Polished vs Brushed Stainless Steel

Every home has a style because it directly reflects your personality or certain characteristics for a period of time. As an owner, you get to choose and decorate your home however you like, and with new trends developing every year, you have plenty of options to pick from. Thinking about your needs and what works best for your home will create an understanding of elements and special qualities.

Adding or complementing your home with metal details will transform your space while adding functionality benefits. If you are considering using stainless steel, you can choose from options, especially between the two finishes. Learning the difference between polished and brushed stainless steel will give you the necessary information to make the best decision.

Polished Stainless Steel

As the name suggests, polished stainless steel is flat, shiny, and smooth and will enhance your home’s clean appearance. Depending on the type of usage you will get to where you want to have polished stainless steel, you could enjoy great benefits, from cleaning to visual appeal. Most kitchen appliances come with this finish, so you can clearly see what these elements look like.

Polished stainless steel is ideal for countertops, kitchen sinks, tables, and wall covers. This finish makes cleaning very simple and easy because you can remove stains and dirt quickly without any problem. It’s resistant to water and requires little maintenance, except for the occasional cleaning. You can take advantage of these characteristics, especially when you have kids at home.

Brushed Stainless Steel

Friction creates this type of stainless steel that removes most of its natural shine and makes the surface rugged and texturized. This look works perfectly as visually attractive, creating a more attractive finish when you use it for decorations or focus points. You can find brushed stainless steel mostly in tables and decorative items; simply by looking at it, you can perceive a unique and interesting look.

The finish on this type of steel is best kept from constant use because the lines from the brushing procedure keep smaller particles stuck inside if not constantly cleaned. The lines are not deep but tend to keep stains and watermarks for longer because of their nature. Choosing the right options depends on your interest, usage, and time management.

Practical Uses

When thinking about which finish of stainless steel to get for your home, you must think about the endless possibilities of each type. Use and functionality are two main characteristics that determine whether you should use one or the other, but it all depends on where you want it.

A clever way to use either one of these is on stainless steel table legs, as they provide the same level of resistance with great functionality but a different view. You can subtly transform a space with details that will make a big difference. Adding unique touches of steel to your home will elevate the look of a room and make it a more pleasant experience.

Industrial Look

A trendy way of using stainless steel is by transforming your space into an industrial space style. Other elements that you need to consider are brick, wood, and metal fixtures. An industrial look makes it easier to implement stainless steel elements, so you don’t have to overthink them. A simple transformation will elevate your space, giving you the opportunity to update it.

You don’t need extreme industrial elements; if you prefer to keep the style more subtle, you can always only add stainless steel to areas like the kitchen or the bathroom. The items for these areas of your house commonly use steel because they are resistant to water and humidity, as well as being easy to clean.

Stainless Steel Characteristics

Aside from the visual effects and feeling of the two different finishes, the main characteristics of steel make it a unique material. It is highly resistant to corrosion and very simple to clean. This material is ideal for kitchens because it can resist high temperatures without suffering from damage. Most restaurants have stainless steel throughout their kitchens because it’s clean, safe, and resistant.

Its versatility allows different products to exist, and its malleability can produce large items and smaller details. The production time is short, so you can get any product you want in a timely fashion. Choosing stainless steel will bring special characteristics to your home while saving you time and money. The process of stainless steel appears, uplifts, and naturally enhances some of these characteristics.

Steel Classifications

There are various classifications for steel depending on the number of elements used to create a special type. Depending on usage, some are better suited than others. Even with similar characteristics, some offer better optimizations for usage.

• Ferritic Steel—This type is mainly used in the automotive industry for car components and home furnaces.
• Austenitic Steel—The most common type of steel used for textiles, medical equipment, house decorations, and food preparation.
• Martensitic Steel—This is another common type found in kitchenware, engines, knives, and screws.
• Duplex Steel—This is a more complex type used mainly for construction, transportation, and desalination plants.

