Metallics Are an Enduring Luxury Design Trend

Metallics are a way to add a touch of luxury and modernity to any space. Design devotees often incorporate metallic elements like brass fixtures, copper cookware, and stainless steel appliances into kitchen designs to enhance a certain design aesthetic. But designers who are in the know when it comes to the latest in Cambria quartz designs, can offer a combination of elegance, versatility, and practicality with quartz surfaces designed with alloy accents.

Elegance

Metallic accents are popular in interior design for their timeless elegance but also light enhancement. The reflective nature of metallics helps enhance the light in a room, making spaces appear brighter and more inviting. This is particularly beneficial in smaller or darker areas where maximizing natural or artificial light can make a significant difference.

Versatility

Historically speaking, ornate and antique metals were often part of enhancing traditional and classic interiors. But sleek and polished metals are also right at home in modern design. And the look of raw or unfinished metals are staples in industrial design.

Exciting for today’s design enthusiasts is that we’re still in a mixed-metal era. So your creativity is not limited by any one design style or trend in metal tonality. Bring on the brass, bronze, and steel in any combination your heart desires. Metals are essentially a neutral and can be adaptable to suit almost any design style.

Practicality

But not all metals are practical in every space. We all loved the introduction of stainless steel appliances until we had to deal with endless fingerprints and no ability to display a child’s artwork with a magnet. Okay, so the magnet thing is a good aesthetic boundary. But you definitely want to incorporate the sophistication of metals in ways that are most practical. So if you hadn’t considered a quartz countertop as a practical way to incorporate the look of metal into your interior design, it’s time. For example, the alloy veining in Cambria’s Windsor and Berkshire designs bring just the right amount of metallic sparkle into a space. Yet you still get to enjoy all of the maintenance-free durability that Cambria quartz countertops are known for.

Timeless Appeal

Cambria’s Berkshire Brass Satin Ridge^™ features subtly raised alloy veins. This tactile design features brass veins and delicate gray accents that jet across a cool, marbled white background. The texture adds enduring interest without disrupting the functionality of your countertop. 

In a recent visit with designer Michel Smith Boyd at Cambria’s Buckhead Gallery in Georgia, Boyd said, “I could not wait to see [Berkshire Brass Satin Ridge] in person because I have a little sample. So it's really important that I see this in larger format so I can understand how it's going to play in the room. You think about a movie, this [design] is a main character. This is main character energy! And this dimension is what I was hoping I was going to feel. That raised surface on the white and then a little bit of depth when it comes to the gold, it feels like a river kind of piercing through the earth … That kind of texture, that kind of variance in your interior is a beautiful thing.”

The textured dimension of quartz countertop designs with alloy veining allows you to enjoy the elegance of metallic accents along with the durability Cambria is known for and no hassles of extensive maintenance.

Metallic accents like these can serve as focal points in the kitchen, drawing the eye and adding visual interest. They create striking contrasts making your overall design more dynamic and engaging. Metals also have a timeless quality, ensuring that they remain in style despite changing design trends. This longevity makes metallic accents a sound investment for homeowners looking to create a lasting design impact.

Boyd’s tips for incorporating any design element, including metals, is to snap a picture of it. He says, “It allows me to get out of my own head away from this and look at it from another point of view because I'm looking at it from a third eye right through the camera.” He goes on to say, “I think that things are as valuable as how well they age. That’s my litmus test for luxury. If something is going to age well, then I am willing to invest a little bit more into that.”