Brass Interiors: From Golden Hues to Aged and Antique

Are you thinking about incorporating brass into your interior design project? Brass’s rich, golden hues bring warmth and sophistication to any space, while its unique patina develops character over time. Our diverse selection of products is ideal for both commercial and residential settings, featuring choices that highlight either the polished shine of new brass or the charming appeal of aged finishes.

Brass in Residential Interiors

When integrating brass into your home, focus on three to four essential areas: the kitchen, the living room, the home bar, and potentially the garden conservatory.

Kitchens

We can use brass cladding to cover all unit doors and drawers in a brass kitchen. Collaborating with a designer or kitchen fitter is essential; for example, to take into account added weight of the brass and larger door sizes can require an uprated hinge design. At MSL, we use 1.2mm thick brass for our projects, which offers enhanced durability compared to the 0.9mm or thinner options some manufacturers provide. Enquire Now!

Brass Clad Drawers and Doors

Worktops

Brass worktops are a highly desirable element in kitchen design. We provide various options, including integrated brass sinks and integrated brass upstands to eliminate crumb traps. Our brass sheets come in lengths of 3 meters (300 cm or 10 ft), minimising seams in larger surfaces. All corners are seamlessly welded and blended for a sleek finish, although exposed welds can be requested for a more rustic look. Enquire Now!

Galley Kitchen in Brass

Sinks

Brass sinks have become a sought-after feature in kitchen design, resulting in a significant increase in orders over the past few years. Our brass sinks web page offers diverse options, including double basin Belfast-style sinks, under-mounted sinks, integrated drainers, and complete drop-in units with double bowls and integrated drainers. Crafted from 1.5mm thick brass (or thicker for models with drainers), our brass sinks are exceptionally robust and durable. For additional options, visit our copper sinks page, where you can explore bespoke designs that can be translated to brass and seamlessly integrated into brass worktops or customised as top-mounted or Belfast-style sinks. Or, create your design!

We have written an in-depth article about sink styles and construction Brass Sink Design Ideas If you are thinking about a sink made in brass, then you should read this.  Enquire Now!

Double Sink Drainer Unit

Islands

The most extensive brass island we have created measures 8 meters long by 1.2 meters wide, wrapped around 50mm thick MR MDF. This impressive piece is finished to have a rustic and worn appearance and was installed in a warehouse converted into a dwelling in the Jewellery Quarter of Birmingham. Typically, brass islands are around 2.5 meters long, allowing us to create large units without a joint across the surface, thanks to our 3-meter-long sheet brass options. Often, brass islands or semi-detached brass islands are designed with a breakfast bar, eliminating the need for a separate brass tabletop. We work with many clients, kitchen fitters and builders who send in their timber for brass cladding. Enquire Now!

Eight Meter Brass Island

Splashbacks

Brass splashbacks are gaining popularity for brass interiors as stand-alone features, especially as traditional copper splashbacks have long been favoured for rustic designs. We offer several brass finish options, including satin, aged, antique, and burnished antique, all with a standard clear lacquer finish to seal. Constructed from 1.2mm brass, our splashbacks provide rigidity and are less prone to creasing, particularly in uneven wall conditions. We can customise brass splashbacks with socket cuts and corner cuts. A note for your kitchen fitter: avoid silicone adhesives that contain acetic acid, as this can adversely affect the brass. Again, we stock brass sheets that are 3 meters long so that we can offer longer runs without a joint. Enquire Now!

Aged Brass Splashback

Kitchen Table Tops

Typically, brass tabletops for home kitchens are rectangular; however, we produce many shapes, including standard square, round, and angular designs up to 3 meters long without seams. Bespoke shapes with curves and angles are also possible. Tabletop thicknesses range from 3cm to 10cm, and edges can be square or bullnose upon request. The kitchen featured in this image showcases an aged brass tabletop that beautifully complements an aged brass splashback in the background. Enquire Now!

Aged Brass Kitchen Table

The Living Room

Brass dining tabletops are less frequently requested than their copper counterparts. However, there is growing interest in open-plan dining-kitchen spaces that seamlessly integrate a brass dining area as an extension of the kitchen island. We collaborate with designers and individuals to help them design these features in their spaces. Brass dining bars tend to have a robust design, typically featuring a thickness of 50mm with square edges. A good example is this six-seat dining extension to a kitchen island, shown below. Brass dining bars 120cm wide (2 standard unit widths) have a seam along the length due to constraints with the brass sheet width. This is done tidily by creating a slot and folding the brass into it, as seen on close inspection below. Enquire Now!

