Restroom's Shine Expresses Revival of Glossy Finishes
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In the world of interior design, the year 2025 is witnessing a significant resurgence and evolution of metallic finishes, such as brass, gold, and nickel. This trend is not just about warmer metallics, but also about the growing popularity of cooler metallics like chrome and polished nickel.
The Shift Towards Balance
Balance is the key when combining shiny surfaces with matte finishes or natural textures to avoid a dated feel. The use of metallic finishes is moving from purely warm metallics towards a balanced mix incorporating both warm and cool tones, including chrome and silver finishes, to create more tailored, contemporary, and layered interiors.
The Allure of Contrast and Nostalgia
Cool metals like chrome and nickel are being chosen to juxtapose warm natural elements such as wood and wicker, adding sophistication and a tailored feel to spaces. The 1990s metal trends like chrome, once reserved for minimalistic, sleek spaces, are making a comeback now used within softer and more maximalist interiors, offering a fresh approach that blends retro with contemporary sensibilities.
Elevating Warmth and Luxury
Metallic finishes like gold and copper continue to be popular because they add warmth and drama to interiors, elevating the overall aesthetic. Polished nickel and silver tones are introduced to diversify the metallic palette, offering a shimmer and luxury without always relying on the warmer spectrum.
Personalising Spaces with Metallics
Designers are moving away from entirely minimalistic looks to more layered, artful spaces where metallic finishes contribute to a curated style, adding both artistry and luxury. Metallic finishes harmonize well with other 2025 trends, such as textured walls, natural palettes, and rich jewel tones, reinforcing a holistic and tactile interior environment.
The Versatility of Metallic Finishes
Brass, particularly with its natural patina, is often lauded as a versatile and elegant choice, especially when used in period properties. A single shiny object, such as a sculptural, serpentine brass pendant light or a gold-leaf console table, can be eye-catching. In fact, clients are now open to having multiple finishes in a space.
A Case in Point: The Bohemian Rhapsody Bathroom
The bathroom featured in the article is a replica of the one Freddie Mercury had in his Kensington house, used in the Bohemian Rhapsody biopic, and was created by the company Drummonds. The bathroom boasts gold taps, a gold shower, a gold bath, gold wallpaper, and even a gold ceiling, demonstrating how well shiny surfaces work, particularly in bathrooms, as they reflect light and are relatively easy to keep clean.
Mixing Metals for Maximum Impact
Metals can be mixed to great effect, as demonstrated by the staircase by SHH. The idea of mixing nickel taps with bronze wall lights is becoming more accepted, according to Bense. In an apartment on the River Thames, a sculptural, serpentine brass pendant light and a gold-leaf console table are used.
Alexandra Goss, an award-winning journalist who specializes in lifestyle and property features, highlights this trend in her work, which has been published in The Times, The Sunday Times, The Financial Times, The Telegraph, The London Magazine, and Spear's Magazine.
In conclusion, the metallic finish trend in 2025 is marked by a blend of warm metals like brass and gold with a strong revival of cooler metals such as chrome and polished nickel, used to create contrast, depth, and a modern yet nostalgic luxury feel in interiors. This versatility and tactile richness are why metallic finishes are gaining renewed popularity.
Home and garden magazines are showcasing the integration of metallic finishes in lifestyle designs, reflecting the evolution in interior-design trends for 2025. The combination of metallic finishes with natural textures results in more tailored, contemporary, and layered interiors that evoke a modern yet nostalgic feeling of luxury.
