Sometimes the best way to understand the versatility of a material is to see it somewhere completely unexpected.

A ski helmet, for example.

A friend of Metalier’s lives in Ohakune, beneath Mt Ruapehu on New Zealand’s central plateau. He is a keen and accomplished skier and spends much of the winter at Turoa.

He is also a retired builder and swimming pool installer, someone who has spent a lifetime making things, solving practical problems and working with his hands.

And one day, he had an idea.

Could we put a real copper finish on his ski helmet?

We could.

Real copper, in an unexpected place

Metalier Liquid Metal coatings contain real metal and can be applied to an extraordinary variety of shapes and substrates.

That versatility is one of the things we love most about the system.

Liquid Metal does not have to mean a large wall, a piece of joinery or an architectural feature. The same material technology that can create an expansive decorative surface can also be used on intricate forms, curves and individual objects.

In this case, the object happened to be a ski helmet.

The sculpted form of the helmet suited copper beautifully. Light moves across its curves, vents and ridges, changing the appearance of the metal as the viewing angle changes.

And on a bright day on the mountain, it shines.

Our friend tells us that the helmet has now become something of a calling card. People on the ski field know who is coming before they can see his face.

His is the only copper ski helmet at Turoa.

The pleasure of collaboration

This was also a lovely example of something that has always been part of Metalier: collaboration.

Some stages of a Liquid Metal finish require specialist equipment and application knowledge.

Metalier carried out the sprayed application of the copper coating. That is the part requiring the equipment, compressors and experience needed to apply the system properly.

But our friend completed the hands-on finishing himself.

That worked because he was an experienced tradesperson. He understood tools, surfaces and finishing, and knew how to work patiently with a material until he achieved the result he wanted.

The finished helmet therefore belongs to both parts of the process: specialist material application and skilled craftsmanship.

And perhaps that is one of the most enjoyable things about working with designers, makers and craftspeople.

Someone arrives with an idea.

We work out how to make it possible.

Versatility is more than scale

When we talk about the versatility of Liquid Metal coatings, it can be tempting to think only in terms of the number of substrates that can be coated.

But versatility is broader than that.

It can mean scale – from a small object to a large architectural installation.

It can mean form -from flat panels to detailed curves.

It can mean finish – highly polished, softly brushed, textured, aged or patinated.

And it can mean proportion.

Copper does not have to dominate a space.

It can.

But it can also appear as a narrow architectural detail, a highlight, an accent or a single object that catches the eye.

That is one of the reasons metals remain such powerful design materials. They respond to light, surrounding colours and texture in ways that ordinary painted surfaces cannot quite reproduce.

Helping ideas become surfaces

The copper helmet is a small project.

But it represents something much larger about the way we like to work.

Metalier has always been about more than supplying material.

We enjoy the question:

Could we do this?

Sometimes the answer requires experimentation. Sometimes it requires an experienced applicator. Sometimes it involves developing a finish specifically for a designer, architect, artist or maker.

And sometimes it is simply someone with a wonderful idea for a ski helmet.

That willingness to explore what a surface can become is part of what makes Liquid Metal so interesting.

Because with the right material, the right expertise and a little imagination, metal can appear in some very unexpected places.

Even halfway down Mt Ruapehu.

Small safety note

This helmet is shared as an example of a personal decorative project. Any alteration to protective or safety equipment should be considered in accordance with the equipment manufacturer’s guidance.