2013 Home Decor Trends - Brass

Posted May 7, 2013

Every week, I get at least one magazine mailed to me about parenting, organic stuff, pets, and interior design.  It's always a special treat for me to wind down with a new magazine, fresh from the mailbox.  Recently, I've been reading a bunch of decorating magazines like Elle Decor and House Beautiful, and I'm noticing that a lot of the same trends are being discussed for 2013.  Here's my series recapping what's hot for this coming year.  I'll talk about the trend, and give some suggestions on how to apply to your own castle.

2013 brings BRASS back in again.  Gone I suppose are the days of shiny chrome, brushed nickel, and antique bronze?  My own house is pretty builder-grade, and because it is only a couple years old, most of the finishings are either chrome or brushed steel or nickel.  I added touches of antique bronze like ceiling fans to warm my fixture-color palette up, but I think I'll go see if I can't find some brass to incorporate more warmth.  Brass can be a pain to clean I thought, but I found this easy DIY way to clean brass naturally.  Might come in handy if you decide to follow this trend!

And no, you don't have to put a tuba in the middle of your living room.  When I think of brass, a tuba was all that came immediately to my mind!  But after some internet surfing, I realized that decorating with brass in small or even big touches is quite easy to do.

I know that you can almost always find cool brass items at flea markets and antique stores, if you feel likeleaving internet shopping behind and going on a fun hunt.  Stores like Pier One and World Market often carry such decorations as well.

Take for example, this super adorable brass owl trio, just put them atop a side table or shelf.  

Or go for the more exotic item like this brass lantern ala Morroco.

Too much for you?  Start simple and subtle and exchange your old heating grates with brass ones!

Another easy way to incorporate brass is to add nice bookends to your shelves.  They look reallyl distinguished in my opinion.  Go for plain ones or a little more fancy like these swans.

And what aspiring chef doesn't go goo goo ga ga over brass pots and pans?  Just as decoration they look awesome!  You don't even have to use them!

Speaking of kitchens, I actually put a brass dinner bell next to the doorway leading to the dining room.  It's a fun touch and everyone gets a kick out of coming to a meal when I ring the bell.  I really love this idea - so practical - I don't have to scream anymore!  Perhaps you want to put one near the back door to call in your kids?  I think I'll do that soon!

Another really quick and easy way to add brass to your home is to replace knobs.  You can do that for drawers in the bedroom, perhaps even cabinets in the kitchen.

Brass faucets are always beautiful.  I love the retro look of this one.

Of course, no article about decorating with brass is complete without mentioning a big ol' brass bed!  I'm not sure it's my taste, but done right, a brass bed can be quite lovely.  This one reminds me of a cozy Bed and Breakfast bedroom.

So, as you can see, following the 2013 trend of using brass in your home isn't hard.  Whether you pick up something cute and small at a local second-hand store, or go all out and replace all your fixtures, you can do something beautiful with brass.

Tell me, do you have brass in your home?  What do you think about this trend?

Yours truly, Jade