Ready to give your home an easy update? Start with this decorating trend that we are in love with right now – Gold! Along with other metal finishes, gold has been on the up-and-coming trend list for a while now. It is still holding strong and only growing more popular, so now is the time to bring it into your home!

While there is no such thing as "too much" when it comes to incorporating gold-toned metallics into your decor, there is an art to striking the right balance. Our design experts share a few tips below, on how to incorporate this gorgeous metallic style in your home and solidify your status as a trendy maven of décor.

1. Start shiny, start small

Accessories and accents are the best way to introduce gold into your space. Decor pieces in rich gold are a lovely addition to a neutral environment, and always appear luminous in the soft glow of diffused, natural light.

For starters, try an antique gold tray, sunburst mirror, gold-framed art, gold-toned photo frames, golden sculptures, or a gold-base lamp for instance. They're easy to change out or move around the room to find the perfect balance. More permanent pops of gold can also be incorporated in small doses – such as gold-rimmed coffee tables. 

When in doubt, just go for incorporating small gold pieces and mirrors. They reflect light and many times open a space up, and they almost always lend a dull space with more interesting and unexpected touch. It’s a great way to add character and depth to any house.

2. Soften it out with texture

The trick with using gold metallic pieces and mirrors in a single space is to mix them with different, softer textures to balance them out. Varying the texture of your gold metal finishes can make all the difference in defining a space. Don’t be afraid to have more than one (but more than three is going to be too much). Combine matte, polished, and hammered finishes for a truly rich and visually delicious atmosphere!

Another trick is to pair hard gold accents and trimmings with softer textures like mohair, silk, velvet, and wool to let the metallic tone contrast and stand out on its own.

3. Keep the palette neutral and airy

When incorporating a lot of metallic pieces into a room, you'll want to keep the colour-scheme fairly subdued. Our favourite place for adding metal is a serene, airy background with a neutral palette – adding a gold or brass accent brings out the perfect amount of warmth, color, and texture.

Incorporating gold accessories is a must when you have vast windows, as natural light bounces off them, creating the illusion of a larger space. Pairing gold with natural fibers such as jute and hemp creates a glamorous look without feeling overdone. The key is to incorporate organic and neutral elements and colours with a variety of gold finishes. Super gorgeous!

4. Mix it up

There is an age-old design debate around whether or not to mix metals. We are now putting it to bed by emphatically saying that mixing metals and finishes can be done to a stylish effect! Go on and mix polished brass or gold with sterling silver and chrome. Mixing metals is the perfect strategy for adding visual interest and depth to a space, and it’s an effortless way to make the pieces in your home look like they’ve been collected over the years. The trick is to make sure you’re mixing your metals the right way so your space doesn’t become too mismatched or overbearing.

Generally speaking, you'll want to use the same colour metal (for example, gold) in different textures or finishes (polished brass, brushed brass, gold leaf, etc.). It’s good practice to choose a metal finish you love to be the most prominent in your home, and then select one or two complementary metal accents to complete the look. Having a primary metal ensures your space with a sense of unity, while complimentary accent metals guide the eyes to interest points throughout the room. Warm metals, like gold and brass, come off as a rich pop of colour, when placed with cool metals like silver and chrome. If you have a modern, stainless steel kitchen, add a chandelier or vintage piece with some gold for texture and total charm! Similarly, if you have a very warm gold and white space, a chrome table or pendant light will make for metallic equilibrium. If you feel your space reads too cold, we suggest some gold tone wall accents, sconces, and lamps to make the setting cozy.

5. Contrast gold with colour

A simple gold embellishment goes a long way, when juxtaposed with bright colors.

Warm metals (like gold, brass, and copper) pair well with warm hues (like reds, browns, and yellows) or with darker colors such as black, navy, purple, or other jewel tones.

Use bright patterns against dull gold finished accents to bring about the right amount of glimmer and sophistication.

6. Just add black

For serious drama, nothing creates more impact than high-contrast gold on black.

We are crazy for gold paired with black for jaw-dropping sex appeal and glamour. The use of black lends the space more depth, while the gold brings out lustre and luxury.

7. Master the gold and glass combo

For a subtle and stylish approach when decorating with gold, go for lighter gold tones combined with glass. Choose a gold coffee table and end tables with glass tops for a feminine touch, or use candle-holders and lanterns with glass votives to create glam vignettes. Nothing is more attractive than a gold framed mirror, with the metal and glass reflecting light, lending depth, space, and interest to a plain wall.

Metallic gold should be incorporated into the home in unexpected ways. Add a bright gold picture frame into a cluster of traditional black or white or mix a pale gold pillow in with a bunch of coloured fabrics.

Gold accessories can completely change the look of a space, but don’t overdo it - go with only a few metallic touches in different finishes. A gold-leaf end table, gold sunburst mirrors, attractive gold wall sconces, table-top gold tea-light holders, and quirky gold trays can tie the whole room together while adding a touch of high glamour.

Another great way of incorporating gold into your living space is to create specific focus areas – for example, a hall-way with a gold-trimmed console and accessorized with a gold lamp or mirrors or wall accents.

You could spice up an otherwise ordinary room or wall by creating a gallery of mixed and matched mirrors.

Gold-edged wall mirrors look especially stunning when hung against a contrasting backdrop. Not only they illuminate the wall, the light reflecting off them lends warm glow to the entire room.

Alternatively, draw attention to your coffee-table by layering it with gold-toned accents. Or you could cluster several gold-edges picture frames, vases, or bowls on a console or side table for instant glamour.

By focusing gold-accents in certain spaces, you create areas of interest, which can become talking points and help to distract from areas, which otherwise might need a bit of sprucing.

9. Keep it cohesive and spread the love

For a touch of glam in a living room or bedroom, approach the task as if picking out jewelry. The right piece should complete the look, and not compete with it. Use gold table accents like lamps, trays, and candle-holders to separate out spaces. Place a gold sculpture on top of a metallic framed cocktail table or hang gold-toned wall-art or panel to demarcate spaces.

Incorporating gold accents from one space to the next, such as gold accents on tablescapes, book-shelves, and walls catches the eye, creating a sense of continuity.

Like a chain-mail necklace or statement ring, gold accent pieces should complement an otherwise classic room without competing for attention.

Excited to get in with the gold-glam trend?

Now here is an easy way to become part of the Gold Rush. We've put together a shiny collection of gold-toned accessories that will instantly raise the chic quotient of any living space from drab to glam!

Inspired? Shop our "Gold Standard Collection" or click on the accents below to bring in a touch of gold into your personal space right away!

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