A Brief History of Brass and How Its Used (Guide)

Brass has been used for home hardware for almost 500 years. Solid brass hardware is an alloy typically made of a combination of copper and zinc with tin added. It’s golden-brown in colour because the alloy can complement different types of interior designs. In the Roman empire, its use was intensified in pipelines, warlike instruments, adornments and statues, among other things. In the middle of the XVI century, in Europe, the screws and nuts were elaborated principally of brass. Elaborating the gears of the clocks has also been done with brass. In the XVII century brass was used in the optical telescope in Holland, in the clock of a pendulum, and for manufacturing cutlery.

Manufacturers have been using brass for home hardware because it’s very soft and easy to work with. It can easily be bent, cast and moulded into the desired shape. Due to these characteristics, these metals can feature intricate designs. Another advantage is that solid brass can take on a finish, which makes it emulate other colours or materials. Whether you need a smooth finish or a brushed finish, brass will offer you the desired design. Brass has become an essential part of every household, considering it's been used for cooking, storing food, decoration, and even heating water.

Several Uses of Brassware

Aside from its antimicrobial properties, brass's aesthetic value is also the reason why this material has become a popular choice for decorative applications. The variety of shades and colours, be it gold or silver, and even red, allows for a full spectrum of uses in a household. You can choose brass residential dishwasher fittings and lamp fittings because of their visually appealing and bacteria-resistant properties.

For everyone who wants to add a vintage, edgy vibe to their home, brass is the right choice. It can be used excellently as an eye-catching accent. Brass will seamlessly add a luxurious touch to any room. Many people also tend to integrate it into warm and white interiors. Alternatively, it's a good option for adding an extra pop of colour in rooms with darker tones. If you want the lighting fixtures to be the focal point, use brass finishes.

Brass is often used in kitchens and bathrooms for its modern design. From a variety of fittings, sinks to miscellaneous hardware, you’ll find brass everywhere these days. Brass is a perfect material to choose, when you want to add elegance to spaces. Consider bringing in old brassware, cookware, cutlery, plates and jugs into your kitchen to bring something luxurious to the space. Think about an old brass water carafe filled with fresh flowers or plants to bring in a dose of freshness to the kitchen. When it comes to bedrooms, hair accessories and old jewellery boxes will adorn the dressers and side tables. Brass bed frames are another very popular bedroom decor item that can style up the entire interior.

Many people will try everything to make their home look more sophisticated. What they don't know, is that it only takes an antique brass frame in the bathrooms or hallways, to make their home more inviting and chic. Unique designs and patterns add texture and character to plain walls, and so will a mirror with a brass frame. A hand brass mirror will look wonderful on your vanity and add a touch of old Hollywood charm to your powder room.

 

Given that brass is highly adaptable, you can use it in several forms and finishes. From antique to rustic, hammered, wired and gleaming plain finish, you can decorate cupboards and drawer pulls without any problem. Do the same to escutcheons, hinges, and keys to achieve a unique design. Other brass accessories that can be used to add more style to your home include planters, candle stands, cutlery, curtain rods, mugs and decanters. Go for brass decorative mesh storage bins, magazine holder bins, pin-up wall display grids and watch your home become a place you’ve always dreamed of having.

At Proper Copper Design we pride ourselves on the quality of metal finishes that we can produce including gleaming high polish brass, vintage aged brass and brushed brass. To hear more about our finishes then please go to our finishes page.