Apr 15, 2019

Trend Alert: Mixed Materials

As it turns out, you can have it all—all your favourite materials, that is. While in previous eras interior design hinged on all things matchy-matchy, today’s top designers are embracing the beauty of a more eclectic palette of finishes and textures. Combine that enthusiastic “anything goes” attitude with the ever-growing popularity of metals, everything from gold, brass and copper to black stainless, the color that is the focus of many brands’ 2019 collections. Embrace organic finishes and textures like wood, wool, ceramics, glass and linen, and you’ve got the perfect opportunity for the mixed materials look to take the world by storm.

Photo Source: Bezdan

Wooden treads and a slate-tile floor add an organic warmth in this space, despite the ultra-modern glass and metal stair railings.

“The details are not details. They make the design.” — Charles Eames

Of course, like many seemingly casual looks, some thoughtfulness and consideration are required to pull off the mixed materials look well. A cohesive colour palette is one way to avoid visual chaos and clutter. Putting one key statement piece on display is a great way to create an anchor for the rest of your daring details. One striking combination is glass and metal railings, such as this frameless glass stair banister, which is a great opportunity to showcase your bold style and inspire the use of more mixed materials elsewhere in a room.

Mixed materials give a space a sense of depth and character: designers employ this trick of layering and texture to make a space feel homey and lived in. Luxe velvets and thick wool rugs are popular right now for just this reason, as is black metal for stair railing, an intriguing addition to the metallics roster. Durable black stainless is superior to its powder-coated competitors thanks to its chip-free, scratch-resistant surface and eye-catching finish.

Glass and mirrored surfaces are essential components to mix in, too, whether as part of a staircase design or via furniture picks, to add in much-needed sleekness and shine. A mixture of all of these together just offers the best of it all.

Photo source: Bezdan

A mix of slate, wood, glass, and metal components to provide visual interest in this front entry.

“The best interiors have off-notes and are elevated by a certain frisson, in which disparate elements play off on another to create visual interest." — Bunny Williams

How to Incorporate the Look

Photo source: Bezdan

Wood and glass staircase railing with stainless steel posts create a dramatic mixed material look on glass banisters.

Photo source: Bezdan

Though there’s a mix of materials here, they mostly lie within a simple palette of black, white and grey, so a spectrum of silver and black metallic finishes—from glass and metal railings to rich, black leather and natural slate tiling—works beautifully together.

Product Picks

Photo Source: Bezdan

Stainless steel 42" posts in round and square form are available with a beautiful satin finish. A 42" height post gives an option to achieve a cap-less baluster railing solution for level applications and the flexibility to cut to size and drill to suit desired infill options including glass clips and clamps, cross bars and cross tube or cable railing.

Choose from a comprehensive selection of round and square posts in pre-assembled, pre-drilled in satin and black stainless options – for a sophisticated touch.

As part of a contemporary mixed materials look, black stainless components like glass standoffs and spigots for frameless glass railings, glass clips and clamps and wall mount handrail brackets can add in a pop of metallic glam in a seamless, streamlined design.

Are mixed materials right for my space?

If you love an eclectic space with warmth, character and playful textures, mixing materials is a look worth trying. Layer in your favourite materials alongside a statement-making stairway for endless possibilities. From the standoffs and components in your metal and glass railing to your light fixture to the knobs on your cabinetry, residential interiors are prime with opportunities to incorporate a little hit of on-trend fun.

Posted in Lifestyles and English News

Trend Alert: Mixed Materials

“The details are not details. They make the design.” — Charles Eames