Interior design projects in metal are flourishing. Copper, brass, steel, bronze officially become the protagonists of the house, as there are many elements and accessories proposed in recent years.

The reason for all this can certainly be referred to the resistance of the product, to the diversification, in terms of finishes, above all because they are infinitely recyclable, and become a sustainable and very versatile material, excellent for experimenting with new architectural possibilities.

Metals in furnishing projects
In the world of furniture, metals are used both to build the entire furniture project and to add a touch of light and refinement to the final result. The metals most used in architecture and design are: corten, steel, bronze, aluminum, brass and copper.

Corten
CORTEN is a laminated steel with a peculiar chemical composition which favors the creation of a protective patina on the surface, making it resistant to corrosion from external agents. Thanks to its anti-corrosive properties, it is a type of steel particularly suitable for external uses and coatings.
This steel, considered at first glance to be a cold material and perhaps more suitable for industrial environments, is highly appreciated, and for this reason chosen, for the elegant "rust" effect which characterizes it. The color and absorption of light by this material underline the effect of the passage of time and the vintage appearance of the surfaces.



Steel
It is an alloy of iron and carbon; mild steel is called iron.
It would be right to subject this metal to specific anti-rust treatments such as painting, lacquering, enamelling, chrome plating, varnishing or nickel plating.
When we talk about stainless steel we are referring to an alloy of iron, nickel and chromium. This is more difficult to work with, but unlike normal steel, it does not require special protections.

Bronze
It is an alloy of copper, in a content exceeding 70% and tin, used since the past, given its characteristics of workability and hardness. Increasing the tin content increases the hardness, but also the fragility of the material and the sonority. Bronze has a reddish-brown color due to the copper inside.
Alloys with quantities of less than 50% copper have a white colour, while between 50% and 95% the alloy has a yellow colour.

Aluminum
It is a material that is not found pure in nature, but always in the form of an oxide. It has characteristics of malleability, ductility, electrical and heat conductivity. It can have different finishes. It has a silver gray colour.
Brass
It is a copper and zinc-based alloy to which quantities of other elements such as manganese, iron, aluminum and tin are added, which improve its mechanical properties and resistance to atmospheric agents.
The main characteristics of brass are hardness, resistance to corrosion and easy workability. It has a yellow colour.

Copper
It is a metal that occurs in nature as a sulfur and oxygenated compound, or even often in its native state. Its main peculiarities are: ductility and malleability, heat and electrical conductivity, easy alterability in the presence of humidity. It has a red color and its prerogative is to change the color according to the state of oxidation going from brown to green. The surface patina that acts as a protection, a product of oxidation, protects the material from corrosion and is often artificially recreated to obtain aesthetic effects. Depending on the characteristics, each metal can have different finishes.

Metal in furnishings does not simply have an aesthetic impact, but also and above all functional advantages:
Duration - Materiality - Minimum encumbrance - Maintenance - Reflections - Versatility.