Mix it up

Design is cyclical. And mixed metals are most definitely cycling through plenty of mood boards again this year. But you won’t see the brash brass that was all the rage in the 80s—it’s gone the way of the shoulder pad. Instead we’re seeing a softer version along with lots of gentle rose gold and matte black, says Falkbuilt designer and mix-and-match aficionado, Laura Shadow.

“It’s amazing to see these tones and trends coming back into style,” Laura says. “But the brass is not our grandmothers’ version, it’s a little bit more elegant and it’s often brushed which gives it a lovely quality with nice little hints of accents. Rose gold has really been trending and so has matte black. When you get the right balance of these looks in a space, it’s beautiful and eye-catching. And as a designer, there is a lot of freedom in saying ‘I can mix and match, I can play and I can compliment looks. It’s very exciting as a designer to be able to do that.’“

The mixed metal craze is part of an overall trend this year to bring back more warmth, texture and lots of layers. And if you want a little leather with your metal, check out Falkbuilt’s black and brown leather door pulls.