Modern design tends to be eclectic, mixing styles and materials. Jewelers often use several metals at once in their work, and interior designers have adopted this technique. The combination of copper, silver and gold can instantly transform the interior, visually adding depth and volume to it. We invite you to discuss how to correctly combine objects made or decorated with different metals in the interior.
Assess your capabilities
First of all, it is important to evaluate the capabilities of your room, since the rich texture of the metal will certainly make its own adjustments to the visual perception of the room. A large room means great opportunities, especially if the lighting system is properly organized. A metal that is cold in energy will get along well with other materials and textures.
If we're talking about about the premises with small area, metal objects can also be used, but you should limit their number to two or three.
It is worth considering that several different types metal will fit better into the interior, the design of which uses a warm color palette and wooden elements. With their help, you can neutralize the excessive cold of the metal.
Play with contrasts
Playing with contrasts is one of the current techniques in modern interior design. The collision of materials that are opposite in color, character and texture always produces a very interesting effect. In this context, we can talk about the excellent compatibility of metals such as iron and cast iron with stainless steel and aluminum: the first group, as a rule, is black-gray in color and has a heavier texture, while steel and aluminum are lighter, the surface has a silvery, slightly glossy. This contrasting combination of metals can be used not only for decorative purposes, but also for functional purposes, for example, for zoning space.
Give preference to “relatives”
The opposite trend also works - the use of materials that are similar in color and texture. So, in one interior, silver-white objects and finishes, that is, made of titanium, tin, stainless steel and aluminum, will look harmonious. A warmer combination is gold, brass and bronze.
Choose your favorite
To highlight everything means to highlight nothing, so you need to choose a metal (or its imitation) that will dominate a particular interior. Other materials and colors should be used in smaller quantities so as not to shift the emphasis.
The use of gold trim has been a current trend for several seasons now. Gold in a modern interior harmoniously combines with chocolate shades and geometric patterns of muted, restrained colors. When choosing objects and decorations decorated with gold, you should remember the measure, otherwise the interior will turn out to be too pompous and pretentious.
Copper is gradually losing ground, but this does not stop many customers and designers. This metal has a warm, pleasant color that can transform any decor. The ideal complement for copper would be a pastel color palette: this way you can emphasize the warmth of this metal. Experimenting with brighter and more saturated colors, such as black, green and blue, can also yield interesting results. The combination of copper and wood texture also looks beautiful.
If we talk about how “friendly” copper is to other metals, it is worth noting that it “gets along” well with iron and silver, but they must be used in smaller quantities so as not to shift the emphasis.
Silver
Silver goes well with other metals of a similar color: chrome, nickel, stainless steel, titanium, etc. Against the background of these materials, silver will stand out due to its noble shine. You should be careful with the combination of silver and black, as it gives a rather gloomy impression.
Brass elements can transform the interior in no time. This metal is one of those that looks organically in an interior in eco and Scandinavian styles. Brass goes well with a natural color palette and an abundance of wood.
Chrome and steel
Chrome and steel are similar in color and go well together. In addition, these metals will come in handy when decorating interiors with brick, stone, leather and marble.
Metals are unlikely to stop being used for interior decoration in the near future; only the fashion for specific types is changing. Don’t be afraid to experiment and combine materials with different textures in one interior. This way the design will look livelier and more interesting.
Decorators and interior designers pay great attention to color combinations in their work. They are no less sensitive to the choice of different textures and materials. Only the right combinations can unlock the full potential of a space. In this article we will talk about the options of metals that are used in interior design, and also suggest the colors and shades that can be most successfully combined with them.
Gold
From time immemorial, this precious metal has been considered a symbol of prosperity and luxury. Anyone who bets on their status certainly uses gold in the interior. The presence of this metal brings a unique charm and nobility to the space.
The amount of gold in the interior should be carefully thought out. Otherwise, you can turn the apartment into some kind of museum or exhibition. We also note that gold objects and elements do not tolerate “random neighbors”, so you should very carefully select the color for wall decoration, floor covering and when choosing a furniture group.
Gold objects harmonize well with pure spectrum colors: blue, purple, red, green, yellow, black or white. In addition, the color of luxury looks good in tandem with cream, wheat, blue, sand, lilac and turquoise. A combination with coral, brown and terracotta is considered not successful.
Silver
This noble metal is considered very modest and quite democratic, which is why it is often used in interior designs. Regarding color combinations, silver exhibits a dual character. On the one hand, it harmonizes perfectly with the tones of a similar range (white, lilac, blue, light gray). On the other hand, it goes well with deep, bright and rich shades (lemon, malachite, blue, black, cobalt and pink).