Commercial steel for everyday items is easy to find and apply to areas like home spaces, decorations, and patio furniture. Some companies provide you with the opportunity to incorporate elements into your daily life, from details like table legs to bed frames.

Environmentally Friendly

When it comes to environmentally friendly materials, steel is at the top of the list. There are no differences between brushed and polished stainless steel because both are eligible for recycling. Every element and detail, from screws to large kitchen counters, has properties that allow it to go to the process plant and become a new and fresh item.

Reusing materials, especially recycled ones, adds a special value to every product. Working with metals and materials that melt only at high temperatures is risky, but decreasing the over-exploitation of mines and minerals has no comparison.

Plenty of benefits come with using products made with stainless steel, and whether it’s brushed or polished, steel can make your life easier and upgrade your home. Finding what you need from the experts will allow you to implement anything you want with the help and guidance of professionals.

Cleaning Products Not to Use on Stainless Steel

Cleaning is essential to prevent health problems and make everything look nice and fresh, especially at home. Cleaning products have different properties that focus on detailing various objects, some of which could cause damage.

Learning to take care of certain objects like furniture or kitchen appliances is essential to ensure functionality and extend a product’s lifespan. There are various cleaning products you should never use on stainless steel to optimize and avoid problems with these products.

Steel Wool Balls

Steel wool is the perfect object to deep clean some products and remove stains left from different liquids like oil and grease because of its strong and durable qualities. Steel is a resistant metal, but it is easy to scratch and damage with the wrong products; steel wool balls will leave marks all over your stainless steel that are almost impossible to remove.

Abrasive Solutions

Some liquids can damage and weaken your stainless steel products, especially when they contain abrasive solutions. Quartz, marble, and sometimes even volcanic ash come in cleaning products to remove any stains or contaminants in your space. Scrubbing powders are another example of abrasive solutions that immediately damage stainless steel.

Chlorine Products

Cleaners for everyday processes normally contain chlorine because it is an effective and quick way of getting rid of viruses and bacteria that could cause sickness. Chlorine is the best cleaner for floors. When you mix it with an ambiance refresher, your home will look and smell clean for days. Be careful when cleaning around your furniture, especially the ones with brushed stainless steel legs, because you could mildly damage them, taking away their shine.

Glass Cleaners

This is the perfect example of a product that only works well with specific materials like glass. Glass cleaner is a product you should never use on stainless steel; it will leave your mirrors and windows looking new but will damage your stainless steel and leave dark stains. Some products might seem harmless, and the damage they produce is neither outstanding nor pleasant.

Salty Water

Depending on the area and state where you live, the water could contain high levels of sodium, damaging your stainless steel. Stainless steel is very resistant, that’s why many kitchen sinks are made with this material. However, stainless steel sinks will permanently stain if not cleaned properly. The best way to clean a kitchen sink is with a specialized stainless steel solution.

How to Use More Stainless Steel in Your Home

Your home and how you use your space reflect your personality, creating an area where you can enjoy some of the best moments. But that space needs to come with great decorations. There are many ways you can translate your style into physical objects that reflect more of who you are, especially if you like keeping up with current trends and materials.

These tips for using more stainless steel in your home décor will give you the information you need to try new and current elements. People generally relate stainless steel with an industrial look, but this is not the case; you can achieve different looks with the right items.

Wall Sheets

Creating a contemporary look in your home with current trends is simpler when you don’t have to get stuck with a decision forever. Wall sheets are the perfect option to transform a space with simple details; wall sheets come in different sizes to cover specific areas of your house. These sheets are removable but stay firmly attached to the walls without problems.

Use Small Elements

If you are unsure how much stainless steel you want to use, you can start with something small. Changing elements in your kitchen or bathroom, like hardware, knobs, or even appliances will give you a feel of what things would look like. Instead of using a regular backsplash, install a small stainless steel sheet or add steel towel hangers to your bathrooms.

