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Collection by Diana Budds

Material Focus: Copper

Warm, rosy-toned copper has fallen into favor with contemporary designers. Just as brass was au courant with designers last year, expect to see more of this material in furniture and products in the coming months (our roving editors have already spotted it in a few places during the 2013 Salone Internazionale del Mobile). In the slideshow that follows, we've gathered a few of our favorite examples from the Dwell archive that show how versatile copper can be.

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The suspended living room's scaly belly doesn't detract from the unfussy kitchen and dining area. A recycled Berlage-era table base (with a new tabletop), a deep blue lamp, and Arper chairs add to the maritime feel of the house.
The suspended living room's scaly belly doesn't detract from the unfussy kitchen and dining area. A recycled Berlage-era table base (with a new tabletop), a deep blue lamp, and Arper chairs add to the maritime feel of the house.
What began as one-offs morphed into Seattle studio Iacoli & McAllister’s first in-house collection, which debuted the spring of 2012 at ICFF. Pieces like the marble-topped Algedi table with copper legs exude a relaxed West Coast vibe.
What began as one-offs morphed into Seattle studio Iacoli & McAllister’s first in-house collection, which debuted the spring of 2012 at ICFF. Pieces like the marble-topped Algedi table with copper legs exude a relaxed West Coast vibe.
Though we love the custom teak-and-steel sink, shelving, shower caddy, mirror, shower, and vanity by Pat Carson Studio, the real coup of this bathroom is that the window at left goes from transparent to opaque with the touch of a button. The Duo Poliert dispensers beneath the shelf are from Blomus. A toilet opposite the sink is from Toto.
Though we love the custom teak-and-steel sink, shelving, shower caddy, mirror, shower, and vanity by Pat Carson Studio, the real coup of this bathroom is that the window at left goes from transparent to opaque with the touch of a button. The Duo Poliert dispensers beneath the shelf are from Blomus. A toilet opposite the sink is from Toto.
Schatz and Eamon bought a small sheet of copper, cut out their house numbers, mixed and poured some concrete, and voilá-- their own groovy house numbers for $125.
Schatz and Eamon bought a small sheet of copper, cut out their house numbers, mixed and poured some concrete, and voilá-- their own groovy house numbers for $125.
Both sturdy and whimsical, the Copper Lamp 10Kg by Samuel Treindl and Tobias Sieber is a tongue-in-cheek way to collect a full ten kilograms of metal deposits as a long-term investment.
Both sturdy and whimsical, the Copper Lamp 10Kg by Samuel Treindl and Tobias Sieber is a tongue-in-cheek way to collect a full ten kilograms of metal deposits as a long-term investment.
In Kansas City, Missouri, a family sought to construct a new home using prefabricated structural insulated panels (SIPS) instead of traditional frame construction. The entire kit house is composed of 4' x 8' sections, and the shell was constructed in about a week. The project’s relatively low cost, quick build time, and highly insulated envelope were positives, but the panels also have their limitations. “Most SIP projects look pretty stupid,” Jamie says. “They haven’t been manipulated by someone who’s thinking creatively.” In this case, Jamie augmented the simple panel system with a dynamic cantilever.
In Kansas City, Missouri, a family sought to construct a new home using prefabricated structural insulated panels (SIPS) instead of traditional frame construction. The entire kit house is composed of 4' x 8' sections, and the shell was constructed in about a week. The project’s relatively low cost, quick build time, and highly insulated envelope were positives, but the panels also have their limitations. “Most SIP projects look pretty stupid,” Jamie says. “They haven’t been manipulated by someone who’s thinking creatively.” In this case, Jamie augmented the simple panel system with a dynamic cantilever.
Lighting designer Tom Dixon released this pendant lamp in 2006 at the Milan Furniture Fair. The shade is constructed of plastic polycarbonate and sheathed in a mirror-like copper finish.
Lighting designer Tom Dixon released this pendant lamp in 2006 at the Milan Furniture Fair. The shade is constructed of plastic polycarbonate and sheathed in a mirror-like copper finish.
When the Zimmerman family settled in Seattle, Washington, in the late 1990s they bought a 1,100-square-foot Craftsman built in the 1920s. Fast-forward to today. Not wanting to leave their beloved neighborhood, but hurting for space, they enlisted the help of local design-build firm Ninebark to create a separate living area. Working from sketches that the residents had from their uncle, Gary Schoemaker, an architect in New York, Ninebark realized a refined structure that serves as a playroom, office, and guesthouse for visitors, complete with a kitchenette and full bathroom.
When the Zimmerman family settled in Seattle, Washington, in the late 1990s they bought a 1,100-square-foot Craftsman built in the 1920s. Fast-forward to today. Not wanting to leave their beloved neighborhood, but hurting for space, they enlisted the help of local design-build firm Ninebark to create a separate living area. Working from sketches that the residents had from their uncle, Gary Schoemaker, an architect in New York, Ninebark realized a refined structure that serves as a playroom, office, and guesthouse for visitors, complete with a kitchenette and full bathroom.
This handmade, copper-plated bike’s minimal aesthetic is reminiscent of vintage track bicycles. Each bespoke fixed-gear bicycle is made to order based on individual measurements. For a selection of modern cycling accessories, view this story.
This handmade, copper-plated bike’s minimal aesthetic is reminiscent of vintage track bicycles. Each bespoke fixed-gear bicycle is made to order based on individual measurements. For a selection of modern cycling accessories, view this story.
The Svalbard Science Center, on the arctic Svalbard archipelago, is clad in copper sheeting, a material that remains workable even in very low temperatures.
The Svalbard Science Center, on the arctic Svalbard archipelago, is clad in copper sheeting, a material that remains workable even in very low temperatures.