Skip to main content
Inspiration / Stories / Choose the right metal finish for your curtain rod
Stories

Choose the right metal finish for your curtain rod

Photo: Pernille Greve / Maja Karen / Stine Christiansen / Birgitta Wolfgang

MAGICAL METALLICS

Interior items with a metal finish have been popular in home decor for quite awhile and they seem to be here to stay. Metallic elements give you ample opportunity to play with style and expression in a room, whether it is a classic, minimalist or futuristic look you are going for.

Striking, large-scale metallic pieces can look amazing, but you do not necessarily have to go big: A metallic curtain track or curtain rod can be a small work of art and provide the finishing touch to your home decor. Curtain rods or curtain tracks with a metal finish can highlight both the colour of the curtain fabric and of other metallic interior items. And add an elegant touch to your interior design.

3 TIPS FOR CHOOSING METAL COLOURS FOR YOUR CURTAIN ROD OR CURTAIN TRACK

Here are 3 things to consider, when choosing your metal finish from the huge selection available:

1 – Does your preferred metal have warm or cool undertones?

2 –  What is the (dominant) colour of your curtains?

3 –  Is there consistency between the metal finishes in your room?

HS 2000 Prestige / Matte Brass, Photo: Pernille Greve

1 – METALS WITH WARM OR COLD UNDERTONES

Metallic colours vary in undertones from warm to cold and it is worth considering what effect you want to go for.

Gold, brass, copper, and bronze are considered warm-hued metals, while silver, chrome, aluminum, nickel, and stainless steel are considered as metals with cool tones.

Gold is a classic finish and will always be an eye-catcher in a room. A curtain track or curtain rod in gold or shiny brass adds a touch of elegance and a feeling of luxury. If the colours in the room are predominantly cool or there is not much light, brass, gold, and bronze can also add a touch of warmth and brighten up the space.

A rod in burnished or matte brass has a more subdued and modern, yet elegant look.

Perfekte bølger med Stilling Perfect Wave system
Stilling wavebånd og glidere sikrer at hver bølge på gardinet altid bliver den samme
Gold curtain rod in metal finish from Stilling for a luxurious look
AP 2005 brass curtain track from Stilling
Metal-finish curtain track from the HORISONT™ collection, perfect for modern interiors

COOL METALLICS

Tracks and rods in silver toned metal  finish have a cool, modern look. From clean and minimalistic in silver and aluminum, over a rustic look with stainless steel and nickel, to eye-catchers in chrome.

Shiny metals with reflective fis open up a space, while matte or brushed metals create a more industrial look. Cool metals generally have a minimalist, stylish look.

ardinskinne i metalfinish fra Stilling, kombineret med rosa gardiner

2 – THE COLOUR OF YOUR CURTAINS

Although how we experience colours can be very subjective, colours are often divided in the categories warm and cold. Consider whether the colour of your curtain fabric is predominantly warm or cold, and decide whether your metal track or rod should be contrasting or complementing this expression.

In general, shades of blue, green, and violet are considered cold. And red, orange and yellow shades as warm.

COMPLEMENTING AND CONTRASTING TONES

If you choose a curtain rod with warm metal hues, it forms a nice contrast to fabrics in cool blue, green and purple nuances. Curtains in predominantly red, orange and yellow tones combined with golden metallics offer a classic, timeless look.

Soft curtain fabrics such as velvet and silk are an obvious match for the golden metals, but they also look great with both linen and wool.

Curtain fabric in cool tones in combination with curtain rods in cool metals create a clean, discrete look. Rails in silver tones are also a nice contrast to curtains in predominantly red, orange and yellow shades.

The cool metals add some depth to the Nordic style with light colors, natural elements and raw materials.

AP 9001 curtain track from Stilling
Lucia gold
HORISONT 2000

3 – CREATE CONSISTENCY

Metal curtain rods not only create a beautiful effect in your windows, they can also speak to other metal accents in the room. Be sure to create some consistency between metallic finishes on elements such as candlesticks, lamps, chair legs, handles, picture frames, vases and bowls.

If you want a completely clean look, you can choose to settle for a single metal finish, used everywhere. But you can easily mix several kinds of metals.

MIX YOUR METALS

Most metals can be used together and it’s ultimately a matter of your personal taste. But a rule of thumb is to combine cool and hot metals. The warm, golden tones of gold and brass are beautifully highlighted when put together with cool tones like silver or chrome.

It is also a good idea to mix metals with shiny and matte surfaces and thus highlight their finishes by contrasting them.

CREATE A PERSONAL LOOK

Stillings curtain rods come in a plethora of different metal finishes, with matching finials. You can create a completely unique and personal look by mixing different metals on your curtain rod. You can e.g. choose a matte rod in a cool metal finish combined with a shiny finial in a warm metal tone and vice versa.

HORISONT 1515 Chrome
AP 5001 hos Normann Cpenhagen
HS1515 Chrome

HORISONT: DECO RAIL AND ROD COLLECTION

Our deco collection, HORISONT™, contains round, oval, square and even trapezoidal curtain tracks and rods. HORISONT™ has a large selection of metal finishes, both matte, shiny and with structure.

The series contains brand new metal finishes for Stilling, such as brushed and burnished brass, as well as stainless steel. The rods are available in both brass, stainless steel and aluminum, while the tracks are made of aluminum, with a beautiful finish. The collection also includes round curtain tracks with a combination of wood and metal finishes.

Metalfarvede gardinskinner fra Stilling giver gardinerne et eksklusivt løft på smukkeste vis.
En HS 2000