Copper
The presence of copper in the interior makes the atmosphere more cozy and warm; such a room will seem much more comfortable and will be conducive to pleasant communication. Copper goes well with pastel shades. Together with this metal, the interior may contain colors such as light gray, pink, sky, lilac. In addition, by combining copper accessories with charcoal, ultramarine, light wood or emerald shades, you can create an incredibly stylish interior.
Iron
Sometimes the interior simply requires the introduction of some rough texture into the decor. The best option In this case, the use of a uniquely brutal metal – iron – becomes necessary. Iron objects somewhat pacify the pathos and bring a certain character to the space of the room.
Iron elements are best combined with natural colors: shades of wood, cobalt, terracotta, green, yellow. In certain designs, it is appropriate to combine metal with white and shades of gray. But in this case, it is worth remembering the need for the presence of warm natural accents to compensate for the coldness of such a combination.
Steel
The shiny surface of chrome and steel elements in the interior should only be surrounded by natural shades. The best companions for this metal are brown, sand, terracotta, beige and gray.
Metal, if used in a residential interior, can significantly influence the atmosphere of the room in the future, making it cold and aggressive or, conversely, surrounded by an aura of sophistication and taste. Both the first and second options depend entirely on a sense of moderation, which should not be forgotten when working with a material such as metal.
If you are interested in this article, then most likely you are looking for answers to the question of how best to combine different metals in the space of one room.
Metal in the interior
Before using metal objects, you need to soberly assess the size of the selected room. So, in a spacious, bright room, a material that is cold in every sense can quite successfully coexist with other objects with a warm texture of fabrics and wood. But when it comes to a small room, you shouldn’t focus too much on metal objects; it will be enough to use a couple of decorative accents, for example, in the form of candlesticks or table lamps.
When you plan to use items from different types in a room metals, then they will fit into the image of the interior most harmoniously if it contains:
- Tree
Furniture, decorative panels, and flooring made from this material serve as a natural contrast to cold metals.
- Warm shades
If you are a fan of metals and are ready to use them in the design of your home, a predominantly warm palette of the room will contribute to a warmer image than the cool shades used in surface cladding.
- Light
A good solution, for example, is a beautiful forged cornice framing a wide window opening or an openwork copper chandelier, which, nevertheless, visually gives warmth.
Combination of dark and light metals
Color contrast in interior design has great importance, because with its help you can create a more stylish and non-trivial image of the room.
Try combining dark gray or black metal objects with light, lightweight ones, for example, iron and stainless steel or cast iron, steel and aluminum. By the way, in this way you can create compositional accents in one of the functional areas of the room, or use them only for the purpose of zoning the room.
Option 1: Compositional group of objects with elements of dark and light metals
Option 2: items made of light metals in one area of the kitchen, items made of dark metals - in the dining room.
When choosing interior items and decor from different types of metals, you can try to create harmony by using, for example, shiny surfaces in the same room.
For example, the facades and bodies of some large and small items household appliances are made of titanium (characteristic silver-white color), and if these are installed in your kitchen, they can be successfully complemented by various lighting fixtures or stainless steel dishes (silver color), as well as beautiful tin figurines (silver metal).
In a similar way, you can combine iron ceiling panels with steel-colored pendant lamps and aluminum fittings.
Focus on copper
Copper is used to produce very beautiful interior items or individual parts of certain objects. This metal can look quite decorative and, at the same time, combine well with other types, such as iron or silver. But when combining them in one room, it should be remembered that it is better to focus attention on any one of them, in this case, on copper, relegating other types of metals to the background.
In the center of the living room (by the fireplace, on its tabletop) you can place beautiful copper vases, trays or candlesticks that will add an antique atmosphere. The kitchen, bedroom, and corridor will be decorated with unusual patinated bodies of chandeliers, sconces, or table decorative lamps. In addition to them, you can use objects made of iron or silver, but always less abundantly and openly (in the form of the base of a coffee table, cutlery, small figurines.
Contrast of textures
In the space of one room, several types of metals, processed differently, are sometimes successfully combined. You can combine smooth steel elements and corrugated and perforated iron surfaces in your interior. Also, the use of painted matte paint, iron lamps or panels in the kitchen work area, combined with titanium, brass or steel items.
Multi-colored metals
Here we are talking not only about the simultaneous use of different (iron, copper, brass, steel or silver) metals in interior design. You can use only one specific type, but present it differently.
