Kitchens Show Their Metal

Buyers see metal surfaces as the new kitchen neutral, able to fit any décor, and they want them everywhere: range hoods, countertops, backsplashes, wall tiles, wainscoting, ceilings and floors.

Stainless appears expensive and impressive to buyers, says Alan Isaacs, vice president of marketing for Frigo Design, which manufactures appliance panel sets and other stainless and copper products. There are a lot of middle-of-the-road products in stainless, he says. "So high-end buyers are looking for more: hammered, stripes, copper."

Dave Hunt, manager/ architectural services at Revere Copper, says copper's use in architectural applications has more than doubled during the past 10 years, with interiors having the biggest percentage increase. He says copper is used most often in range hoods, followed closely by countertops. High-use areas such as countertops work well with a textured or embossed copper that hides scratches. Most copper has a protective coating.

A small percentage of buyers - 5-10%, says Isaacs - want stainless and copper for their anti-microbial properties.

Tin ceilings have sold well lately, too. Glenn Eldridge, owner of Chelsea Decorative Metal, attributes that to a surge in nostalgia. Victorian and Americana are Chelsea's most popular patterns.