The metallic trend has been one that’s steadily rising in popularity, and there are no signs that it’s going away anytime soon! Gold and silver, copper and bronze, stainless steel and black metal are all finishes that can be used to great advantage to glam up your indoor spaces.
One of the most flexible and adaptable metal alloys used in Indian home décor is brass. Brass metallics are having a glorious moment in the spotlight, and with good reason, too—they effortlessly add soft, gleaming warmth and a luxe touch to your interior spaces.
If you’ve been thinking of getting on the brass bandwagon, here are some inspiring ways to add a touch of metallic bling to your home decor!
Brass Design Ideas You Can Steal!
Brass Candlestands and Tableware
Traditionally, brass—an alloy of zinc and copper—has always been used to make handcrafted artefacts like bowls, baskets, tableware, candle stands, and so on; each of them more beautiful than the next.
Below, this festive dining table is decorated with brass reindeer and simple candle stands in polished brass, heralding the start of the holiday season.
Brass Singing Bowls
Brass Tibetan singing bowls, like the one shown here, are Buddhist artefacts used for meditation. The rich, sonorous tone that is produced when the bowl is struck is said to have very potent healing properties. Singing bowls can improve sleep, lowering the blood pressure and producing a deep state of relaxation.
You can place a singing bowl in your Pooja, or give it its own special place in your living room display.
Brass Pooja Items
Brass utensils such as thalis, lamps, haldi and kumkum boxes are used in the daily Pooja in traditional Hindu homes. A brass urn, known as kalash, is used to hold holy water during religious functions. Brass bells amplify sound to the tone and frequency that is said to invoke the divine spirit.
Religious texts that date back to Vedic times speak about the use of brass items to attract positivity and abundance. Zinc and copper, the component metals in brass, are considered to be sacred and are capable of absorbing the influence of sound waves generated through the spiritual chanting of prayers.
Brass Statues
Beautifully sculpted brass statues are worshipped, not only in temples, but in homes too! Idols of deities like Ganesha, Krishna and Nataraja are particularly prized and are valued as collectors’ items.
Brass Utensils
Your grandmother probably used brass and copper vessels for cooking; the brass uruli which was a staple in the kitchens of the 50s and 60s is now a very popular decorative item in modern homes. In recent times, you might have seen beautifully embellished urulis in the lobbies of hotels, filled with water and decorated with floating tealight candles and rose petals.
Brass in the Building Industry
This lovely, lustrous metal can be used in the building industry too! Brass door designs, brass railing designs, and exquisite jaali work on walls and windows are very popular.
This door knocker made in the form of a lion’s head adds a traditional touch right at the very entry to your home.
Brass Plumbing Fittings and Fixtures
Brass is used to make decorative handles and knobs, and is even used in bathroom fixtures and faucets. There seems to be no end to the versatility and adaptability of this lovely metal!
Brass Furniture
Brass detailing and inlay work has been traditionally used to embellish woodwork, especially in states in the North and North-East of India. Below, an exquisite designer chair uses brass for the curved frame, lending a very unique touch to this modern living room.
Brass Lighting Fixtures
Looking for stylish sophistication that doesn’t break the bank? These contemporary brass lighting fixtures are stunning and sleek, the perfect way to complete your elegant dining room décor.
Brass Artefacts
And the list of brass design ideas doesn’t stop there! Artefacts crafted out of brass can be used as show pieces in every room in your home. Watches, frames of original paintings, and wall clocks in brass can be used to adorn side tables and hold pride of place on walls.
This replica of an ancient compass, for instance, is a fine example of a brass accessory that can be displayed to advantage anywhere in your home.
Keeping Your Brass Designs Looking as Good as New
Brass, like all metals, can get tarnished and oxidised over time, losing its lustrous sheen. But all it takes to restore its original shine is some good old elbow grease and a few household cleaners.
Here’s how you can keep your brass designs looking as good as new!