So, it would not be a bad idea to install furniture with a black iron frame (a tea table, for example) in the center of a group of furniture, but if the living room has a fireplace portal, you can decorate it with a forged iron grate with a touch of rust or patina.
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An interesting and very characteristic design of a wall around a fireplace, or a screen for placing a home theater monitor, can be realized by cladding with rolled sheets of copper, iron and brass. Try to repeat a similar experience, because we are sure that your guests have never seen anything like it.
In order to adapt iron objects to an interior designed in a specific, and not always aggressive, style, we recommend using enamel paints. They do an excellent job of improving certain characteristics of the metal: making it more resistant to corrosion and decorating it from an aesthetic point of view.
Metal and its imitation
It is noteworthy that often only one type of metal is used in the interior of one room, since not many people decide to combine it with others. Therefore, sometimes it is more advisable to use a good imitation of a material than, at your own risk, to act rashly and combine several metals that are completely incompatible with each other.
Gilding, silvering, patination, gold leaf are techniques used by masters of furniture art when creating carved headboards, mirror frames, etc.
One of these techniques can be used to create a decorative gold effect on a ceramic vase, or to decorate the carved base of a wooden console.
Metal in the interior: how to use it in the design of an apartment or house
Brass, copper, iron, cast iron, chrome, aluminum, and stainless steel are suitable for home furnishing design. We’ll tell you where and in what form they can be included in the decoration so that the composition is complete and harmonious.
Methods of using metal in the interior
The main rule is balance. Steel, iron, chrome are used for zoning, accentuation, and decoration in combination with more common finishing materials: wood, plaster, wallpaper, tiles, etc. Otherwise, with the dominance of steel parts, the living space risks turning into cold and lifeless.
- The fireplace area is one of the most successful places.
The portal itself can be covered with a forged lattice, and the wall around it with rolled sheets of brass, copper or iron.
- An interior metal partition can have any pattern (floral, geometric, abstract).
Hammering is used to support the metal finish of a fireplace. If the design of the room is in high-tech style, polished steel is chosen for the fencing.
- Copper with a pleasant matte sheen is suitable for almost any interior.
It is used as a sheet material to decorate ceilings, walls, and countertops. Good lighting will help reveal the beauty of the texture. This decorative metal is equally appropriate in classic and minimalist interiors: a polished surface will make the design more modern, while an unpolished surface will add a touch of antiquity.
- Bronze is chosen when decorating living rooms and bedrooms in Rococo, Empire, and Classic styles.
It is used to make bed headboards, lamps, candlesticks, figurines, frames, and door fittings.
- Brass feels great surrounded by natural shades: green, wood, gray, white, blue.
It is used for finishing walls, furniture, accessories, and lamps.
- Steel in the interior is a favorite of the high-tech style.
Stairs, partitions, and shelving are made from it. Sheet material is used to line walls, cover tabletops, and highlight furniture elements. An upholstered chair in a rigid steel case looks extremely impressive. Stainless steel in the design of an apartment or house is especially successful against the background of finishing with a natural palette.
Steel Design Options
- Metal tiles
This is a wall and floor covering with good performance and aesthetic properties.
The base is porcelain stoneware, on the front side of which a layer of stainless steel or aluminum is applied. The surface is left textured or smooth. This type of stainless steel wall decoration looks good in the kitchen or dining room: here it can be thematically supported by kitchen equipment or lamps.
It is better to choose tiles with a mirror surface for the bathroom; such cladding will expand the space.
The combination of steel with chrome fittings and white sanitary ware is most beneficial. Stainless steel panels are used for wall decoration not only in bathrooms, but also in indoor swimming pools, where they successfully cope with high humidity.
- Steel mosaic
From neat small pieces you can assemble a monolithic whole canvas or an unusual panel. Due to its miniature size, mosaics are suitable for decorating places that are difficult in terms of cladding and structures that are non-standard in shape.
Decorating the walls of a hallway, living room, dining room, kitchen is an easy way to incorporate metal into the interior of a country house and create an environment with distinct individual features.
- Metal coatings
We are talking about the technology of applying a special film 0.5-2 mm thick to any solid base: concrete, plastic, wood. When finished, the surface is ground and polished.
Due to the imitation of patina, rust, and the melting effect, such cladding will acquire an exclusive character. Processed interior details made of bronze or copper will organically complement historical styles; those made of chrome and iron will complement an apartment in loft and hi-tech styles.
