A Gilded Age

Bronze keeps its power this spring

Bronze is starting to defy its own popularity in home décor: once in fixtures, then in mirrors and lamps and now in small tabletop decor. To say the least, it’s back for spring and summer (no, it’s not too heavy in feel for some fun this spring).

“These finishes have taken on a life of their own,” said Cecilia Staniec, a MyKirklands.com designer who has her own décor business, DarlingRoom.com. Kirkland’s corporate home is in Nashville; the chain of home décor stores, which started in Jackson, is up to 280 locations in 28 states.

Bronze works because it blends well in contemporary décor, popular in so many Nashville homes. Don’t get carried away, though: a little in one room can go a long way. (Or, as Staniec says, no “matchy matchy”.)

“I have the bright brass door handles, and I use the oil rubbed bronze lighting fixtures and curtain rods in a bronzy finish,” Staniec said of her personal style at her house.

Even if you’re not overtly gilded, here’s an interesting consideration: Bronze can be a great escape from candy-kid style in children’s areas.

“That oil rubbed bronze look goes with everything – it can be dressed up in a formal dining room, but be used in a kid’s bathroom with a ducky shower curtain,” Staniec said.