Copper: All that Glitters Isn’t Gold
Pierced copper mantel
Copper is one of those good things I only came around to later in life. As a kid, it was my favorite crayon in the jumbo box (so sparkly!), but the metal itself was something better left on the wrists of arthritic grandmas. Even as a young home design editor, I didn’t quite get it as a decorative element outside the context of an Arts and Crafts house. But after neighbors installed copper gutters, I had to do the same. What previously had been bland conduits for channeling water away from the house suddenly weren’t so boring. They were jewelry. New, they glinted in the sunlight, but without any brashness, as though rose petals had softened their complexion. Then they weathered to that subtle verdigris patina that suggests the character of a house well-lived. I was smitten. A recent project of Des Moines interior designer Kabira Cadogan (www.iN2iTDesignStudio.com) reminded me that copper’s possibilities as a pick-me-up for the home aren’t limited to exteriors. In her vibrant design of a new house for a young family in an historic neighborhood, she turned to copper as an accent material and instant gratification for warmth, color, and character.
The copper mantel's piercings imbue the living room with a whimsical character.
In the context of the living room's Sticks handpainted furniture and exuberant palette, the pierced copper mantel is more idiosyncratic and edgy than it is old-fashioned.
The designer’s use of copper becomes a transitional tool, weaving the rooms together. She decorated the dining room with a copper chandelier, then repeated copper in the kitchen.
Dining room's copper chandelier
Copper trim creates a grid on the stone backsplash.
Categories: Architectural matearials, color, Design, Home, makeovers, Metals | Tags:
3 Comments
3 Responses to “Copper: All that Glitters Isn’t Gold”
April 29, 2010 at 4:33 pm, by Chad Wooters
The effect of the copper is greatly enhanced by the drama of the purple paint complimenting the yellow toned wood work.
April 30, 2010 at 11:14 am, by Candace Manroe
Good observation, Chad. I love that passionate purple.
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