Furniture Details

Incorporating details into existing elements is a quick and simple way to transform a space without overwhelming it. You can add stainless table legs to a wooden top to convert a piece of furniture into something unique. Smaller elements mixed with fabrics and softer materials will elevate the look of your room with a new view and functionality.

Steel Spray Paint

A trick to using more stainless steel in your home décor is painting smaller items like candlesticks or vases with shiny steel spray paint. This technique will allow you to decide which elements to use and simply transform them with just a can of paint. Spray paint is an effective way to add color, and its versatility also combines traditional methods with new possibilities.

Light Fixtures

Light is essential to any home, so why not make it extra special with the right elements? Stainless steel metal fixtures work perfectly for interiors and exteriors; using both can bring cohesiveness to your home. This is a safe way to incorporate certain elements that will noticeably transform your space, day and night.

Design Your Contemporary Style Home

Getting the right elements in your house will immediately transform its look and feel. There are simple ways you can complement the style you already have with simple features to enhance the reflection of your personality. To make your space trendier and more modern, here’s everything you need to design a contemporary-style home from which you can take inspiration. Play with different elements to achieve your desired look and stay true to your personality.

Keep It Minimum

When you have a blank canvas, you can draw anything to reflect your style and get a message across; the same happens with the space in your home. To achieve a contemporary look, you must have elements that will blend and match current trends, which means including a few pieces that will open those possibilities.

The right items are timeless and clean, with neutral colors that go well with almost everything. You can replace certain decorations constantly, usually, small ones like paintings or vases, but big elements must be versatile to help achieve a certain look.

Metal fixtures are small detail that gives your home a unique style inside and out. There are plenty of alloys you can choose from, especially ones that will let you match your furniture and home decorations.

Stylish Furniture

Some of the most important elements for a contemporary look are the pieces of furniture around your house. It is unnecessary to replace every item you own to change the style; instead, upgrade what you have with different elements, especially metal.

Welded steel table legs are the perfect option for desks, tables, and even beds to uplift the look and provide useful and comfortable details. You can choose different options, from custom-made pieces to the most popular supports that will give your home an expensive and unique look.

Good Lighting

Lighting is an essential feature inside every contemporary home. Dimmers allow you to quickly change the mood of a room. Track lights are a versatile option that provides enough lighting in a space with unique designs to match any interior.

Use Textiles

Textiles will bring a unique look to your home, from curtains to rogues and even bed sheets. Choose neutral colors with patterns to give extra details to a space without overwhelming the room. To design a contemporary style home, you must keep up with current trends, apply them wisely, and develop a personal style that adjusts to constant change. Textiles are a great way to convert a space with simple items available everywhere.

ECon Welding & Fabrication is a custom furniture welding shop that produces custom table legs for custom design contemporary style tables. If you are creating a custom contemporary-style table and need custom table legs or bases, please take a moment to browse our store.

You can also complete the form provided below to send us images of your tabletop and/or images of the space you wish to design for.

Industrial-Style Interior Design

Creating a space where you feel comfortable that reflects your personality and covers your needs has no comparison, which could ultimately transform your living area. Interior design has many different phases, and throughout history, new movements appear to transform simple decorations into a lifestyle.

If you are planning a remodel or want to try something new, you need to know about industrial interior design to expand your knowledge and possibilities. People relate industrial to warehouses, but for home design, some elements like metals and colors could create a completely different experience.

Historical Background

Industrial décor made its first appearance in empty warehouses that had to deal with a need for space and housing. After the Industrial Revolution, many buildings were left empty, with plenty of room to transform these empty industrial giants into apartments. Not a lot changed, except for installing interior walls to divide up the space and fitting the space with utilities and services to make it functional.

Industrial design stayed, and people gradually learned to live with it and love it, which soon became a part of their personal design style. Gaining popularity because of the uniqueness of the details, the industrial design kept growing and taking over more spaces and attracting new fans.

Main Characteristics

There are specific details that are common to industrial design; by adding some of these, you can transform a space into an industrial showcase with a mix of characteristics. Some of the basic design elements include color choices, textures, materials, and accessories.

