April 2021

For thousands of years, we have used metals such as brass, bronze, copper, pewter, iron, and tin to create everything from household objects and jewellery to industrial machinery and artworks.

Here at Brass Décor, we adore brass, and we are thrilled that it is back in fashion. Brass antiques are beautiful, and they are also hard-wearing, affordable, and rich with history. Here’s everything you need to know about antique brass.

What is antique brass?

Brass is formed from a blend of copper, zinc, and other minor elements. Each piece of brass may look slightly different. This is because brass’s essential blend alters depending on its intended use. From fireplace equipment to lighting fixtures, more copper results in a rosier colour, more tin resulted in a paler brass.

More about brass

Brass is more robust than copper and less likely to fatigue, making it a common material choice for decorative domestic wares. Most antique brass dates back to the mid-18th century when Birmingham was the UK’s main metalworking centre. Brass antiques made after the 19th century typically display a rougher finish. A pair of genuine antique brass candlesticks from the 19th century can fetch hundreds of dollars, depending on their style and age.

What colour is antique brass?

As we mentioned before, variations in the composition and alloys of brass can change the colour of each piece of brass. While colour variations are common, antique brass is generally a heavy, deep golden brown. It is not naturally bright and shiny.

How do you clean antique brass?

Tarnishing is relatively typical with vintage and antique brassware. Brass is naturally prone to oxidisation as it reacts to skin oils and oxygen in the air. This can be cleaned off. Your piece of brass may have been lacquered at some point to prevent tarnishing, but over the years, this can result in uneven wear. Older items may also show patches of dullness or small cracks.

Regular polishing will keep your brass antiques well maintained. We recommend cleaning brass by hand. Apply brass and copper polish with cotton wool and use a soft cloth to remove it. Don’t be tempted to create a household alternative as cleaning solutions such as lemon juice and baking soda will destroy your piece’s patina and avoid using water to clean your brass. Water can seep into the solder of the brass and erode it.

The Brass Décor team can bring help you with any questions you may have about your antique brass.

Why choose Brass Décor in Perth for your antique brass?

Our friendly and experienced staff will bring new life to your old brass hardware and accessories. Brass Decor has been working with interior designers, architects, and home renovators in Perth for over 25 years. Brass Decor is Perth’s period lighting specialist. We can help create a lighting plan to suit any renovation or restoration from Federation, Edwardian, Victorian, and Colonial to Art Deco, Hamptons style, and Modern homes.

Contact us for advice regarding your antique brass.

You may not realise it, but lighting is the subtle element that brings your interior design to the next level. We are passionate about light fittings and fixtures here at Brass Décor and love sharing tips on getting the most out of your lighting options. From glistening chandeliers and bespoke ceiling lights to lamps, wall sconces, brass light fittings, and more, read on to learn about different types of light fittings and fixtures.

Types of lighting

Gone are the days of stark overhead strip lighting (the 80s were terrible). Instead, layer your lighting to create different moods. Here at Brass Décor, we stock a wide range of light fittings and fixtures destined to make your interior space feel welcoming and luxurious.

There are three main types of indoor lighting, and a well-designed room will include all of them. They are:

Ambient: This is also known as general lighting, and this light fills the majority of the room, allowing you to move around safely. Typical forms of ambient lighting are recessed lighting, track lighting, or wall-mounted fixtures.

Accent: This is used to highlight a focal point. Standard accent lighting includes picture lights, wall-mounted-fixtures, or track lighting. Ask for these lights to come with dimmers so you can change the room’s mood, depending on how you are using them.

Task: this type of lighting is used to assist in the completion of a particular job. Common types of task lighting include desk lamps for work, pendant lights in the kitchen for cooking, and outdoor lights, lighting the path to the front door.

Consider the size and aesthetics of your lighting fittings and fixtures

If your house is a mid-century design, consider pared-back simple fittings and fixtures that don’t overwhelm the space.

If your house is a traditional cottage, consider featuring period pieces to accent and complement each room.

Choose your fixtures to match your home

We all know that beauty is in the eye of the beholder but try to ensure that whatever fittings and fixtures you choose match the style of the rest of the house. And remember, your light switches are as important as the lights you choose. Make sure they fit your preferred aesthetic.

Brass Décor strives to ensure that our lighting range is affordable and brimming with variety. Our light fittings and switches are available in styles such as antique brass, bronze, and chrome.

Tapware and bathroom accessories

Good lighting is also crucial in the bathroom. Bathrooms are a vital part of your everyday routine, and you need to make sure every element in your bathroom fills you with joy. Brass Décor has a range of tapware and bathroom accessories available to match your lighting options. Enjoy the sleek finishes of our bathroom fittings, including brass, chrome, satin chrome, bronze, black and white porcelain, nickel, and copper. All styled to match your lighting fittings and fixtures.

Why choose Bras Décor for your lighting fittings, fixtures, and bathroom accessories in Perth?

As trusted suppliers and experts in the business, Brass Decor has an incredible range of products for you to consider. We pride ourselves on providing only the finest products available.

Contact us today to find out more about how we can help you find the perfect products for your home.

Of all the steps in renovating or building your home, many people might consider choosing door furniture an afterthought. But, it’s worth remembering that you’ll probably use each door handle multiple times a day, so they need to be functional and long-lasting, and they need to match the look, feel, and style of your home. A carefully selected door handle or doorknob will last for years and will accent each room to perfection.

Badly designed, poorly made door furniture will annoy you every time you use it. But how do you choose the right handle or knob for your home? Read on for Brass Décor’s top tips to picking door hardware for your doors.

First up, you need to decide whether you want a handle or knob?

These are two different things, with pros and cons to each.

Door handles

The lever on regular door handles helps increase grip and allows people with limited strength and dexterity to easily use them rather than grip a smooth round doorknob. This lever is perfect for those living in their forever home, ensuring accessibility for years to come.

Doorknobs

Doorknobs are typically round or square and are operated by grasping and twisting to open the mechanism. For older people or those with reduced strength, doorknobs can sometimes be challenging.

When deciding between a door handle or a doorknob, it often comes down to personal preference and how they match your home’s overall style. There are many different designs and finishes for both, including material (brass, wrought iron, etc.), finish (antique brass, bronze, chrome and brushed or antique nickel), style (Colonial to Modern periods and including the Edwardian, Art deco and Mid-Century Modern) and colour.

Interior style

Is your home modern and contemporary? Or is it a heritage-listed cottage in the foothills of Perth? Each home will have a different style, and the door furniture should accent and complement this style. It would look strange to have ultra-modern, sleek metal handles in a home that has been renovated to traditional standards.

If your house contains a mishmash of styles, blending old and new throughout, you consider choosing door hardware room by room. Here at Brass Décor, we specialise in supplying hardware products and accessories for homes built in Perth from the 1840s -1950s. With over 25 years of experience in all facets of lighting and door décor in Perth, you are sure to find your perfect handle or knob with us.

Shop online at Brass Decor

From brass pull handles to oversized pulls, Brass Decor has what you need. We proudly offer Perth’s largest selection of architectural hardware and light fittings in a range of metal finishes. If you are looking for brass, chrome, nickel, copper, stainless steel, bronze, or hand-finished old brass door handle or doorknob, contact our team today.