Love the warm, honeyed tones of copper? Here’s how you can introduce some into your home with simple, affordable lighting and accessories…
Copper started to become trendy in a big way in the last 12 months or so, with interior-lovers enthusing about everything from copper bathtubs to entire accent walls covered in hammered copper. And why not? It’s a lovely material: a great way to introduce a metallic note into a room in a warm way, or a hint of the industrial or retro without being too ‘disused factory’. Copper, you might say, is the cosiest metal.
Hammered copper backsplash - Photo by InHouse Design Studio
Or at least, that’s the way we like it. Hammered copper has that more rustic or worn look, and you can use copper in exterior surfaces where over time it will acquire a deeper, darker patina, which many love. But when we think of copper at Pooky we really have in mind that lovely, shiny, honey colour, with which we finish many of our brass lamps. It’s perfect for lighting – warm and rich. And of course pendant lights and lamps are easy ways to introduce a material to a room without requiring a major revamp. Here are some of our copper-coloured lights for your delectation and inspiration…
Copper pendant lights
The Peeler is the really classic, hefty (it’s 22cm in diameter and 32cm in height) copper pendant light. Lovely and warm and a real centrepiece in the middle of a room or over a dining table.
Just as substantial (30cm in diameter) but with more of a sleek, Scandi vibe, is the Thea. We based the design on a pendant light we spotted in a shop in Copenhagen, fashioned it in brass and gave it a contemporary copper finish.
Dexter in copper (smaller size) - shop here
Another cunning approach to copper pendant lights is to choose a more dainty size and, rather than using a single one as a centerpiece, hang them in rows of three or five (odd numbers are always best, for some weird reason) over a long table or down a hallway. The smaller Dexter is perfect for that, though it comes in a large size too.
Finally, if you want that coppery light, but not too much actual copper on show, you can try a pendant light with a copper interior but a different exterior. We do a version of the Thea with a bronze exterior and copper interior, while our Coolie Hat , which comes in all sorts of colours, has a version with a copper interior and stone exterior (and a vice versa).
Copper wall lights
Wall lights do a similar sort of job to pendants, being a great way to bring copper into a room in a subtle sort of way. Perhaps a recess wall or a crafty corner. Our Cookie Hat wall light in copper exterior with a stone interior is a close cousin of the pendant light (and yes, the copper interior/stone exterior is available too. Did you follow all that?).
Copper desk lights
Why not make a coppery statement in your study? The Plato is our attention-grabbing copper-and-chrome angular beauty, very striking amidst books and papers. Doesn’t have to be in a study, though – Plato makes a fine, unusual table lamp or bedside reading lamp too.
Copper table lamps
And talking of unusual table lamps, the Cyclops is a big round ball of copper that throws a lovely glow of warm light into the nooks. We think it has a touch of 1970s penthouse chic, but with a very contemporary, coppery feel.
Other copper interior ideas
So those are our suggestions for bringing some copper into your rooms via lighting. But of course there are all sorts of other accessories and decorative tricks. Here are a few:
Kitchenware – copper kettles, pots and pans are all the rage again, for those who like their kitchenware on display. Here’s a good place to browse.
Trays – a really simple, cost-effective way to bring the copper trend into any room. Use on a display shelf for maximum effect.
Tankards – again, a nice, low-cost way to copper-up shelves and cabinets. Loads to be seen here.
Fireplaces – rather more expensive, but what a way to amplify the warmth and cosiness of a fire!
