Home Decor Trends for 2017 – Copper & Galvanized Kitchens

Copper & Galvanized Kitchens

One of the more exciting and interesting home decor trends for 2017 is the use of mixed metals, especially in the kitchen. We are all familiar with stainless steel in the kitchen, predominantly in the sink, and perhaps also carving knives, as well as general cutlery, but we can go much further than that. Metals work well, especially when different types of metals are mixed.

Metals used as home decor can be roughly grouped as either warm or cool. Most coppers, brasses and bronzes are warm, while shiny steels, and even galvanized steels and irons, can be considered cool. Other metals, such as cast iron and wrought iron, for example, can be considered neutral, though perhaps it is slightly leaning towards cool.

Metal in the home works well as accents, small artistically worked and placed pieces that catch the eye and lift the decor up and out of the ordinary. This can also work well in the kitchen, but larger brass and copper pieces, especially when they have an aged look, work even better for this room, giving it a warm feel that can effectively offset the cool of the stainless steel shine of the sink area.

Galvanized steel has a grey appearance. This makes it less cool looking and gives it a kind of mechanical authority. Galvanized steel and tin can be used effectively as countertops and backsplashes. A galvanized countertop is not made from solid galvanized steel, but rather it is usually a hard wood base covered in a thin sheet of the metal, which gives the appearance of being a solid, single piece of metal.

There are advantages and disadvantages to having a galvanized steel or tin countertop. Metal is malleable, which means it can be stretched and disfigured. The most common manifestation of this is a dent, usually caused when a heavy object is brought to contact heavily with the countertop. Dents in a galvanized countertop are difficult to repair properly. The best advice here is, be careful when working around a galvanized countertop.

A galvanized steel countertop is non-porous, which helps considerably to make it a good and safe hygienic choice for your kitchen. It is also heat proof, so hot pans set down on the surface won’t usually do any particular damage. Metals are also easy to clean and therefore a good choice for a kitchen. Chlorides and bleaches, or cleaners based on these chemicals, can be corrosive to a galvanized surface, so be careful with these.

Copper can also be used as a countertop. This works in the same way as galvanized steel or tin. A thin sheet of copper is laid over and attached to a strong piece of hard wood base. Over time, a copper countertop will age to become a reddish brown color. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing as it looks quite good. However, a sealer can prevent this happening. Copper is also significantly softer than galvanized metal, which means that it will develop dents and scratches much more easily.

If you enjoyed reading this article on copper and galvanized home decor, you may enjoy the following article from Houzz.com –  Heavy Metal in Home Decor