All that glitters is not gold. Copper became the design trend de jour in 2016. Showing no signs of slowing down in 2017, copper in and around the home has now grown up, becoming more relaxed, natural and inclusive, moving away from 2016’s statement ‘look at me’ approach.
From interior design, to architecture and home exteriors, copper is a luxe accent colour that lifts your home inside and out.
Get inspired for your new home build or renovation, or just add the finishing touches to your home’s interior, with these home design trend ideas from cosy bedrooms and inviting bathrooms, to copper accented exteriors.
Copper in the kitchen
Interior designers made the call early in 2017; this is the year of the minimal kitchen.
Trends see clutter being hidden away, push and pull cabinetry without handles, pots, pans and appliances neatly stowed out of view, hidden storage areas, and slimline benchtops.
Although white will always be popular for kitchens, 2017 sees designers and homeowners favouring softer, more muted colours like greys, greens and blues, and more natural textures and materials, such as wood and marble, moving away from glossy monochrome surfaces.
Instead of last year’s statement copper pendants and accessories boldly contrasted against stark white, copper now blends in to the kitchen, highlighting natural materials.
Like this kitchen above, with its pale wood-grain cabinetry, charcoal tile splashback and copper tapware with exposed pipes over a generous butler sink.
Copper brings a soft warmth to the kitchen compared to the industrial black metal trend, or highly reflective silver, making it easy to achieve a warm and inviting space.
Like this elegant kitchen below. A copper-lovers dream with polished copper cabinets and clever use of black negative space creating instant wow factor. The natural wood parquet floor is complemented by copper tapware and a slim, pale-grey marble benchtop and dove-grey walls.
Copper bathroom trends
With kitchens and bathrooms both being key selling points for a home, cohesion between the two is easily achieved when using copper, from tapware to handles and small accessories, to the entire bath.
2017 sees bathroom colour and material trends echoing the kitchen, turning away from stark white towards more luxurious, darker shades to create a haven – an escape from the hectic outside world.
Like this soothing bathroom below with its inviting copper bath reflecting the natural wood floors, and relaxing sage-green walls.
For budgets that don’t quite extend to the scale of a copper bath or full bathroom renovation, a change to copper tapware, basin, light fittings or accessories can instantly update your bathroom.
If you have painted bathroom walls it’s even easier to affordably embrace the latest bathroom colour trends with dark colours warmed by touches of copper. Like these two deliciously dark bathrooms, with inky wall colours paired with copper accessories, mirrors, tapware and lighting.
Bedroom trends
Bedrooms aren’t missing out on the copper design trend this year either.
Designers are seeing the same muted colour palette, from moody blues through to lighter, yet still muted pastels – washed pinks, soothing greys and nature-inspired greens. These all are perfect colours for warm copper metallic accents. Bedroom fabrics are also showing the same trends, from natural fabrics like linen to lush, textured choices like rich velvets.
Like this Norwegian inspired bedroom with linen bedding in dusky pink and dove grey, natural, pale wood floorboards, and clever copper accents in the lighting, bedside table and accessories.
Copper exterior design trends
Last on the list – but number one for that essential curb-side appeal – is copper’s popularity in home exteriors.
Copper spouting and downpipes add the finishing touch of luxe to your home.
Copper spouting blends beautifully with natural wood cladding and brick exteriors, or makes a design statement against New Zealand’s ever-popular white weatherboard Villas and Bungalows, or newer trend of grey home exteriors.
So even if you’re not building new, or doing a full renovation, it’s obvious why copper is such a popular choice when your guttering needs replacing. No need to change your home or roof colour.
Like this unique Nelson stunner by Bruce Design & Build using Marley Typhoon:
These Ellerslie apartments got the high-end finish with Marley Typhoon also:
This home by Bella Homes in Whangarei blends the classic with the modern:
Marley Typhoon spouting in copper beautifully highlights this cedar clad home in New Plymouth:
Not surprisingly, copper is one of Marley’s most popular colours in the Stratus Design Series® range, and the perfect finishing touch to achieve that on-trend yet classic copper look that won’t date – without the cost or risk of theft that usual metal guttering has.
Get the look
Marley’s uPVC copper spouting and downpipes are available in Marley Typhoon® spouting and RP80® 80mm round downpipe, making copper not only affordable but also extremely hard-wearing.
Since it’s the copper look you want, you can trust Marley’s uPVC copper spouting to handle NZ’s harsh sun to protect from discolouring or tarnishing with age over time. Marley’s uPVC spouting also mean coastal NZ homes can put copper spouting back on your wishlist without corrosion concerns.
Marley is available from leading plumbing and building supply merchants nationwide.
