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I have read for the last several years that brass is coming back, but I feel it is very designer or production driven. Pretty much people in the industry can't convince the public to replace their stuff until the original stuff is outdated. To do that, something else has to be in. I don't think the public is buying into the brass trend yet.
As someone in the decorative plumbing and hardware business, I can attest that brass is back. It started about 4 years ago with people asking for unlacquered brass instead of lacquered or PVD brass. In the past year, satin brass has started to become popular. The unlacquered and satin finishes have a warm tone.
As for other finishes, polished nickel has been big for a couple of years and black is starting to warm up.
I happen to like brass. I also like oil rubbed bronze, too. When we were doing our kitchen, I wanted the bronze-which is what our faucet is. When we were doing the hardware for the cabinets, we went with antique brass which goes with our gold tin ceiling.
In the our bathrooms, we have chrome. It wasn't my choice but that is what was put in. We may have a some nickle but it is close to the chrome. But, we do have brass pipes! I'm not joking. When they had the bathroom torn up, there were brass pipes-and man, were they clean as a whistle inside-almost like they were put in yesterday. But you can see the brass pipes because they are covered up in the walls.
My step-daughter & step-son bought a two family house together and they did some renovations themselves. They put in a copper sink. When they first put it in, it looked nice but now it is green. Not my cup of tea.
Trends are never driven by HGTV. HGTV only reflects what's going on in the design industry.
Trends are driven by designers and are seen in the wholesale markets that people in the industry attend. Trends show up at markets years before the public is even aware . . . unless you read a lot of design magazines. Brass, copper, rose-gold, and mixed metals have been on trend for a few years now.
Where you live greatly affects how quickly a trend is evident. People on the coasts are exposed to new trends a few years ahead of people in the Midwest for instance. Also, trends first show up in the high-end market, and then filter down to mid-market, and then to low-end.
By the time a trend shows up at the low-end, the high-end is probably already on to the next thing. Keep in mind that all metal colors are classic. What changes is the finish or perhaps what colors they are used with.
Designers tend to have a more open mind than the public, so they are constantly looking for new inspiration. Often, that means revisiting something that has been "out" and finding a new way to bring it back "in". This is what keep design fresh.
I'm not a fan of rooms that are nothing but current trends because they will look dated in no time. However, if you put together a room with at least some classic furniture or an antique or two, your room is harder to date and more timeless. These are the rooms where no one is going to look at what color your metal knobs are. They will only notice if it's beautiful and feels good. Most people don't notice details - they notice the overall vibe.
We have a lot of brass due to my in-laws having lived in Asia for a number of years. We gladly found a place for these beautiful items in our home when they passed. I love the look and wouldn't mind having more.
I took mine down and spray-painted it. Glad I did, too!
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But they suit the style of the house.
