Trend Report: A Golden Touch
For designers, it’s all about getting a gorgeous glow
Enduring style. “Brass adds a timeless element to a space,” Salt Lake City designer Cara Fox says. “Wood tones and natural elements make sure it’s not overdone.” Megan Reuss of Frankel Building Group in Houston echoes this sentiment. “Warm walnut tones with whites and grays create the perfect backdrop for subtly adding in brass accents,” she says.
Reuss’ Product Picks: Kohler Purist Bath Faucet Trim, Ronbow 36” Amora Vanity Cabinet, Hudson Valley 1-Light Bath Bracket
Reuss’ Product Picks: Kohler Purist Bath Faucet Trim, Ronbow 36” Amora Vanity Cabinet, Hudson Valley 1-Light Bath Bracket
Material matches. “I adore brass with white marbles such as Calacatta, as well as white oak and white painted woods,” Fox says. “It’s fun to even mix with a modern piece of acrylic furniture.” Reese suggests additional pairings. “I personally love to mix metals,” she says. “In a classic space, mixing polished nickel and gold looks fresh. For a more contemporary space, we match matte black with brushed gold.”
Color pairings. “I love to see gold with dark blue, purple, fuchsia — any jewel tones,” Reese says. “A hunter-green butler pantry with a gold backsplash looks gorgeous.” As for in-vogue inky-hued rooms? “In these spaces, gold elements create a refined atmosphere which looks far from gloomy,” Megan Reuss says.
Let it shine. “I go all-in with gold, specifying satin brass in plumbing fixtures, hardware and light fixtures,” Reuss says. “Mixing in a geometric backsplash tile or a romantic floral wallpaper helps elevate it even more.”
Reese’s Product Picks: TOV Furniture Tiffany Counter Stool, Le Marais 8-Light Chandelier, Nuevo Chi Counter Stool
Reese’s Product Picks: TOV Furniture Tiffany Counter Stool, Le Marais 8-Light Chandelier, Nuevo Chi Counter Stool
Gold and brass accents are the metals du jour after sparkling their way across the floors of recent industry shows. Brushed, polished or antiqued, these metals have a look that’s elegant and warm for today’s kitchens and bathrooms. Cabinet pulls shine, gold threads wind through wallpaper and light dances off brass faucets.
A fresh take on a classic shine. “In the past, lighting has been the jewelry of the room,” Chicago designer Jasmin Reese says. “Now faucets and plumbing have the opportunity to shine with a beautiful finish.” Additional elements ripe for glimmering gold accents include tile, kitchen hoods, open shelving, flooring and seating.
Periods and places to inspire: Both the neoclassical and Art Deco eras, along with 1920s Parisian cafes and homes built in the 1800s.