This is my 200th post…I truly meant to do something really special, like Oprah’s home or some other amazing villa. Alas, time got away from me and this is the post I have. Enjoy!
And I’d like to thank any and all of you who take the time out of your busy days (and trust me, we’re all busy) to read my stream of garden, home and decorating ideas. I’m touched that some of you faithfully comment. I appreciate all of you and think of you as friends.
There was a time, early in our marriage, when the metal of choice for hardware, both interior and exterior, and some accessories, was brass. I was, and still am, mostly a traditionalist where interior design is concerned and brass seemed to be a safe and solid choice.
So we installed Baldwin brass door hardware and knobs as we renovated various parts of our home and I purchased brass candle sticks for the mantle and dining room, along with a pair of Baldwin wall sconces for the over- mantle on our fireplace. I still have those pieces today.
The two Baldwin sets below (Georgetown) look nice in either finish. We’ve gone with oil rubbed bronze and are happy with the look on our white doors.
With time, my decorating leaned towards an English country look with a little French thrown in for good measure. Brass still won the day. Then, in 2001, we remodeled our master bathroom, and oil rubbed bronze was really popular and I loved the “old world” look of it. We replaced the door hardware on the bathroom door with ORB and installed faucets and drawer pulls in that finish. Over time we have replaced the interior door hardware and exterior door hardware with ORB as well.
With accessories I’m open to mixing metals since I tend to buy things I love with little concern for the color of the metal…some of my antique dog statues look like bronze, while others are probably spelter (bronze’s poor cousin) or some other inexpensive metal.
This little candle holder looks to be either silver that's nicely aged or maybe brass...I especially like a grouping of metal items on display.
These antique metal containers appear to be brass. I'm always on the search for similar pieces when I shop the antique stores. You used to be able to find them for a reasonable price, lately, not so much.
image via Brabourne Farms
I confess, most of my pictures frames are pewter, but that's not to say I wouldn't mix it up if I found a frame I loved.
image via Brabourne Farm
Some of these items are wonderful...I want to shop where this person shops!
image via Brabourne Farm
I like the use of mixed silver on a table. It's so much fun to see flatware that isn't matching, it adds interest, don't you think?
image via Southern Accents
I wouldn't want my antique trophies to match!
image via Velvet & Linen via High Point 2010
While these pieces match, the different shapes make it lovely and interesting.
The family room still seems best suited to the brass pulls on the entertainment center and the wall sconces on the fireplace are staying. But lately I’ve begun to go with what I like, whether the metals all match or not.
The Baldwin wall sconces are still shiney brass...I kind of like them since there is a gold trim on the painting.
Mostly I love pewter, silver, brass (although I admit I now prefer non-polished brass) and oil rubbed bronze in some locations in and around my home.
What do you guys think? Do you adhere to a hard, fast rule regarding the use of metals in your home?
Garden, Home & Party 