20-21_Life Begins 19/11/2013 15:28 Page 2
property
I
f you’re craving a lick of luxury for your home, look no further than
metallics - glittering gold, shimmering silver and burnished bronze.
Precious metal tones have sashayed and sparkled their way down the
fashion catwalks recently, and now they’re making their mark on our decor.
Decorators, designers and producers have all joined the gold rush, recognising
that metallics can bring instant glamour and richness to settings. They’re being
seen as accents on accessories, as furniture embellishment and as a brushed
finish on textiles.
“Gold, particularly, is so much a part of our myths and legends, with childhood
stories often having pirates hunting for it,” says Frederick Wimsett, who handpaints Chinoiserie murals which feature 24-carat gold leaf, and whose clients
include fashion designer Alice Temperley. “Gold is literally woven into the
fabric of our society. Around half of my projects now feature it in some way. It’s
warm, light reflective and never goes out of fashion.”
Bringing on the bling couldn’t be better timed, as that most glittering of seasons
- Christmas - is on the horizon. But investing in some decor treasure for your
home won’t be a waste, as this look’s set to last long after the baubles have
been packed away. Metallics are featuring significantly in next year’s home
collections and the trend will forge its way on to the high street.
“The metallics trend is definitely going to stick around and is being
employed across the industry, from tiles to fabrics, wallpapers and furniture,”
says Steve Charles, co-founder of rare stone and decorative surface
specialists Decorum Est.
Set the scene with Content by
Conran Accents Round Side
Tables with Metallic Top,
£250 for a set of 3, John Lewis.
“It’s been channelled through some of the world’s leading fashion houses and
we’re beginning to see it starring in interiors. Our latest tile collection,
Hollywood, has a blend of white, gold and silver hues and is a nod to the
decadence and drama of the post-Gatsby era.”
Whether you’re a gold-digger, silver-seeker or just burning for bronze, there’s
sure to be something to appeal - and it needn’t tarnish the bank balance. Follow
The metallics trend is
definitely going to stick
around and is being
employed across the industry
“
“
Gold is the undisputed Kng of metals, and is being celebrated in an exciting
exhibition at London’s British Museum, Beyond El Dorado (running until
March 23, 2014), inspired by the imagined city of gold in South America and
featuring an array of ancient Colombian gold art and crafts.
If you fancy giving your home a golden touch, you’ll find many stores are
glistening with gold-themed items.
Add a touch of grandeur with an
Elise Sofa, upholstered in a gold
Sable from Linwood’s Elemental
collection. It starts from £1,820
plus fabric (stockist details
available from Whitehead
Embrace vintage
gilded style with
a gold ‘St Tropez’
3 Drawer Bedside
Table, £299.99,
from ChiChi
Furniture
Company
Sanderson
Lindos fabric,
from £48 a
metre
“Gold accents can be seen in the wallpapers and fabrics from Aegean, the new
collection from Sanderson,” says Rebecca Craig, head of design for Sanderson.
“We featured gold in