Colors reflect the history of an era and the materials involved. The colors representing industrial characteristics are brown, gray, black, and white. Neutral colors found in nature can easily match and complement each other without changing them.

Textured walls hearken back to nature as well, featuring natural elements like wood or stone, which offer a soothing contrast to industrial fixtures. Metal, wood, stone, and their attendant colors harmonize perfectly. Stone boasts different shades of gray, gold, and tan that will add depth and light to a wall, while wood’s deep brown shades echo the forest.

Materials like metals and wood define functionality with quality. These materials were in common use during the Industrial Revolution because they provided reliable quality, ideal for heavy-duty work. Characteristics like rust and holes inherent in these materials are not flaws but rather desirable nuances.

Incorporating Details

Introducing new details into an existing style is simple when the details complement the existing ones. If you have a modern-style home, you can add details to existing elements to change the look or enhance function. Features like dining room tables or desks will benefit from custom metal table legs because they will add smart details that are noticeable but not overpowering.

Metal details are important to bring an industrial vision and feel to life because it’s a component that defines the industrial era. You don’t have to turn your home into a warehouse; you simply need to incorporate details like metal linings or metal light fixtures to add an elegant touch without transforming the whole space.

Other elements that are more subtle and versatile are metal headboards and bed frames. You can go for a traditional look with rounded shapes painted white, but you can expand wherever your imagination takes you. Custom metal bed frames and headboards give you a wide range of options when working on your vision, easily attainable with the help of professionals.

Use of Wood

Using wood in strategic places like ceilings and walls will optimize your space’s look without tearing down walls. You can add elements like beams that do not necessarily need to support anything; they serve only as decoration but will create the illusion of support.

Wooden furniture is common across many design styles, but when added to the other elements mentioned here, wood will elevate the industrial look you are trying to achieve. Using woods with different shades of brown and gray is also popular. You don’t need to have every tone match; leave the natural wood color for a more rustic look.

Exposed Pipes

For some, this might seem like an unfinished job, but the truth is that it will give your home a unique look as long as those pipes are strategically placed. Depending on what you want, you can paint the pipes black to keep them all uniform, or you can also keep the pipes unfinished to create an eye-catching highly industrialized look. You can find different sizes and styles of pipes and play with their proportions and locations.

Light Fixtures

Hanging metal light fixtures are the best elements to achieve an industrial look. Think of mining lanterns and the type of lights used in warehouses and translate them into elegant items by keeping the essence and colors but playing around with unusual finishes and bulb choices. This is an important detail to know about industrial interior design if you want to maintain subtle but characteristic elements.

If you want to make a bigger statement, you can find big metal chandeliers with pendant lights that deliver illumination that is both modern and sophisticated.

Concrete Floors

Concrete floors can look sleek and mod or practical and functional, depending on whether you opt for neutral colors, glazed effects, flecks of reflective zinc, or a thousand other elements that make a home look inspiring. This type of floor will not only give you an industrial look, but they are also easy to clean, resistant to damage, and versatile. It is an inexpensive option, unlike wooden floors, which also require much maintenance.

You can pair concrete flooring with bamboo floor coverings or soft rugs; they will protect the floor from metal table legs.

Open Space

Warehouses are big open spaces, especially industrial ones. An open floor plan or loft-style setup makes it easy to incorporate many different elements to achieve that wide-open look. Colors, textures, and furnishings really pop and draw the eye in an open floor plan. If you want to transform your space completely, you must knock down some walls, but this is not for everyone!

Having an already open space will allow you to enhance your home with chic, modern, industrial décor. An industrial style presents a big personality, and you need to make sure that it is what speaks to you.

You can add different touches to your house and gradually incorporate more, depending on how you feel and react to what you already have. Industrial interior design gives you a playground to experiment with, and having the right elements will enhance your own personal style. If you’re looking for more help with your industrial interior design, give ECon Welding a call.