Steel is cold, simple, hard and wood is soft, organic, and complex. In blending the two, it is important to consider every application and how each will affect the other. Examples featured are a lavatory and a master bedroom.
Notice, in each of the two applications, that the steel fixtures compliment the wood furnishings and finishings. In the bedroom there are subtle curves and kinks in the lights that mimic the dramatic curves of the headboard. Inversely, the faucets at the sink basin have sharp straight features, which blend well with both the square wooden medicine cabinet and the straight lines in the tile work.
Paying close attention, you can see that we installed wooden pulls on the reading lamps. This promotes a more comfortable feel when the user operates the fixture, touching soft wood in lieu of cold metal as they crawl into a comfy bed.
Neither steel nor wood make the design work, the collaboration of the two does. Never forget to involve every detail of the design, as well as the user’s action, when selecting wood and steel mixtures.