Semi-Detached Brass Dining Bar

Wall Panels

Currently, in a residential setting we have more interest in copper wall cladding features compared to brass panels in living rooms, likely due to copper’s warmer tone. However, aged brass makes a striking statement in this featured living space, complemented by the deer’s head lighting fixture that adds an exciting touch. This unique patina brings character to the space with its brown and golden hues. The panels are arranged in a grid pattern, with visible seams that create a textured, geometric look. This living space is in a ski chalet in the French Alps, Ski Chalet La Cascade. We manufactured these panels for the owner and designer and transported them to the site. Enquire Now!

La Cascade Brass Wall 1

La Cascade Brass Wall 2

Wall Art

Here, we present an experimental piece created from a brass sheet, showcasing a combination of patina ageing techniques and laser etching. This concept serves as a stunning wall hanging. The image features a detailed leaf design laser-etched onto the brass sheet. The laser captures the intricate details of the leaf, including its veins and contours, giving it a textured and lifelike appearance.

The mixed patinated brass background provides a warm, golden hue that contrasts beautifully with the etched design, highlighting the fine details of the leaf. This melding of metalwork and precision laser etching produces an elegant and natural decorative piece, making it a striking addition to any space. This is an exciting technique awaiting uptake by a designer. Enquire Now!

Laser Etched Leaf Aged Brass

The Home Brass Bar

As our article on Copper Interiors mentioned, brass bar tops for homes are trending, incorporating features typically applied to commercial bartops. These designs are not limited to simple rectangular shapes; many include decorative fronts and curves for added flair.

The brass bar top in the image below showcases a beautiful, aged patina with golden brown and muted yellow tones. This unique finish adds a sense of history and character to the bar, while the brass surface reflects light unevenly, enhancing its depth and visual interest. The bar area is stylishly designed, with upholstered stools and warm pendant lights that create a cosy ambience.

The design options for a home bar are the same as those for a commercial bartop, and they are outlined in a later section. Enquire Now!

Home Brass Bar

Planters for the Conservatory

One final offering that complements a brass theme in the kitchen and living room is the incorporation of brass planters in the conservatory. Unlike the standard planters on many websites, we specialise in creating bespoke brass planters utilising solid brass sheets.

Our heavy-duty brass planters can be crafted from up to 2mm thick brass, ensuring durability and a luxurious finish. We can design and manufacture planters to your specific sizes and designs, accommodating various styles and preferences. With brass sheets available in sizes up to 2.4 meters by 1.2 meters, we can cut and fold substantial-sized brass planters, making a striking garden decor statement in any conservatory space. Plus, we can patina them to an aged or antique finish.

This brass planter on a pallet is 200cm x 40cm x 40cm and has a rustic-aged finish. It weighs approximately 50 kilos. Enquire Now!

Two Meter Brass Planter

Brass in Commercial Interiors

Brass is extensively used in retail and hospitality venues, including football stadiums, arenas, pubs, clubs, hotels, and restaurants, as well as in retail and corporate settings. Incorporating brass countertops and accents into POS desks adds a touch of elegance and sophistication. Our brass tabletops and bar tops are trendy choices.

Bar Tops in Hospitality

We’ve manufactured countless brass bar tops, collaborating closely with architects, designers, and builders. Designers’ creativity knows no bounds regarding bar tops, especially at the bar front, where a bar’s identity can be established. We handle custom designs tailored to practical fabrication needs, ensuring the final product meets the designer’s approval.

For a change of colour into grey tones, it’s interesting to compare the rustic elements of zinc. I’ll be writing another article about Zinc Interiors later; in the meantime, look at our Zinc Bar Tops, and don’t forget our Copper Bar Tops. Now, back to brass!

In this example, we fabricated this horseshoe-shaped brass bartop with a square front nose; the whole length of the nose had to be welded to the top face on both sides. This is a good example of our craftsmanship and demonstrates posibilities with brass. Enquire Now!

The brass footrail compliments the top nicely.

Brass Horse Shoe Bar Top

Options for Brass Bar Tops:

• Nosing Design: Customers see the bar’s front first. Bar nosings typically range from 30mm to 200mm in depth. Common features include bull noses, castellations, and radius corners.
• Brass Drip Trays: These can be integrated directly into the bar top with removable grids. Design options include grid patterns and bespoke cut-out shapes, which can be precision cut by laser.
• Brass Sinks: Usually found in the front lower bar or back bar, brass sinks are typically integrated into the lower bar. Brass upstands can also be integrated to control splashes. This example combines many brass bar top features.

