While trends in gray products have been making headway indoors and out, bronze is catching up quickly - and we're not talking oil-rubbed bronze. While the dark metal finish gained tremendous popularity in plumbing fixtures and cabinetry hardware in recent years, the newest Bronze Age is bringing back the tone of classic statues and baby booties. A softer, warmer tone than oil-rubbed bronze, these new products introduce a metallic colorway that complements a variety of designs, colors, and woodwork.
Cool Tiles
With weathered bronze and gray tones, Buckskin is among the newest Boral Roofing colors recognized by the Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC). The company says it now leads the industry with the most cool roof-rated tile colors with more than 150 options across multiple profiles, shown here in Saxony. By reflecting solar energy and dissipating heat more effectively, cool roofs can help reduce air conditioning-related energy consumption by up to 20%, while also making homes eligible for cool roof rebates in some areas. According to the CRRC, Boral Roofing Clay and Concrete Cool Roof Tiles reflect up to 75% of the sun's solar energy, compared to asphalt shingles that reflect 41%. boralroof.com
Glass Meets Metal
Hand-blown glass and spun aluminum come together in Hennepin Made's Parallel Series. The collection of clean, modern pendant lighting works well as individual fixtures and shines in multi-pendant installations. The six original fixtures in the geometric-inspired series range in size from 8-by-8 inches to 15-by-10 inches. The maker recently added two new compact designs measuring 5.5-by-6.25 inches and 7.5-by-4.5 inches to add additional functionality for compact spaces. Starting in 2015, all Parallel Series lamps will be fitted with new LED filament bulbs for longer life and reduced operating costs. Designers can choose from champagne or dark bronze mounts and seven glass colors, including bronze, olive, tea, and smoke (all shown), as well as ruby, sapphire, and crystal. hennepinmade.com
Clad in Bronze
A bronze anodized exterior gives dignity to the new LaCantina's Contemporary Clad option. The cladding construction is available across the entire LaCantina product range of folding, multi-slide, and swing door systems, combining the features of wood clad and aluminum products into one energy-efficient door design. Contemporary Clad features a low-maintenance aluminum exterior with sculpted or square profiles, designed to complement a host of architectural windows. The narrow 2 15/16-inch stiles and rails allow for more daylight through the 2 1/4-inch-thick panels. Hardware is also available in bronze or stainless finish. lacantinadoors.com
From the Sea
Inspired by the ruffled shells and pearlescence of natural oysters, Lunada Bay introduces the Shinju Collection. Named for the Japanese word for pearl, the Shinju Collection uses texture and color to reflect the light and style of the tiles' surroundings. Four tile shapes and five colors make up the collection. Reef (shown) blends rectangular tiles inspired by ocean reefs, jagged rock, and craggy coral. Crest is a 4-inch dimensional hexagon, Swell are sheet-mounted mosaics in multi-sized rectangular tiles, and Tide are 4x4-inch textured tiles imitating the rise and fall of the sea. Colorways include white, light silver, dark silver, chocolate brown and bonze, and dark copper. lunadabaytile.com
Shimmer on the Walls
Relic Bronze Metallic lends an earthy brightness to the Nouveau Narrative palette in Sherwin-Williams Colormix 2016 forecast. The maker says the palette celebrates the American spirit and evolution of industry with tones of olive, denim, wool, and brass. The Colormix palettes, online Color Visualizer, ColorSnap mobile app can help designers match Relic Bronze and other Sherwin-Williams tones just right for every project. sherwin-williams.com
Stone & Shine
Crushed, clear flint glass and amber bottle shards lend Vetrazzo's Coffee House colorway a warm brown tone with a hint of shine. Inspired by the work of barista art, the glass was blended with a coffee-tinted background to bring out the rich tones. Vetrazzo surfacing turns recycled glass into environmentally friendly countertops that can be used anywhere natural stone is used, including countertops, fireplace surrounds, and architectural cladding. vetrazzo.com
Into the Sunset
A Sunset Bronze finish has been added to Whirlpool’s Ice White and Ice Black collections, giving homeowners an alternative to the more-traditional stainless appliance look. The warm tone is actually a painted stainless steel that blends gold, copper, and bronze, allowing the appliances to complement a wide range of kitchen finishes. Sunset Bronze is also fingerprint-resistant in everyday use. It’s coming in the fall of 2015. whirlpool.com
