Rutland Architectural Blog

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Copper Home Decor - Elegant, Healthy, Green

Copper home decor is unmistakably elegant, warm, inviting and luxurious while copper decor and copper accessories are also the healthiest choice due to copper's germ killing, antimicrobial power and copper additionally is a substantial contributor to eco-friendly green design as well. Copper decor has been around forever but is becoming increasingly fashionable today and part of a natural trend in home architecture and interior design.

Copper Bath Tub (Juliana)

copper bathroom sink - copper faucet - copper toilet handle pictured here

Copper Bathroom Sink - Copper Faucet - Handle

copper sink set in blue stonework with inlaid copper designs and copper faucet, design by Milestone pictured

copper sink set in blue stonework with inlaid copper designs and copper faucet, design by Milestone pictured

Copper Sink and Stonework (Milestone)

copper shower enclosure and copper pan, indoor copper shower and outdoor copper shower shown

Copper Shower Enclosure & Pan - Indoor and Outdoor
(Indoor Copper Shower courtesy ExtremeHowTo.com - Frigo Design)

copper kitchen sink pebbled hammered copper design pictured here

copper kitchen sink pebbled hammered copper design pictured here

Copper Kitchen Sink

copper stove La Cornue copper design pictured here

Copper Stove (La Cornue)

copper range hood kitchen island hood by Rutland Copper Kitchen Decor pictured

Copper Range Hood (Rutland Copper Kitchen Hoods)

copper island bar face Chris Lemmen copper design pictured here

Copper Kitchen Island Bar Facing (Chris Lemmen)

copper kitchen sink - copper kitchen countertops pictured

Copper Sinks - Copper Counter Tops

copper kitchen cabinet doors Ikea Rubrik copper design pictured here

Copper Kitchen Cabinet Doors (Ikea Rubrik)

copper furniture Rainbow Copper Southwest Furniture Copper design pictured here

Copper Furniture (Rainbow Copper Southwest)

copper doors entryway by Saxony copper design pictured here

Copper Door Entryway (Saxony)

Copper has traditionally been used in home design for its aesthetic qualities of warmth, elegance and unique timeless beauty. Copper and most copper alloys have warmth and elegance compared to the more institutional look of say, stainless steel. Not everyone knows about the tremendous antimicrobial, antibacterial, germicidal power of copper or about copper being a very green material. As more people become aware of these uniquely copper attributes, the demand for copper products will skyrocket. Already the copper industry has been seeing increased demand for copper products over the past eight years, with a large increase in the breadth of copper products as well as the number of copper product manufacturers which supply them. Copper is the only natural material which will kill harmful bacteria, germs, fungus, mold, contagious pathogens and deadly viruses which come in contact with the copper surface. The U.S. EPA has uniquely approved copper as a germicidal agent and numerous studies have proven copper's amazing antibacterial quality. Copper starts killing germs, bacteria, viruses immediately and they are completely eliminated within hours with tremendous health benefits throughout the home, especially kitchens and bathrooms. For example E-Coli survives on stainless steel for up to 34 days while on copper surfaces it is 90% eradicated within 90 minutes, 99.9% within 2 hours and completely within 4 hours.

Copper is also one of the greenest materials ever known to man. Copper can be recycled 100% and in fact most of the copper used today in the U.S. is recycled with 4/5 of the copper ever mined around the world still in use today. Yet, we haven't even come close to tapping into all the copper deposits around the world. Copper is also one of our most durable materials and retains its excellent corrosion resistance, anti-fungal, antimicrobial and weatherability properties throughout it's extremely long life. At the end of it's long life or present application, all the copper can be reclaimed and used again and again somewhere else. Copper besides being the greenest metal is also one of the easiest metals to work with, being very malleable and can be textured, hammered, quilted, patinated, polished, rubbed and fired, giving copper the ability to evolve into many textures, hues, designs and styles, which will fit into any style of home decor, interior design or architecture.

copper garage door with glass laminate panels and copper frame by Windsor pictured

Copper Garage Door (Windsor)

