Silver’s Shine Brightens Up All Colors.
Sterling silver bangle bracelet from etsy.com. Filigree paneled Venetia wallpaper (SL5724) from Ronald Redding Designs Silver Leaf II. Oscar de la Renta resort runway silver ensemble.
Silver, Platinum, Copper, and Gold all are highly prized metals and have been for as long as humans have been seeking to decorate themselves and their homes. Silver has never been as popular as gold in the earlier years, but lately the neutral metal has been making strides both in the world of fashion as well as that of the interior designer.
Gold, being a warmer toned metal, tends to clash with cooler colors, but silver is much more neutral, and thus can either work with warm colors by adding a white and gray accent to stand out or emphasize cool colors.
As we become better and better at imitating its beauty, metallic fabrics and silver jewelry and decorations are becoming an eye catching conversation starter as well as a wonderful way to brighten up a room and add a wide variety of tones and hues, especially when the metal has a deep patina to it.
Do not be fooled by tarnish being sold as patina, though! Patina is oxidization from being used, and on silver will be present in the fine details of your piece. Tarnish is an overall darkening or browning that occurs from the pollutants in the air.
Maintaining your silver will not only help remove tarnish, but also add to your patina. Do not be worried about surface scratches though, as they will do nothing but help bring out the tones, enhance your patina, and help create a soft finish. If you have antique silver we suggest hand polishing, as chemical dips or dish-washing will remove your patina and decrease the value, so do be careful!