Update on my current life situation: I've moving house! I have a new job lined up (I'll still be heading Elizabeth&White), and a few potential apartments with my name on - it is all a bit up in the air at the moment, but of course, being me, I have already begun drafting ideas of how I'm going to decorate my new space. Something that is increasingly catching my eye and calling for attention is the use of copper. I have never gone for the raw kind of industrial theme - but copper is becoming an increasingly chic and obliging material for any aesthetic preferences.
So whats the deal?
Rather than being a hard, cold metal, copper is warm and tonal and reflects against colours and light nearby. Perhaps the most recognised and established use of copper would be the pendant light shades that have become synonymous with cocktail bars and contemporary kitchen chic. The kitchen is also the home of copper pans and piping which should no longer be considered as necessities alone. One of the best ways to use the metal is to focus on shape and texture, as different angles reflect the light in different measures and the metal serves well for attractive purposes. This is where the geometric shaped wire baskets and hammered trinket dishes or bowls come in effective, and can be mixed and matched with other items throughout the home. For neutral colours, most sought-worthy is white, especially marble. Here, it is contemporary, classic and stylish, but echoes of antiquity or nods to scandi simplicity. When used with dark woods and blacks its a subtle luxe that absorbs, almost melts into the scheme. Copper also carries fluro-brights like orange, magneta and lime well, especially if they are solid matte finishes as this provides a direct contrast to the metallic shine or hammered effect surfaces. Whilst stand-alone pieces are great on their own, I think the most effective way to really nail the trend is to compliment the larger items with smaller doses elsewhere, and go with an opposites attract kind of feel. So if you have a copper panelled sideboard or storage unit, then copper curtain tie-backs and a wired copper floor-lamp across the room will compliment this well. If your ceiling lights are copper, put a copper flecked rug opposite and add some copper rimmed vases or drawer handles into the mix. From entire bath tubs and kitchen cookware to fine-line patterns or fastenings on accessories, copper drips with a air of easy luxe, and speaks reflective volumes wherever its used.
Some of these might get you started:
Round Mirrored Coffee Table, Argos, £89.99
Mirella Wall Hanging in Copper, Anthropologie, £108
Crawford Floor Lamp, Iconic Lights, £40
Talisman Copper Table Lamp, Iconic Lights, £30
Mad Men Soho Copper Rug, Louis de Poortere, from £84
Ziggy Media Unit, SWOONeditions, £329
Copper Light Shade, Matalan, £30
Griffin Copper Table Lamp, Matalan, £40
Copper Top Copper Vase, Habitat, £29
Coppi Round Vase, Banbayu, £69
Copper matched tiles, from a selection @ ToppsTiles
Copper Panel Radiator, RSF Bathrooms, £630
Alexa Copper Stool, Cult Furniture £49
Copper Effect Agenda, ASOS X OHH DEER £4.99
Chambord Copper Milk Frother, Bodum, £25
Hand Hammered Copper Plate, John Lewis, £15
Avalon Media Unit, SWOONeditions, £399
Renowned for his Copper - Decanter, Tom Dixon, £94
Moscow Mule Mugs, Tom Dixon @ Selfirdges, £60
Top Tip: if you want to get more copper into your house but do not want to buy brand new furniture or accessories, then purchase some copper paint and get hands-on with your current possessions. I would consider using an emulsion or acrylic paint and to add "socks" to dark wood furniture legs, painting along the edges to give a border effect, and painting frames and accessories in the same manner.