August 29, 2002

THE COPPER HOUSE: Metal Being Used Inside And Out In Usual And Unexpected Ways

By Connie Green Freightman/Staff

(This cover story was reprinted with permission from the Home & Garden Section of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution newspaper, Atlanta, GA, USA)

Atlanta, GA, USA - Long loved for its durability and the warmth it evokes in the home, copper's making a comeback in traditional and cutting-edge decor.

Inside it's showing up everywhere -- from place mats on the table to the kitchen sink. Outside, copper roofing, flashing and gutters add old-home charm in new construction. 

Builders and decorators alike are savoring its merits.

When "This Old House" came to town this spring, it broadcast a segment from a new house in Buckhead it dubbed the Timeless Home that features copper inside and out.

Built by Jason Yowell, president of Metropolitan Design & Construction in Roswell, the house's copper features include triangular bays with copper roofing, along with copper gutters, a barrel-vaulted copper roof on the screened porch, an apron-front kitchen sink and dining room lighting fixture.

"I like copper," said Atlanta interior designer Kay Douglass, who decorated the house. "Copper has a great patina. It adds a touch of warmth and age to a house."

Yowell knows the effect personally. The builder added copper accents to the exterior of the home he built for himself six years ago. "It's the look," Yowell said. "It's the warmth and quality it imparts on the whole house. It lasts."

Function and beauty

Behind the scenes, copper plays a major role throughout the home, in plumbing, electrical wiring, appliances and hardware.

But out front it casts a warm glow in home accessories from coasters and clocks to planters and light fixtures.

In his Atlanta home, designer Bill Cook of Vermilion Designs Interiors used copper mesh screen as a wallcovering in a powder room. The bathroom's modern decor, which also features a glass vessel sink, mica-flecked black granite floor and exploding star chandelier, represents the element fire, Cook said.

"I got tired of using conventional wallcoverings," Cook said. "It is quite unique."

Some like their copper shiny, like a new penny. Others love the old look that develops as the metal is allowed to age naturally. Outdoors, exposed to the elements, copper fountains, birdbaths, fire pits and planters take on a greenish patina, giving the objects an antique
appearance. Copper roofing, flashing and gutters eventually develop a weathered look that gives newer houses an old-manor aura.

Popularity building

"It's been a growing trend in the last few years," said Ken Geremia, manager of communications for the Copper Development Association. "That's the feedback we're getting from builders incorporating it into homes."

Besides its thermal conductivity in the kitchen, copper is so easy to work with that artisans can mold, etch, stamp and hammer it into a variety of attractive shapes for everything from furniture to jewelry.

Many people also like the color, which exudes warmth and coziness, a factor that has become important in making houses feel more comfortable and secure, Geremia notes.

Copper pieces are often finished, for protection and artistic effect. Finishing techniques include waxing, antiquing, painting, coating, lacquering, variegating (heating to produce a spectrum of colors) and oxidizing to bring out the green or blue-green patina.

And it's durable, Geremia said.

"If you put on a copper roof, it'll last for a couple of hundred years," he said. "Look at the Statue of Liberty. It lasts and lasts."

Paying the price

All these advantages mean that copper is expensive. An eight-piece set of copper cookware, handcrafted in France, retails for almost $900. A handmade copper sink can start around $1,000 but could cost more than $7,000.

Although handmade copper sinks at Custom Sinks by Rachiele start around $2,000, the Florida company does a brisk business, according to national sales manager Dave Tucci.

Customers who want custom-made copper features in their homes are seeking something special -- artistic and unique, said Cliff Wang, president of Design Galleria, a kitchen design studio in the Atlanta Decorative Arts Center. "People with disposable income want something different and not everyday."

Predicting that its popularity would continue to build, Frigo Designs of Syracuse, N.Y., added copper to its line of metals in February. The company offers custom-crafted copper panels for kitchen appliances as well as copper countertops, backsplashes, tiles, cabinet doors, mantels and hearths. So far, customer response has been good, said Eric Gantley, company president.

"Stainless steel has been hot and has become very common so now people are looking for something different," Gantley said. "We think [copper's] going to be one of the new
generations of looks in metal." 

Caring for Copper

Decorative items should be kept clean and dusted. Most are coated with lacquer to preserve the shine. Those without coating must be polished.

Lacquer coatings: Lacquer (which is appropriate as long as the item is not being used for food purposes) helps preserve the finish. Most modern pieces of decorative copper are protected by a factory-applied, baked-on lacquer. Only dusting and an occasional washing with lukewarm, soapy water are needed to keep lacquered objects shiny. Never polish them. Lacquer must be removed from eating and cooking utensils before using.  

To remove lacquer, place the item in 2 gallons of boiling water to which 1 cup of washing soda (not baking soda) has been added. The lacquer will peel off. Another method for removing lacquer is to rub with a cloth saturated with acetone or alcohol.

Tarnish: Copper is sensitive to air and oxidizes (tarnishes) faster in moist air. 

To remove tarnish from copper pots, rub with lemon halves dipped in salt.

Source: Doityourself.com 

©2002 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.  Reprinted with permission from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.  Further reproduction, retransmission or distribution of these materials without the prior written consent of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and any copyright holder identified in the material's copyright notice, is prohibited.