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  Brass Bar Top Combining, Lower Bar, Sink and Splashback

• Brass Foot Rails: Custom-designed brass foot rails can be requested. These designs are usually straightforward, either featuring a straight bar or one that follows the perimeter with corners and radius options. We source polished brass tubes, typically 38mm or 51mm in diameter, along with fittings from specialist manufacturers to ensure a high-quality finish. Our patina studio can also apply an antique finish to the brass. Enquire Now!

Bar Fronts

Brass is less common on bar fronts, but this presents unique opportunities for designers. Options for brass bar fronts include flat or hammered brass panels with varying degrees of coverage—either the entire front or selected panels. Aged and antique brass panels are available in various patinas, providing a rich visual appeal. Enquire Now!

Brass Bar Front Cladding

Tabletops

Very popular for brass interiors, we supply a variety of brass tabletops for use in pubs and restaurants, catering to contract furnishers and direct clients. Available in standard sizes such as 60cm x 60cm and 60cm x 120cm and upwards, we also offer custom shapes and sizes to help designers realise their visions for brass interiors. Round brass tabletops starting at 50cm in diameter and bespoke sizes up to 110cm dia could fit your venue’s needs, with round hammered brass options up to 90cm in diameter—reminiscent of classic brass pub tabletops. Additionally, mirror brass is often used for feature tabletops, adding a striking reflective quality. Brass tabletop thicknesses typically range from 25mm to 75mm, with square-edged and bull nose options on all types. The image below shows a bespoke design angular brass table top in a restaurant setting. Enquire Now!

Angular Brass Dining Table Top

Aside manufacture of full table tops, we specialise in brass inlays for table tops and brass table edge trims, which we do on a subcontract basis for trade and private clients.

Brass Inlay

Brass Edge Trim

Six Place Copper Table Top

Wall Cladding

We have completed numerous brass wall cladding projects. Two notable examples include the JJ Mack Building in London, which uses our antique-aged brass panels, and the Kew Pavilion at Kew Gardens, which features moderately aged brass wall panels.

The brass panels for FW Partners in The JJ Mack were constructed using 1.2mm thick brass pressed into tray panels, bonded with 20mm MR MDF, and finished off with a white liner balancer panel on the back. Our panels can be up to 2.8 meters long, utilising our 3m brass sheet stock. We stock the highest-quality brass sheet in Europe, which is crucial for producing these high-quality panels. After fabrication, our patina studio applied an antique aged brass finish, followed by a clear lacquer sealing coat.

We clad the client’s timber in brass for the Kew Gardens project. After fabrication, these panels received an aged brass patina finish and were sealed with clear lacquer for durability.

Our facilities for manufacturing brass cladding panels include 3m press brakes, a 3m laser, a 3m engraver, a patina studio, and a lacquer booth. Enquire Now!

FW Partners – JJ Mack

Kew Gardens

Reception Counters in Arenas

We manufacture brass countertops for stadiums and arenas, typically found in reception and hospitality areas. Two famous installations with our work are the O2 Arena and Swansea Arena. The Swansea Arena features a long brass countertop on split levels, seamlessly joined by a sweeping curve, creating a visually impressive focal point. All counter sections with radii were constructed using welded techniques, and after fabrication, the counters were given an aged patina finish. Enquire Now!

Swansea Arena

Point of Sale Counters and Display Counters in Retail

The use of brass in retail spaces is quite varied. With its golden tones, brass evokes a sense of exclusivity, luxury, and elegance. Mirror-polished brass sheets are trendy among shopfitters and builders for their high-end appeal.

Clients typically manufacture the timber carcass, which we clad in brass sheets. An example of our work includes a retail counter clad extensively in mirror brass sheet at Belfast Airport, making it a standout piece within the retail space.

Additionally, brass accents are increasingly incorporated into sales and checkout counters and desks. The Tessuti shop’s checkout counters demonstrate how brass inlays can beautifully accent marble laminates, and the reception desk with mirror polished brass end panel and desk top are a striking feature. Enquire Now!

Mirror Polished Brass Counters

Brass Accents to Cash Desk

Reception Desk with Mirror PolishedBrass

This reception counter desk is a job where the whole unit was totally clad in brass. A bespoke patina was applied to complete the look. Enquire Now!