Decor and accessories
If the room is spacious and well-lit, feel free to show a cold shine, but complement it with warm textures of textiles and wood. If the area is small, you should get by with only two or three decorative steel accents.
TO metal objects interior include:
- fireplace and radiator grilles
- clocks, wall panels
- table lamps, pendant lamps, sconces
- frames for pictures and mirrors
- figurines, vases
Depending on the chosen material, metal products will add a slight coolness (if you choose stainless steel, chrome) or warmth (in the case of copper and brass) to your interior design.
Metal finishing in different styles: examples of use
|
Material |
Where to apply |
Design options |
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Minimalism, hi-tech |
Stainless steel steel |
Lamps |
Furniture with a metallic sheen and chrome tables are a great addition to a modern room. Golden brass will add a warm accent. |
|
Stainless steel steel |
Wall decoration |
The dosed inclusion of metal in the loft interior distinguishes this style from the more rigid high-tech. |
|
|
Eclecticism |
Any metal |
Walls |
Be guided by your imagination: a chair made of wire mesh, a chrome lamp, an antique steel bench - it's eccentric, bold, fresh. |
|
Gold |
Mostly antique kitchen utensils, dishes, fittings |
The golden finish of the kitchen set looks warm and elegant: metal and wood in interiors are excellent allies. Polished chrome taps combine interestingly with crystal chandeliers. Copper pots and pans are accessories for a calm, rustic country house interior. |
|
|
Traditional classic |
Gold |
Chandeliers |
Patinated surfaces are a subtle way to add metallic to the design, without pathos or frills. |
Combination of dark and light metals in the interior
A combination of contrasts will help solve two design problems:
- zone the premises;
- emphasize the compositional center within one zone.
The dark color palette includes iron, cast iron, steel, and the light color palette includes stainless steel, aluminum, copper, and brass.
It is not necessary to combine several types of material in one space at once. It is acceptable to use one, but present the color of the metal in different ways in the interior design. For example, if in the living room there is a tea table on a black iron frame, then it is better to support it thematically with a forged fireplace grate, decorated with patina.
To make black metal in the design of a room look organic and not harsh, objects made of iron and cast iron should be coated with colored enamel. She will improve appearance material and enhance its anti-corrosion properties.
Metal furniture in a modern home
The steel texture can be organically integrated into the decor of any room.
- Living room and bedroom
Exclusive furniture made of stainless steel and aluminum and products with forged parts look good in the living room and bedroom. Interiors of modern, pop art, and historical styles use beds with wrought-iron headboards and chairs with metal legs and handles.
Racks, shelves, tables, and television stands made entirely of metal accentuate the design in the loft, hi-tech, minimalism and eclectic styles. Collectible stainless steel furniture for the home looks expensive and elegant.
- Kitchen
In the kitchen, a steely sheen adorns the facades and equipment. Here it is permissible to use products made of brass, iron, copper, chrome, and aluminum. The best option for finishing this room is stainless steel: it is resistant to corrosion and easy to maintain.
If the surface is polished or chrome-plated, the reflective glossy effect will expand the space and give an additional feeling of cleanliness. Metal may be present in kitchen utensils, wall mosaics, aprons, finishing sheets, fittings, appliances.
Kitchen furniture made of stainless steel will last a long time and without complaints.
Wood, metal and brick in the interior
Are wood and metal combined in the design? Without a doubt.
For a cold steel texture, wood is the best companion material that brings natural warmth. It is used for flooring, furniture, and wall panels. Due to the contrast of textures and shades, you can get an expressive, relief design.
The photo shows examples of interior combinations of wood and metal:
- Wood paneling and iron tiles create not only texture but also color contrast in a modern living room.
- The steel-clad fireplace hood stands out beautifully due to the color contrast with the light wood paneling.
- In a rustic setting, attention can be accented with metal lamps and a hanging chair.
Glass and metal in design are a winning combination within modern styles. Implemented in interior partitions, stairs, dining groups, coffee tables. Glass surfaces enhance the effect of shining stainless steel products.
The combination of stone, wood and metal in the design is an attribute of the loft theme. Brickwork, transparent partitions, concrete walls, glass lamps, forged chandeliers, aluminum profiles and steel shelving are easily and naturally mixed here.
Interior metal is a surprisingly malleable material. It can be used to create an ultra-modern, minimalist environment, rich in the cool shine of steel and glass. Or emphasize the warmth and coziness of a traditional-style home by combining metal finishes with wood and stone. What is closer to you?
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