Metal for extra bling!

Accessories and designs made of metal are trending. Bindu Gopal Rao gives you a low-down on how to customise this trend

While doing up your home, you can seek design inspirations from many sources. One interesting options is metals. Yes, metallic home decor is a trend to watch out for and is a great way to give your home a makeover.

Metal matters

Bling is very much in and can create a niche corner in your home. “We can include shiny metals by having candle stands, small decor items and wall decor accessories. For washrooms, one can use metallic coloured basins or decorative utensils. For bedrooms, use it as a colour scheme for fans, table lamps, vases and cushions,” opines Sagar Datta, interior designer at Casa Interio.

Ramachandra Shastry, director, Rumors Fine Furnishings, adds, “Bringing metal to unexpected areas like the walls can make an eclectic room feel more glamorous and grown up. Copper is a good choice in more laid-back, rustic country homes. Chrome can be used for a fancy, high glamour touch. Polished gold and silver fixtures make your space look dramatic. Brass, steel and nickel are a few more metals that can be used.”

Fabrics that include metallic yarn either in weaving or embroidery or in the form of prints (foil prints) can be used to add a hint of metal to any given space. A woven wire shower curtain too brings unexpected shine and texture to a contemporary
modern interior.

Accessories

Stainless steel accessories lend a smart, chic and contemporary look to one’s homes. “Use of stainless steel as an interior accessory option can add that glamour and zing, so there are people who are going for steel furniture/ wall hangings and lamps to do up the corners. A stainless steel and wood combination is lovely for furniture. One can accessories with planters, photo frames and vases, which can be in their natural colour, and outlined with other colours like rose gold and bronze,” say Deepikaa Jindal, MD, Artddinox.

Even laminates which have a number of applications in exterior and interior surfaces can be availed in metal finish now, as ACP sheets are available in various finishes such as gold, silver, steel, copper and brass. “One of the latest trends in metallic finishes includes gold leafing. Sanitary ware, wallpapers, wall paints, along with hardware items and showpieces/decor items are available in metallic finish. In a nutshell, literally everything that a home interior needs is available in shiny metals,” says Ajay Agarwal, partner, Geopreneur Design Studio.

Silver and gold have always been regarded as luxe elements in any segment, home interiors being the most prominent. “Gold and silver are precious metals and anything associated with their respective colours is considered so too. Copper is the latest entrant in the market as it offers a beautiful soft contrast to the other two,” says Archana Kumari Singh, president, Frazer and Haws.

“Antique silver tea sets or polished aluminium trays can add that metallic element. Use decorative accent pieces like a gold bowl or brass candle holders or a metallic table lamp to add that rustic glam,” adds Nimrita Genomal, co-founder of Eazelly.com.

Getting it right

Metals like copper, gold, iron and brass can add an instant facelift to your home decor. “Metals reflect light and can instantly add radiance. Floor cushions or throw pillows in metallic colours can be tossed on a neutral coloured couch to get the chic look. Brass is one metal which is making a huge comeback and India is known for beautiful brass craft. An intricate brass bell at the entrance is a perfect piece to splurge on. Brass idols on the table are a serene and stylish accent for any room. Try an antique silver tea set or tray as a prop too. Iron, on the other hand works well as a base metal and does not clash with gold or silver,” says Priyank Varshney, founder, Handikart.co.in.

Gold furnishings, fabrics and paints are the new things in vogue today. An effort to swap curtains, linens, area rugs and pillows with ones that have hints of gold is a good beginning. “Chandeliers of gold or silver are other important accessories that you must include in your homes, especially over your dining tables.Metallic chandeliers are pretty sought after these days. Small accessories and decorating items spread out in the room over the centre table or in the form of a picture frame give a very elegant look to it,” says Samira Chopra, creative head, Casa Colour.

Avoid pitfalls

The key in metallic decor is to use it as a ‘highlight’, and this is where minimalism works. Sanjiv C Mehra, managing director, Trivie Interiors, “Be careful not to go overboard with the colours. If you’re not too sure about the colours to use, stick to
timeless classics like beaten copper or gold leaf. Use one dominant metallic colour. Let the other metallic colours be more subtle.”

Retesh Sharma, director, Zynna, advises, “You should pair metallics with natural fibres that will create a glamorous look without feeling overdone. If not, try using soothing colours with metallics otherwise it will look very overdone. Apart from that, another great idea is adding metallic bookshelves. The reflective surface will provide dimension to knick-knacks and make the bookshelf appear larger.”

Easy tips

The trick with using metallic pieces and mirrors in a single space is to mix them with different, softer textures to balance them out. As the trend in home interiors keep on changing, never replace all the accessories at your home to give them a metallic finish.

Parushni Aggarwal from Studio CREO and Nikoo Interiors, says, “Use softer textures to balance it out, with too many metallics, use solid bold colours or neutral colours so it doesn’t look over the top. Keep the palette neutral. Be it with accessories, fabrics or anything related to patterns on ceilings or flooring, keeping the theme of your space neutral with a few metallic elements will make your space look stylish. You should use the same colour metal (for example, gold) in different textures or finishes (polished brass, brushed brass, gold leaf.) One should start small for this experimental look to the interiors of one’s home.” So get set for a home metallic makeover.