- Make a paste with lemon juice and baking soda. Rub this paste with a clean cloth on the surface of your brass designs, wipe away the grime and polish it till it gleams. Remove any excess paste with a clean tissue.
- Toothpaste works like magic on brass (who would have ever thought!)—apply a dab of plain white toothpaste, let it sit for a bit, and then wipe down with a microfiber cloth. Rinse with cold water and dry completely.
- Rock salt and tamarind pulp can be applied all over the surface of your brass items. Scrub vigorously and watch the tarnish disappear.
With a little bit of care and a lot of love, your brass design items will maintain their beautiful sheen for years to come.
Conclusion
We hope we’ve inspired you to go metallic by incorporating brass designs in your home! Sophisticated without being flashy, brass can be your go-to metal of choice, whatever may be the style of home décor you are following. Brass complements every interior—from the traditional to the modern—and is a great way to personalise your home décor and make it all about you, your lifestyle and your taste.
What’s more, brass is an investment that will only appreciate over the years. Choose your brass designs with care, looking for fine workmanship and purity of shape and pattern. Need help with your home décor? The experts at HomeLane are only too happy to step in. We’re only a call away!
FAQs
1. What is brass design used for in home interiors?
Brass designs have any number of uses in home interiors.
- This lustrous alloy finds uses in kitchen and bathroom plumbing fixtures and faucets, and it can even be used for mirror frames and sink bowls.
- Staircase railings, doors and windows, and fine furniture incorporate brass elements.
- Brass artefacts such as lamps, vases, trays, bowls and tableware are prized for their looks.
- Light fittings and chandeliers made of brass add elegance to the aesthetics of any room.
- Metal partitions and jaali work are used to demarcate spaces in a unique, decorative way.
- This metal is said to have sacred properties, and religious pooja accessories like vilakkus (lamps), thalis, bells and idols of deities are made of brass.
- Antique pieces like brass urulis have found modern application as decorative items in the living room, veranda and lobby of homes.
There’s no end to the ways in which you can add a touch to brass to your home. Brass can be integrated into any style or theme of décor, whether it is vintage, classical or contemporary.
2. Why is brass design so popular?
Brass designs add elegance and a touch of class to any interior. A metal alloy that has stood the test of time, brass designs have been used in Indian homes since the Vedic times. Brass designs find diverse uses in home interiors, right from kitchens and bathrooms to living rooms and lobbies. Very easily available, brass can be used to design different elements that enhance the aesthetics of any space in your home.
Warm tones that are lustrous and have a lovely sheen are very popular at the moment, and brass perfectly fits the bill!
3. Why do we use brass in decorations?
Brass adds glamour without being overly pretentious, and that is what designers are looking for in today’s homes. It looks like gold without having the high shine and perfect finishing of gold, and this quality makes it very popular. It also fits into any style of décor, from the traditional to the modern, and is very easy to incorporate into your home décor. A little brass goes a long way.
Brass has always been associated with high-end quality. While it is not as prohibitively expensive as gold, it has traditionally been associated with luxury in homes. Brass items appreciate in value over the years, and can be handed down as family heirlooms. This alloy does not corrode, and with a little bit of maintenance will stay as good as new for decades.
Especially today, when the world of interiors has been thrown into a tailspin by the Covid pandemic, people want a touch of warmth in their homes, and brass metallics allow them to add the soft luxe look without having to try too hard!
4. What are the applications of brass designs and copper designs in interiors?
Metallic accents add shine and warmth to your home. There are hundreds of creative ways in which you can add copper and brass designs to your home. Traditionally, copper and brass were used for cooking, heating water and storing food. Today, copper and brass accessories, fittings and fixtures and elements are used to add a glam touch to any space.
From handcrafted décor objects to architectural detailing, copper and brass designs find endless applications in today’s homes. Lamps, furniture, plumbing, wall cladding, doors and windows, and accessories galore use brass to add to the luxe feel.
