'I find metallic finishes are popular for a time, but wane quickly. Some designers opt for a more subtle approach to metallics, especially because the trend seems to come and go, according to Jackie Jordan, director of color marketing at Sherwin-Williams. 'Mirrored backsplashes instantly make your countertops feel double deep,' Christensen says. To create another layer of reflectivity and give the impression of larger spaces, Christensen likes to incorporate mirrors, most notably in kitchens. 'It acts as the anchor for the main tasting room and reflects the amazing Napa Valley landscape beyond, bringing the outdoors inside,' says Hollis. Helena, California, Hollis designed a highly polished steel tasting bar inspired by artist Anish Kapoor's Cloud Gate sculpture. 'The polished chrome in particular is prevalent because it's more suited to a contemporary feel.'Īt the Hall Wines Tasting Room & Winery in St. 'We're doing lamps in polished chrome, for example, and getting away from the brushed nickel and oil-rubbed bronze,' Christensen says. The movement reflects trends in fashion, she says, with more people selecting silver jewelry and platinum or white gold wedding rings for a modern, less-is-more appearance. Case in point: Gilder recently rebuilt a client's carved Louis chairs, metallicizing the frames and upholstering them with a fabric that had a metallic sheen to it.Ĭarmen Christensen, a designer based in Sarasota, Florida, reports growing interest in polished metallic surfaces. 'In a more contemporary space, it's nice to have a metallic element with a specific shape, something a little more structural or sculptural,' says Lori Gilder, an interior designer based in Los Angeles. Metallics transcend styles as well, and can be integrated with a myriad of materials and media. For another hotel Hollis is designing in Seattle, gold ceiling paint will convey the look of antique brass, while polished brass will stand out in plumbing, drawer pulls and exposed hardware. Hollis' firm is creating a die-cut brass paillette wall in the reception area for a new Miami hotel. I love to push the boundaries of materials, and metallics offer a great way to do that.' 'They always bring life to a space, especially to a monochromatic environment. 'Metallics can create a sense of luxury or add a note of history and patina,' says San FranciscoGÃƒ€¡Ãƒ´based designer Nicole Hollis. Whether they're used as a statement piece or for a subtle sparkle, metallic finishes bring variety and versatility to commercial and residential interiors alike.

'And at night, it reflects all the ambient lighting in the room.' 'In the daylight, it looks one way if the sun is shining on it, and it looks different in the part of the room where the sun is not shining,' Vining says.

The reflective quality of the metallic created different effects in the space. The metallic wall finish was so impressive that a client asked Vining to replicate the design in her master bedroom. 'It looked like the walls had been there for many, many years.' The faux finisher 'applied the silver heavier in some parts than others and then hand rubbed in some places to give it an aged effect,' Vining says. Coulson Enterprises used a damask stencil to apply a silver metallic finish from Sherwin-Williams Faux Impressions ® Metallic Impressions line. She used Sherwin-Williams Starry Night (SW 6540) as the base coat on the walls, on top of which faux finisher J.M. For a luxury showcase house in Houston, interior designer Donna Vining wanted to add a touch of elegance to the bedroom she was tasked with designing.

Venetian plaster paint sherwin williams