mustangsal Well, I didn't "rush" out to change, and in fact have only recently changed kitchen and master bedroom cabinet hardware and faucets to nickel, but I still have gold in the guest suite, and am glad to know that maybe it can stay for a while. Though not a slave to trend, with the housing market being what it is these days, if you think you may be putting your home on the market, it is always good to stay as current as you can afford to be, IMO.
17 months ago · Like
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sues We just bought an older home and all the brass had to go ASAP.
17 months ago · Like
mslis We, too, just bought an older home that is filled with shiney brass. I have decided to embrace it, as it is a "green" thing to do. I have painted some of the rooms in tones of grey and am very pleased to see how good the brass and grey color scheme works. Glad to see that it is coming back!
17 months ago · Like
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dancingfish 23 years ago I changed everything over to brass-- all the lights, light switch covers, faucets etc.. this year we decided we needed to update and "modernize" so out with the brass and in with the brushed nickel.... oh my-- are we out of style again??
17 months ago · Like
Jen Jafarzadeh L'Italien dancingfish: I don't think so! I think the beauty of today is that there are many looks that can work in a home, look stylish, and feel up to date. I personally like a mix of metals.
17 months ago · Like
decorlaura As far as I'm concerned brass never went out of style. Used correctly, it is a classic in the most stately of homes. I tell my clients if they like it, keep it. I'm still partial to it.
17 months ago · Like
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Terri Huck I am hoping The brass comeback is short lived. To me, it always old. Not a fan at all.
8 months ago · Like
Ideabook published on Dec. 17, 2011.
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