Fully Clad Reception Desk

Brass Signs, Brass Plaques, and Brass Numbers for Commercial and Public Spaces

When it comes to brass signage, the design possibilities are virtually limitless. Brass signs and plaques serve many purposes in commercial settings, from establishing a corporate identity with brass engraved plaques featuring logos and company names to guiding visitors with directional signage such as “Reception” or “Check-In.” Additionally, brass plaques are frequently used for identification, including apartment numbers or facility designations. A notable example is the aged brass signs we crafted for 55 Victoria Street in London. These distinctive pieces were created through a unique manufacturing process involving engraving a large brass sheet with pictograms, cutting out shapes, and pressing them into their final forms. Each sign was finished with an antique Brass patina for a timeless look. Enquire Now!

55 Victoria Street

We can offer brass signs up to 3 meters long by 1 meter wide in one piece, and our pressing machine can accommodate the same size. This allows us to create three-dimensional brass signs folded on all four sides to form a tray shape with welded corners, providing flexibility in design and size. Enquire Now!

Antique Brass Signs

Plaques

Brass plaques offer versatility in design. They can be engraved using standard or stylised fonts, with relief engraving adding dimensionality through area clearance options. To enhance the aesthetic of brass signs, we can apply an aged or antique patina sealed with a clear lacquer for durability. Our craftsmanship also includes the option to infill letters with coloured enamels, providing a customised visual appeal.

Our engraved brass plaque capacity is 3meters x 1.5meter Enquire Now!

Brass Plaque for Prested Real Tennis

Brass letters are typically cut from sheets of brass that are 1.5mm thick, with thicker options available up to 5mm for a more robust appearance. They can be designed to match both standard and bespoke fonts. If you have a specific font, provide us with the font file or a DXF of the letters. Our CAD department is equipped to assist with all facets of brass signage design, supported by advanced laser and engraving facilities to bring your vision to life. Brass letters can be customised to fit any size within a 3-meter by 1-meter sheet. Enquire Now!

Cut Letters in Brass

Memorial and Donor Plaques

Brass memorial plaques and donor plaques serve as important sources of public information. We manufacture engraved memorial plaques for churches, chapels, institutions, and organisations. Options we provide include:

• Single engraved memorial plaques up to 3 meters long, allowing ample length for long texts or multiple names.
• Engraved patterns around the perimeter of the plaque.
• Highlights of the engraved areas in coloured enamel or aged brass patina.
• Patina ageing and antiquing of letters and designs.
• Clear lacquering to preserve the plaque or sign.
• Assistance with your designs from our CAD office.

An example of brass donor plaques we created for St John’s School Leatherhead Old Chapel.

Enquire Now!

Aged Brass Donor Plaques

Commercial Interiors and Advertising and Public Spaces

Using brass-engraved products and plaques represents an exciting application of brass advertising signage in commercial and public buildings. We have produced numerous brass tabletops featuring company names and logos engraved into the brass, typically representing restaurant or hotel brands. Enquire Now!

Engraved Indra

Metal Wall Corner Protectors for Walls

One of our final products for busy spaces and doorways is brass metal wall corner protectors. These can be supplied in their natural state or allowed to patina over time. Alternatively, we can expedite the ageing process with an aged brass patina. We manufacture these protectors to any size you require, often adding wall corner protectors later when damage becomes apparent.

In addition to corner protectors, our brass kick and push plates add a touch of class to any doorway. These can be made in any size that fits within a 2m x 1m brass sheet. Enquire Now!

Brass Door Furniture

Finishing Options for Brass Interiors

Finishes are a significant aspect of brass design. MSL has a dedicated patina development laboratory focused on creating bespoke patina finishes for our clients. Natural brass will develop a patina over time due to exposure to moisture, temperature variations, and atmospheric pollution.

We recommend allowing the brass to age naturally rather than applying lacquer for high-traffic environments like bars, as maintenance can be unpredictable. This results in a beautiful, evolving patina over time. We often use a durable clear lacquer for less-trafficked items to protect patinated surfaces. Additionally, we can create bespoke patinas to enhance your brass design features.

You can go ahead and explore our Patina Pictures page for examples, and you can learn more about our customisable options.

Overall, brass offers a versatile and visually striking choice for interior design features, suitable for residential and commercial spaces. Whether you are looking for elegance in a kitchen or a statement in a living room, our range of brass products can cater to your design vision. We’d like you to browse our product offerings if you want more inspiration. Enquire Now!

For Inspiration

Finally, you can find more inspiration about brass design features in our Brass Interiors Flickr Gallery, which showcases hundreds of pictures of our factory and on-site. Don’t forget to read our article “Copper Interiors” for a different flavour of rustic metal in the design environment and review the signage options on our brass and copper signs page.

Contact Us

Email: Sales@MetalSheets.co.uk

Tel: 0151 526 4777

Enquire Now!