New techniques allow iron and steel to forge new possibilities.
Excerpted from the original article By Christine Darragh, Niagara Magazine's Interiors, Fall/Winter, 2010
While delicate cotton may be the 'fabric of our lives,' as the ad wizards would have us believe, it's actually the metal hanger adorning our home closets that provides real strength and purpose–and thanklessly shoulders the weighty drape of a favourite cotton shirt.
Of course, being both durable and functional is nothing new for metal. It's a material that has seamlessly incorporated itself into our daily living for centuries, often without the benefit of accolades. (So, hang in there, humble hangar.) Since the 1700s, when the trade of blacksmithing surged alongside the rise of the industrial era, craftspeople have taken advantage of large or deposits found around the world. From this, widespread architectural and decorating uses for iron and steel were born.
What is the extraordinary result of such a prosperous, global history? The use of metal beautifully suits any time period and decorating style–spanning from colonial to contemporary, rustic to refined–while still gladly delivering on its notable, long-lasting and practical reputation. In fact, it's versatility is just one reason it makes such a great design element, and why it should be thoughtfully considered as a logical inclusion anywhere and everywhere.
Pieces by Karen Featured in this article.