10/20/2010 10:23 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Friday, September 17, 2010

Copper Wall Decor - Copper Design Interior

Copper has many qualities which make it an ideal interior design material. Copper has a warm, elegant, luxurious appearance and harmonizes especially well with wood, natural stone, glass as well as virtually any material and color. Copper has a timeless quality, not affected by changing styles and fads, remaining desirable and growing ever more beautiful with age. Copper comes in many hues, having many possible shades of natural patina and still more human treatment such as heat-fired and forced patination effects. Copper may also be alloyed with other metals to create even more shades of bronze and brass. In addition to many color variations, copper surfaces may appear with a wide range of textures and finishes, including polished, brushed, pebbled, hammered, quilted, patterns and even integral murals or art work created by copper artisans.

copper wall on interior front wall of St Croix Chapel

Copper Wall - Interior of St. Croix Chapel (courtesy copper.org)

copper wall decor - interior waterfall design with copper tile

Copper Wall Decor - Interior Wall Design Waterfall - by Lee Blackwell Studio

copper wall interior design made by patinating copper to match photograph of grass on farm

copper wall interior design made by patinating copper to match photograph of grass on farm

Copper Wall - Grass Image Patination from Photograph by MarcBDesign

copper wall - interior hammered copper wall design in bar

Copper Wall - Hammered Copper Design Interior

copper kitchen wall design around gas cooking range pictured

Copper Kitchen Wall - by LiLu Interior

copper wall panels - patinated copper sheets with flower design by Luvata

Copper Wall Panel Sheet Design - Patinated Flowers and Bubbles by Luvata
copper wall panels - hammered copper sheets with bubbles design by Luvata

copper wall panels - hammered copper sheets with bubbles design by Luvata

Copper wall decor can be a very elegant, warm and beautiful component of modern interior design. A copper wall can also be an integral part of environmentally friendly green design as copper does not require any coatings or paint, does not give off any toxic or harmful gases, lasts for a very long time, requires little to no maintenance, improves indoor air quality, is 100% recyclable and forever reusable. A copper wall is a very hygienic surface due to copper material's unique natural ability to kill off germs, viruses, mold and pathogens which can spread contagious or infectious disease. Any germs or pathogens which come in contact with the copper wall surface through touch or airborne contact are killed by copper's natural antimicrobial, germicidal and fungicidal action in a very short period of time, even the new super-bugs which are highly resistant to other measures. No other material possesses this uniquely powerful health benefit as does pure copper. Copper wall panels mounted on hard concrete backer board or structural walls may also assist in maintaining more even indoor temperatures. Copper is also one of the best materials available for blocking or shielding against electronic radiation and radio interference such as EMI - electromagnetic interference and RFI - radio frequency interference. Interior designs featuring copper including copper wall decor provide many additional noteworthy and important benefits as discussed here in addition to showcasing the natural beauty and timeless elegance of copper.

copper wall art rock pattern copper decor for interior wall or backsplash

Copper Rock Pattern and Tropical Scene Copper Wall Art by Rutland
copper wall art tropical palm tree design copper decor for interior wall or backsplash

copper wall art tropical palm tree design copper decor for interior wall or backsplash

9/17/2010 4:49 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Sunday, August 29, 2010

European Copper In Architecture Awards

The European Copper in Architecture Awards are biennial awards which recognize excellence in design for European architectural projects incorporating copper roofing, copper wall cladding and other copper architectural design elements. The 15th iteration of the awards will officially be launched in September 2010 for architectural projects completed between April 2009 and May 2011 with the judging and presentation of awards occurring in 2011. The previously concluded 14th European Copper in Architecture Award competition celebrated the use of copper in architecture in all of it's forms and selected the best in contemporary copper architecture from across Europe. Some of the European Copper In Architecture award winners are described and shown below.

