The interior design world is witnessing a significant shift as matte metallics emerge as the new neutral colors, replacing traditional materials and transforming contemporary living spaces. This trend represents a sophisticated evolution from the problematic stainless steel finishes that dominated kitchen design for decades, offering the same industrial aesthetic without the maintenance headaches.
Twenty-five years ago, interior design was dominated by trends like shabby chic, sponge-painted walls, and the ubiquitous stainless steel that kitchen designers couldn't stop talking about. Every home was expected to resemble those bustling industrial spaces where people dined and socialized. However, few designers mentioned how quickly stainless steel would become marred with fingerprints and scratched with daily use. Over time, this material was quietly replaced by engineered stone, Carrara marble, and eventually durable gray concrete.
After five years of being overwhelmed by images of creamy walls, woody surfaces, Plain English kitchens, and palettes reminiscent of setting plaster, many designers and homeowners have returned to minimalist metallics while addressing their major shortcomings. Today's metallics used in contemporary settings are notably paler, flatter, and cleaner in appearance, not to mention significantly easier to maintain. They bring back those same industrial, concrete-inspired tones while elevating the overall industrial aesthetic to new heights.
Several high-profile projects demonstrate this trend's growing influence. The high-traffic bar Crispin in London's Soho exemplifies this approach with a wispy zinc bar designed by Jermaine Gallacher. An armchair created by Portuguese studio Haos showcases the transformative power of these materials – while it has the bulk and angle of a ready-made piece, its zinc exterior makes it appear extraordinarily expensive and refined. The Danish kitchen manufacturer Reform recently installed a brushed-aluminum kitchen in a Notting Hill short-term rental operated by Domus Stay, designed by David Thulstrup, featuring raw, tactile surfaces that have the potential to oxidize and develop a natural patina over time.
"A lot of interiors in the past five years have gone down the rural, Plain English, Shaker choice," explains Iwan Halstead, a director at Daytrip Studio in London. "But if you're an urban dweller, which most of us are, materials that feel young, fresh and remind us of a certain minimalism feel relevant to our aesthetic – more St John than the Cotswolds. Your kitchen choice is an extension of your situation."
In their recent design of the Lavery restaurant in Kensington, London, Halstead and his partner Emily Potter installed a substantial zinc bar as the focal point, complemented by red stools and wooden tables. The inspiration came directly from their client, who wanted a modern update on traditional French zinc bars. "The application of thin zinc sheets around a form, hammered by skilled metal-pressers, has the refreshing cleanliness of a new neutral – like 1920s jewelry that's been carefully crafted," Halstead notes. "It has a lovely patina that looks painterly in a way."
While Halstead acknowledges that zinc, like marble, does show water marks, he emphasizes that it presents a more classic appearance than regular stainless steel and avoids looking overly manufactured. This balance between functionality and aesthetics has made matte metallics increasingly popular among both designers and clients.
Ross Norgate, master-joiner at Young & Norgate, strongly advocates for the practical benefits of these finishes. "A matte sanded finish on metallics is definitely a more modern direction," he states. Norgate was recently commissioned to produce a sanded-steel kitchen for a private Covent Garden home designed by architects Carmody Groarke, who used similar materials for a rooftop pavilion project. He found it to be a more practical, livable alternative to the super-shine of regular steel.
"It's difficult to install a machine-finished stainless-steel kitchen without scratching it. Brushing it out by hand also comes with challenges. But the circular sanding gives it a uniform matte finish that's easy to maintain," Norgate explains. This quality can also make matte finishes more cost-effective than regular steel in the long term, as they require less careful handling during installation and ongoing maintenance.
Even with their artful finishes, matte metallics can represent a minimalist moment – serving as a fresh palette cleanser, according to Halstead. He highlights the work of Felizia Berchtold and Oskar Kohnen of Tutto Bene, who designed custom fronts in aluminum silver leaf for an IKEA kitchen in a Milan apartment. "It's such a clever technique," he says. "And it looks incredibly expensive."
This trend toward matte metallics represents more than just a design fad; it reflects a fundamental shift in how urban dwellers want their living spaces to feel and function. By combining the industrial aesthetic that has long appealed to city residents with practical maintenance benefits, these materials offer a sophisticated solution that addresses both form and function. As more designers and manufacturers embrace these finishes, matte metallics are poised to become the defining neutral of contemporary interior design, offering the perfect balance between urban sophistication and everyday practicality.
