How to Incorporate Metals in Interior Design

Industrial chic has been taking the interior design world by storm over the last few years. This style comeback has meant that features that were previously looked down upon, like exposed bricks walls or iron beams, have now become all the rage. This has also spawned a new interest in incorporating metals and metallic colours into other kinds of styles in the home.

Chrome

Chrome is probably the most popular kind of metal that we’ve been seeing recently. While it was once exclusively the domain of the bathroom, it has since made its way into the rest of the home too. It’s shiny, metallic surfaces are now being used in light fixtures or as the legs of chairs, tables and other furnishings. While nickel is more expensive, and arguably has a less extreme-looking finish, chrome is one of the more cost-effective solutions to furnishing your home that remains popular with those looking for a clean and futuristic look.

Copper

Materials like copper, gold, and brass went out of fashion after their heyday in the 1980s, with many younger designers feeling that they looked old-fashioned or even ostentatious by modern standards. This kind of retro aesthetic is returning, though, and this year Dulex named Copper Blush as the colour of the year. Copper lamps like those found here make for a great standout item in a room, particularly when used to bring a shot of colour into an otherwise neutral space. Another benefit of the material is that its alloys are 100% recyclable, making it perfect for those looking to incorporate eco-friendly materials into their home and lifestyle.

Steel

Finally, steel is perhaps the material most associated with the resurgence of industrial design. There are many different types of steel, each varying in their carbon content, but typically most interior designers stick with the stainless variety. It’s often used in a similar manner to chrome, as an accent to furnishings or as stairway railings, but it’s when it’s used on a larger scale that it’s most striking, like as the main property in coating an entire ceiling or wall. Like chrome, it has a reflective finish that draws the eye, but the duller colour and texture it has better reflects the industrial setting it originates from.

While the industrial style may not be everyone's cup of tea, you may be surprised about how versatile some of the materials can be. Try experimenting with different looks in your own home to see which one works best for you.


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Stylish Lighting Tips to Modernise Your Home

Lighting plays an often under-appreciated role in interior design. In fact, how you feel in a space is often derived by the amount of natural light it receives. Similarly, a room can even feel larger when the right tricks are implemented. In order to create a room that combines the best aspects of modern interior design, you’ll need to understand the role lighting plays in the home. Here’s what you need to know.

Understanding the Basics of Lighting

Before you start decorating your home, it’s important to learn the basics. There are three main types of lighting that you should be aware of: ambient lighting, task lighting, and accent lighting. Ambient lighting refers to the main source of light in a room, typically using overhead fixtures like pendant or recessed lighting. Task lighting is designed to help you with certain tasks, like a bedside lamp that enables you to read at night. Finally, the role of accent lighting is to highlight a specific object or feature of a room.

How You Can Use It

LED lighting is becoming more popular as a cost-effective alternative to traditional bulbs. As well as saving you money, it’s also much more practical when designing certain parts of the home. When designers want to illuminate a wardrobe or bathroom vanity area in a stylish fashion, they’re using a row of small, recessed LED bulbs because they last much longer.

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Similarly, installing small lights along the steps of your stairway can help to create a contemporary, sleek design. These are available in a large variety of shapes, sizes, and colours so you can easily create match it with the look of the rest of the room. Not only does this look great, it could also help to prevent accidents late at night.

When decorating a young child’s bedroom, Christmas or fairy lights are a great alternative to a night light. They’re also flexible enough that they can be incorporated into a more mature, modern design as they grow up. LED lighting also has a number of safety benefits that’s perfect for a child’s room. Take a look here for all the details you'll need, but the main benefits are that it’s cool to the touch and shatter resistant.

How do you use lighting to create the kind of look you want in your home? Let me know about some of your tricks in the comments below.

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