Archeology Museum of Vitoria Spain European Copper in Architecture Award Winner street view pictured here

Archeology Museum of Vitoria Spain European Copper in Architecture Award Winner courtyard view one pictured here

Archeology Museum of Vitoria Spain European Copper in Architecture Award Winner courtyard view two pictured here

Archeology Museum of Vitoria Spain European Copper in Architecture Award Winner corner view pictured here

Archeology Museum of Vitoria, Spain -Overall Award Winner
(photo credits www.copperconcept.org and www.copperinfo.co.uk)

The Archeology Museum in Vitoria, Spain was overall European Copper in Architecture Award 14 winner. The Archaeology museum shares a courtyard with the historic Palace of Bendana. The building facade is comprised extensively of copper alloy cast bronze and glass. The effect has been characterized as an ageless fortress in an urban setting which reveals more of itself as you enter the courtyard. The architects of the project Mangado y Asociados S L describe the building as "a compact jewel box concealing the treasures that history has entrusted to us".

Mediacomplex 22@ Barcelona,Spain is highly commended European Copper In Architecture Award winner pictured here

Mediacomplex 22@ Barcelona,Spain is highly commended European Copper In Architecture Award design winner tower view pictured here

Mediaplex Complex 22@, Barcelona, Spain
(photo credits Alejo Bagué, courtesy www.copperinfo.co.uk)

The Mediaplex Complex 22@ in Barcelon, Spain was a highly commended award winner and is comprised of two contrasting main elements. The factory is a horizontal block adjoining a 19th century factory building and is comprised of smooth, opaque, perforated panels of copper. The tower utilizes copper faced screens over it's vertical grid of glazing providing shade. Both architectural elements make extensive use of copper, use copper as a unifying material and share common proportions.

Housing at Frederikskaj Copenhagen, Denmark a European Copper In Architecture Commended Design Award winner pictured here

Housing at Frederikskaj Copenhagen, Denmark a European Copper In Architecture Commended Design Award winner side view pictured here

Housing at Frederikskaj Copenhagen, Denmark
(photo credits www.copperconcept.org and www.copperinfo.co.uk)

Housing at Frederikskaj Copenhagen, Denmark was a commended award winner and is a residential project of 152 light, airy and spacious owner occupied apartments or condos located directly on the harbor. The architect who see the building akin to a luxury ocean liner docked at port, used materials with a nautical heritage including textured and smooth copper, hardwood windows and glass in a thoroughly modern design. The beautifully detailed but understated copper cladding provides solidity in concert with the concrete frame and blends well into the nearby commercial area.

8/29/2010 12:43 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Friday, December 11, 2009

Green Home - Copper Building

Green, green home, green building, going green, sustainability and LEED are all catch phrases that seem to be catching steam and quickly building momentum these days. What does go green and green building specifically mean? Green building is the philosophy, design and implementation of the most efficient use of resources, that are both environmentally responsible and positively affect our health throughout the building's entire life cycle. The building's life cycle starts with siting, includes design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation and then finally demolition. The total long term environmental cost of all building components is calculated and factors into green building design. Green building extends traditional building's short term concerns of economy, utility, durability and comfort with long term goals of sustainability, high performance, human health and environmental impact. The environment is impacted by the production and consumption of materials, natural resources, energy, water and land. Our environment is adversely altered by the building's inhabitants generation of waste products, water pollution, air pollution, heat and noise. Ultimate effects may include harm to human health, degradation of the environment including the atmosphere and loss of natural resources. Green building's goal is to reduce or eliminate any adverse health and environmental impact for every kind of building including residential, public, governmental, religious and commercial.

Copper Mining

The whole field of green building is literally exploding and there is so much information already available out there on many of the aspects involved with green building. Today's blog is just an overview that defines what green building is and there will be a subsequent series of articles that will cover in more depth the many aspects involved. We will also closely examine and feature the role of copper in green building and green homes. Copper homes, copper building and copper architecture play an important part in virtually all green building designs, including some or all of the following: plumbing, wiring, solar panels, windmills, tankless water heaters, external wall siding, roofing, guttering, roof structures, flashing, chimneys, fascia, vents, duct work, healthier copper kitchen designs, even outside door and window cladding. Copper usage in fact can contribute upwards of 13 points in various areas towards LEED green building certification.