Beautiful kitchens and bathrooms in a signature West Coast style are the hallmarks of Jamie Banfield Design, an award-winning Port Moody, BC-based firm. While principal designer Jamie Banfield has a passion for millwork, it’s metals that are currently catching his eye. We chatted with Jamie to learn more about this emerging trend.

What is an emerging trend you’re seeing in finishes, materials, and fixtures?

People are thinking outside the box in terms of standard finishes—we’re getting more free and playful with mixing materials and finishes. Lighting and faucets, especially, are very decorative—they can show personality very easily, and they’re also easy to transition out.

Living finishes in metals is big. Whether we’re doing hood fans, metal doors, metal brackets, lighting or faucetry, people want living finishes, like a steel that will actually patina or an unlacquered brass that will show wear.

I think trends are moving super fast because of the way Instagram is developing—people are just trusting. Homeowners are on Instagram, and they might see three or four things in fun metals, and then that’s giving them a confidence and a trust in being able to do that.

Is this more a functional choice or an aesthetic choice?

I think it’s a bit of both. In Vancouver, people are often thinking of resale, so I look at any material or object as being committal or non-committal. Faucets or lighting could be very simple to install or remove, so those are the decisions where you can jump in there with emotion, with your heart—if you love it, go for it. And you could spend a little bit of money on those things because they’re the jewellery of every space. But for cabinetry, countertops or flooring, we think longevity—full durability and transitioning from no kids to babies to toddlers to teenagers—because it’s not as simple to change them out.

How does this trend help the homeowner get more enjoyment from their space?

It’s about treating ourselves—like vacationing, going to the spa, eating out, buying decent things. I’m seeing a lot of different finishes and techniques in metals coming through, and I think it’s related to travel and our desire to maintain that connection to the places we’ve visited.

What should homeowners know if they’re considering incorporating this trend into their space?

I love mixing metals, and playing with this is popular right now, but people often make big mistakes with it. Think about it in terms of basic colour tones: Chrome or stainless are cool tones, while polished nickel or unlacquered brass are very warm. If you stick to a grouping of cool metals or a grouping of warm, it’s going to look more harmonious than if you mix the tones. And when you’re layering different finishes, think about textures too—you can get hand-hammered, unlacquered or wire-brushed finishes.

Some design trends stick around for a very long time, but some don’t. Think about the investment in the property, but also in your quality of life. You touch faucets many times a day every day, so you want one that works well, but you also want something that feels nice in your hand.