Metals

New designs for time-honoured metals

Gold, silver, brass and bronze look more beautiful then ever! Along with all the highly valued traditional hammered silver items (from miniature animals to bowls and trays), repousse' accents are now creating modern scents on countless decorative items, including seashell ashtrays, wood picture frames and silk bolsters.

Those gold leaf patterns adorning serving platters, vases and containers represent just one of many contemporary versions of the classic art of gold stenciling. Gilding with gold and even silver turns a simple wooden item, be it a room divider, an elephant statue or even a piece of silk fabric, into an elegant interior accessory.

Putting a glass top on an ancient bronze drum or mounting a buffalo bell on a wooden stand turns utilitarian cast metal replicas into decorative "object d'art". Glass-topped end tables and sculptural piece are just two of the many modern interpretations of classic Thai forms that are making a splash on the design scene.

The same metriculous workmanship applied to crafting traditional brass dining utensils is also evident in the enormously popular stainless steel flatware, which comes in a variety of styles and finishes. One set of flatware was on display at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.