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DIY Interior Design Guide to Mixed Metals
Mixing metals in interior design is going to be a hot trend in the next couple of years because:
- We’re tired of trying to coordinate every piece of metal in our homes because the open design concept means we can see into almost every room in the house.
- We have discovered that a single metal looks flat when there are no other metals to play with it.
- We’re attracted to shiny things and need more of them in our homes.
Okay, so maybe number three is all about me but I’m betting that I’m not the only one! Have you seen the new metals that have been showing up in designer homes? Flat blacks, and dusty silver, brushed bronze, and shiny copper. These beauties can be found on wallpaper and shelf liners, back-splashes and accessories. All of which is great news for the DIY-er, because it couldn’t be simpler to add metal accents or easier to make a big splashy statement with a metal embellished wallpaper–all without breaking the budget. Let’s crack this craze open and see how you can implement mixed metals into your home.
Start with the Art
Art is such an easy way to update a room that feels a little stale. Since gallery walls are on the decline this year, why not replace yours with a big bold piece of metallic art? Entry ways and above the sofa are great places to add big concept art with a little shine, and the bedroom looks just a bit sexier with some shimmer in it. Don’t forget to look for art with a metallic touch for the bathroom or kitchen where the cabinet pulls bring a different shade of metal to the look. If you love metallics, you just might love Art Deco and Hollywood Regency decor. Check out our guide on How to Modernize Art Deco and Hollywood Regency Styles.
Use wallpaper to make a statement
Wallpaper has evolved in a high-design and low stress way to add color, shine and texture to any room. There are wallpapers that a pure art, and wallpapers in mesmerizing geometric patterns (another
hot design trend). Renters and the worrisome can now embrace wallpapers designed to come off as easy as they are to put up. By the way, one of the wallpapers shown below is removable–can you tell which one?
There’s two easy ways to add wallpaper to your home. The first is on a statement wall. A single wall is waaaay easier to wallpaper than an entire room because you don’t have to worry about turning the corners or matching the paper pattern where the last row meets the first. Wallpapering a single wall gives you the option of choosing a pattern with a shiny mixed metals or a bold color without overwhelming the room. Bold colors are so hot right now–check out what else is hot in our
DIY Guide to the 2018 Design Trends.The second way to mix metals using wallpaper is to wallpaper an entire small room. We’re talking about a bathroom or a closet–a space that is separate from the design landscape of the rest of the house where you can explore something a little brighter, edgier or bolder. Remember to repeat colors from the rest of your home, but otherwise this small space can become an exclamation point on your home–a shiny metallic one if you so desire.
Bring on the Tile!
Tile has so many faces that it’s hard to keep up. It’s the master of disguise. One minute it looks like a plank of wood, the next it looks like a tiny work of art. I’m totally obsessed with
metallic grout and its ability to make simple subway tile shine, and the
metallic tile with patterns of mixed stone, metal and stainless steel. If your kitchen back splash is looking a bit like a wallflower, it might be time to explore the new options for mixing metals into tile design. If your room is starting to feel over-decorated, check out the
5 Design Rules to Break.
Add a light fixture or change out your cabinet pulls
Mixing metals becomes a no-brainer in the kitchen, where stainless steel appliances and metallic cabinet pulls meet. It you have been dying to dip your toe into mixed metals, why not do it by changing your current cabinet pulls for something in a copper or brushed bronze? Maybe it’s time to add a little shine to a kitchen filled with black knobs and stainless steel appliances by choosing copper metallic pendant lights for above the island. Remember, with the mixed metals there’s no need to change your chandelier to match! What an easy fix–often for less than $300.
Mixed metals are a trend that anyone can try. If you’re not in the mood for any of the easy renovations we’ve already discussed, then add new metals to your room with new accessories. It can be something as simple as a gold serving tray or as dramatic as a chrome and glass entry table. It’s nice to be able to add a little bit of the sparkle and shine we enjoy during the holidays to our homes so we can enjoy them year round.
Design magazines are predicting that we’re going to go bananas over brushed copper and matte metals, but we’d love to hear what metallic you’re excited about this year. Let us know in the comments below!
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Featured Image by : Witt Construction
