Let’s talk about something I hate.

Hate is a strong word, I know but here it goes.

BRASS. I spell BRASS in all CAPS because when I see BRASS it SCREAMS at me. Now, there are occasional brass moments, yes, where it’s subtle, that I don’t hate it, in fact, dare I say that I like those moments. An alternative is gold. An antiqued gold or just a less shiny, gold works almost every time in my book.

Below is a list of my do’s & don’t of BRASS.

Do…

Keep your door handles or knobs, they’re expensive & honestly, they’re utilitarian, regardless of how pretty or not they are, they’re fixtures of the house so just leave them alone until you absolutely CANNOT stand them.

Don’t…

Keep your cabinet hardware if it’s BRASS. ESPECIALLY if you have white or painted cabinets. It screams: “I’ve not been updated since 1996!” If gold, as a rule is prevalent in your home, mix it with a bronze or a less intense antiqued or brushed gold finish.

Do…

Replace that damn faucet if it’s brass, especially if it’s one of those that the sprayer detaches from the main supply. They’re horrible.

Don’t…

Feel the need to match every metal finish perfectly. The chrome faucet will be the most cost effective option today. If you have brushed nickel on every other surface, this unexpected shine could be nice but make sure it’s a stylish faucet. NO detachable sprayer faucets!

Finally…

What about the classic case of: I love my chandelier but it’s BRASS. Let me tell you… I’ve sprayed many a brass fixture & it appeases me for a day or two but I always go back for more. I used to think that for more meant heading to the lighting showroom or Overstock.com for a new one. Not anymore. Rather, I’ll brush paint them, in place with a metallic acrylic paint!

Holy insanity, right?

Listen, Folk Art makes these acrylics that I’m obsessed with. They actually say metallic on the label & they mean metallic. If you spray your fixture, say somewhere in the bronze family & then when dry & reinstalled, you brush over the accents with a metallic paint you’ll be amazed by the results. It makes the fixture look so much more expensive but in reality, you spend $4 on paint.

In the next week or two I'll be applying a new finish to a beautiful chandelier who just happens to be brass. I think you'll like the results!