Brass and Gold Accents Make a Comeback
Warm metals can be the perfect pick for vintage-modern spaces
Jen L'Italien
December 17, 2011
Houzz Contributor. Stylist, creative consultant and writer living in Maine with my family. I spend most of my days reading storybooks and running after my two toddlers, Juniper and Leo. 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 checking out the antique stores up here whenever I have free time.
Houzz Contributor. Stylist, creative consultant and writer living in Maine with 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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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Sandie,
It's the same old brass, now with more of a brushed brass look and on modern styles and simplistic design verse the traditional looks of the past. Mandi @ Dura