Decorating with Copper: Add a Note of Warmth to Your Home

In this post: Looking to add a bit of warm accent color to your home? Try these tips for decorating with copper to create an inviting home.⇒

I haven’t lost my taste for neutrals.

I still enjoy the relaxed calm of a tone-on-tone space and the sense of quiet luxury and sophistication that a neutral room exudes. Yet if you aren’t careful, the lack of contrast can get boring. Restful is good, as is soothing to the eye. But bland… not so much.

The single greatest advantage of a colorless space is that you can add accents depending on your mood and can change things up rather easily.

And if your inclination calls for a note of warmth, there’s no better friend to an inspired decorator than a bit of copper.

Decorating with Copper Accents

In the past few years, we updated our living room with lighter colors and a mostly neutral palette. I chose a subtle greige for the wall color (Benjamin Moore Tapestry Beige), added washed linen drapery panels and leaned into creamy white furniture. Soft elegance was my inspiration but I left a few elements that read quite French and feminine.

Yet apart from those few pieces, the room is the very picture of a neutral backdrop, one that can be shaped by the components around it, defined by the accents that are added on any given day.

The tone of the cream makes it the perfect host to a warm palette, so I’ve selected this room to feature my favorite copper pieces. Decorating with copper accents is a wonderful way to bring a warm glow to your spaces, without the harsh jolt of vibrant pop color.

Vintage copper, in particular, takes on a lovely patina over time, and can be at once rich and lustrous, but also mellow and refined.

Today I’m sharing my favorite ways to add a note of warmth to the home by decorating with copper accents.

1. Use Copper Pots and Urns

Copper can be used sparingly in very subtle ways, but to make a statement, you’ll want to choose a few larger pieces. Coffee pots and urns comes in a variety of shapes and sizes, offering interest in silhouette, along with decorative hardware detailing. Clustering a few of these items together can emphasize their unique lines, but featuring an extra large piece on its own can be equally as effective.

2. Add Lush Flowers

There are some pairings that were meant to be.

Wine and cheese. Peaches and cream. Rhythm and blues.

When it comes to decorating and adding warm romance to a room, I would add blush and copper! This delightful combination works beautifully together and makes the perfect accent pair to a neutral space.

For this reason, I love to add pink flowers to my copper vignettes. Whether it be a pale blush, a sumptuous pink or a lavish burgundy, the rosy glow of copper pairs wonderfully with pink.

3. Punctuate with Candlelight

If it’s warmth you’re after, look no further than candles. The flicker of their tiny flames pretty much calls you in, and an aromatic scent is exceptionally a treat. If you can find a candle in a copper holder, all the better.

It’s nice to parallel the warm tones in different materials, such as vintage leather books which parrot the shade of the copper pieces. I also love to distinguish copper by placing it with white ironstone, an utterly charming combination that benefits both materials.

4. Try a Vintage Planter

Perhaps my favorite piece in my collection is a low oval planter, and I love the item for its styling possibilities. Fill it with fruit, shells, orbs, or simply… a plant. I like that it sits nicely with taller receptacles, lending movement to an arrangement so that not everything is vertical. You can also fill it with pillar candles, letters in a bundle, or any number of other things.

5. Display a Copper Tray

Without a doubt, the king of the vignette is a well placed tray. Corral a collection of similar items together, or otherwise display disparate small curiosities. On the tray above, I have an array of found organic pieces, in addition to a trio of copper canele molds. I have never once actually made caneles, but I love the little treasures nonetheless, and hope to use them the right way some day.

6. Pepper the Space with Pitchers and Vases

Similar to pots and urns, but a shape all their own, another favorite item is the copper pitcher. I love to use them for flowers, but they look beautiful on their own, as well. Mixed with a white creamer, you have a lovely pairing. Shapely copper vases have a place in this category, too. You can shine them with copper cleaner if you’re inclined to tamp down the patina, or leave them aged and timeworn if that’s the look you prefer.

7. Include Votives and Copper Cups

The best room styling takes advantage of variety, and in the case of decorating with copper, it’s not just the shapes that I like to vary but the sizes, as well. Hence, tiny votives have a significant role to play, adding a fleeting hint of color to a spot that’s brimming with mostly whites and neutrals. Small cups can serve the same purpose, such as Moscow mule mugs, or a copper creamer.

Once again, I love to balance these fiery pieces with the natural aura of wood or the crispness of white porcelain.

More Ways to Decorate with Copper Accents

• Copper Pendant Lights: Hang copper pendant lights over your kitchen island or dining table for a stunning focal point.
• Copper Picture Frames: Frame your favorite photos or artwork in copper frames to add a sophisticated touch to your walls.
• Copper Kitchen Utensils: Display copper kitchen utensils on a hanging rack or in a utensil holder for a stylish and functional addition to your kitchen.
• Copper Mirrors: Hang a copper-framed mirror in your entryway or bathroom to add a touch of luxury.
• Copper Shelves: Install copper shelves in your living room or bathroom for a unique and practical storage solution.
• Copper Bar Cart: Add a copper bar cart to your living space for a stylish way to store and display your beverages and glassware.
• Copper Hardware: Update your kitchen or bathroom cabinets with copper hardware for a quick and easy refresh.
• Copper Clocks: Hang a copper clock on your wall for a functional and fashionable timepiece.
• Copper Pots and Pans: Display copper pots and pans on an open shelf or pot rack to add a professional and polished look to your kitchen.
• Copper Side Tables: Incorporate copper side tables into your living room or bedroom for a touch of elegance.
• Copper Fruit Bowls: Use a copper fruit bowl on your kitchen counter or dining table for a practical and pretty accent.
• Copper Fireplace Accessories: Choose copper fireplace tools and accessories to enhance the look of your hearth.
• Copper Backsplash: Install a copper backsplash in your kitchen for a unique and striking feature.
• Copper Wall Art: Hang copper wall sculptures or art pieces to draw attention and add interest.
• Copper Soap Dispensers: Add a touch of class to your bathroom or kitchen with copper soap dispensers.
• Copper Towel Bars: Install copper towel bars and hooks for a stylish bathroom upgrade.
• Copper Bookends: Use copper bookends to organize your books with flair.
• Copper Curtain Rods: Opt for copper curtain rods to add a subtle metallic accent to your windows.
• Copper Tableware: Set your dining table with copper cutlery, napkin rings, and chargers.
• Copper Drinkware: Serve beverages in copper mugs or glasses for a trendy touch.

Whether you choose to highlight your copper with a pretty burst of pink blossoms, or leave the copper alone to do the talking, decorating with copper accents will add complexity to your neutral spaces. The metal can be used all year long and looks just as great in summer with a spray of peonies, as it does in fall which many people see as the obvious choice.

My living room is neutral enough to look different when accented with colorful pairings. For now I’m loving the rosy pinks with copper, which is as natural as pairing milk and cookies!