Journal - No.1
Ageing gracefully: Unlacquered brass
If there is such a thing as a recipe for a perfect room, one of the essential ingredients would be a material which patinas over time. It records the human imprint on a space and lends a room character and a living energy. Brass, and in particular, unlacquered brass, shows this off perfectly and always features somewhere in our designs at Studio Cleary. But is it for everyone and how does it look after a year of use?
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Brass is an alloy of zinc and copper, the use of which can be traced back to ancient times. Admired for its decorative qualities, as well as its functionality, it is a timeless material which frequently features in kitchens, bathrooms, lighting and hardware design.​
At Studio Cleary, we centre our designs around heritage materials and natural finishes and unlacquered brass is often central to achieving our aesthetic. I really enjoy incorporating unlacquered brass into projects because of its unique charm, but it's essential that clients understand and appreciate that this material will change in appearance as it ages. Over time, exposure to air, moisture, and handling causes the brass to darken and acquire an 'aged' look.
There aren’t too many visual examples of this natural aging process online and so we have tracked a recent bathroom and utility project to show you the patina, up close and personal, after a year of use.
The image here is a sink tap in a primary bathroom, one year after installation. In addition to the natural oxidation of the brass, you can see signs of daily use, including contact with water, toothpaste, mouthwash and soap. ​You can also see some very subtle signs of 'verdigris' which is a greening of the copper element of the alloy.
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I love how this natural aging softens the look of the brass and instantly adds a timeless quality to the room. Whilst the effect can be lessened by polishing the brass, I prefer to use a non abrasive cleaner and enjoy the patina.
Further images below provide examples of the same, indicating the variation and depth of this beautiful material.​​
To the left is a deVOL basin pillar tap, installed in a utillity room, just under a year ago. Again, signs of daily use and oxidation are visible but do nothing to detract from the function or quality of this incredible hardware.
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As you will have noted by now, I could sing the praises of unlacquered brass all day long but in the interests of balance, I should mention a few challenges with specifying this material.
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Firstly, cost. Whilst I think buying brass hardware (particularly taps and bathroom brassware) is a sound investment which will outlast endless seasonal trends, it is generally more expensive to source.
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Another challenge can be sourcing all the associated unlacquered brass fittings for a room. For example, in a bathroom, in addition to taps and standard fittings, you may want a coordinating towel radiator. A word of caution here - brushed brass is no comparison and you should always check whether items labelled 'polished brass' are lacquered or not, as you will not achieve the same effect. Toilet seat hinges and flush handles are notoriously hard to source in brass at a reasonable cost! That said, it is perfectly possible to mix metals in a room (watch out for a future journal entry on this topic) and I think brass and bronze make particularly good bedfellows.
Despite the challenges, I think the pros far outweigh the cons and unlacquered brass will continue to reign supreme in our designs. Whether it is a light switch, a wall light, a door threshold or a complete set of bathroom hardware, brass has an ability to ground a space, whilst quietly elevating it.
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It may not be for everyone but for as far as Studio Cleary is concerned, patina forever!
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Unlacquered brass hardware suppliers:
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Additional images of unlacquered brass after 1 year of daily use
