Great design principles
Great design and what it means is in some ways subjective.
No doubt there are philosophers who have expounded on the subject – probably at some length. There are also some elements, such as balance, composition and functionality that must be in sync for a design to be great.
At Metalier, we’ve often worked with Sue Gillbanks of Kitchens by Design and the picture above is one of Sue’s kitchens. In this kitchen the design’s central element is the unusual pattern and colour in the stone splash back. The palette is muted in tones of cream and a mushroom brown. Sue has carried forward the colours into the cream bench and the cream cabinets with their brown handles. The range-hood tones perfectly in Metalier smoky bronze (one of Sue’s favourite metals). The table and chairs complete the brown contribution to the theme.
Variety is added with having glass in the end cabinet to show off the owners’ glassware and crockery and there is a touch of whimsy in the little shelf high on the left side of the splash back. The towel rails with their ceramic knobs are a quirky touch too.
This kitchen is an illustration of all the elements that make up great design in our opinion – subjectivity again! Above all good design contributes to how we live and how happily and well we live and function. I am sure that the cook or cooks who get to work in this kitchen just love every minute they spend in this room. I imagine too that this translates into the great dishes that are produced here. And you certainly wouldn’t want to leave it in a mess!
And don’t forget that the design has to be stunningly beautiful. We think this kitchen is and we’d love to take it home.
Contact Metalier in NZ, UK, USA, Vietnam or Australia for recommendations of great designers for residential and commercial fit-outs or complete the form below.
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Copper baseball - any substrate
Copper baseball shows off an unusual substrate
This copper baseball was coated and polished by our friends and distributors in North America, M2 Supply of Elkhart Indiana. It illustrates clearly the Metalier mantra that we can coat almost any substrate. There is no doubt that this is a genuine and used baseball. You can even see the little fibres on the surface of the ball. And the copper baseball, because it is curved, is an ideal vehicle to show off the shine and beauty of the metal.
Any substrate!
The “any substrates” that can be coated with Metalier are almost unlimited. The main requirement is for the substrate to be able to take a key. For Metalier liquid metal to bond to the substrate it needs to be slightly roughened. This creates strong adhesion which lasts for years. In fact, there is no reason for Metalier to ever delaminate if the initial bond is properly formed.
Polystyrene, which is frequently used for props, in theatre, film and entertainment venues requires a barrier coating. The barrier coating needs to be able to take a key too. It’s not rocket science though. Even regular paints require sanding between coats for good adhesion.
Most of the work that Metalier is contracted for is seen in great fit-outs like Dior, The Sugar Club, Paul Smith and Harrods of London.
There’s another side to the business too. We’ve had fun with lots of substrates – we’ve coated bathtubs and basins, gumboots and baby shoes. One of our most moving commissions was coating a cap which was to be a part of a tombstone. It was for the grave of a young lad who had died tragically young. It broke us up doing the work but we were proud too to contribute to the memorial.
If you have something unusual that you would like us to coat as well as your front door, fireplace surrounds, kitchen cabinets, floors or hundreds of bedheads in your hotel, please contact us here or complete the form below. You can also ready more about possible substrates here.
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Liquid Metal Curves - metal versatility
Metalier Liquid Metal curves and follows the substrate
It does so whether the substrate is concave, convex or flat. Curved and complex substrates become real metal with ease. Many of the substrates we coat couldn’t otherwise be created in metal at all. Or if they could be created out of sheet metal they would be extremely expensive and very heavy.
Liquid Metal Curves are a feature of the Harrods escalators
The beautiful bank of escalators at Harrods was created using a Metalier coating in a specially created colour we’ve called champagne gold. It was also created using our unique water-based coating. The bulkheads of the elevators are curved with feature grooves. Quite frankly this would be a nightmare to create in sheet metal.
Liquid metal curves can be convex or concave
I confess that I always have to check which is concave and which is convex. Concave curves inward like a bath and convex bulges outwards. Metalier has coated a bath in high-polished classic gold – you can see it in the Projects-Objects section of the main website. It is more common to coat convex articles – scotia, light-fittings, cherubs, statues, bowls, portholes, Dr Gloom and even gumboots and shoes.
Liquid metal goes round corners
As well as being a star in the curves department, Metalier liquid metal can also be applied to corners and edges. In homes and apartments it is ideal for cabinetry in kitchens and bathrooms and for statement front doors. For offices, shops, bars and hotels it is ideal for reception counters, bar fronts, elevator doors and surrounds, bed heads and feature columns.
There is no limit to where you can use Metalier liquid metal coatings and there are so many colour options and textures and effects to choose from that every application is unique and bespoke.
There are 10 (or 11) reasons why you should choose Metalier liquid metal and we’ve listed them all here. For more information you can email us, telephone us or complete the form below. We look forward to hearing from you.
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Cold liquid metal - cold & seamless
Cold liquid metal
Being cold is an essential character of Metalier cold liquid metal. It's essential for a number of reasons. You can read all the reasons for choosing Metalier liquid metal here.
Because it's cold, Metalier liquid metal can be sprayed on the most unlikely of surfaces including polystyrene. It can be sprayed through lace fabric and on to delicate substrates that would be destroyed by a hot or molten process. This is one of the features that gives Metalier its versatility. The leaves in the pattern in the picture would have been destroyed if a hot process had been used.
Smooth surfaces
If a smooth surface is required Metalier liquid metal is sprayed using conventional cold-spray equipment. If you want a textured finish, you mix the metals and binder together and then trowel or pour it onto the substrate. Whether the mixture can be poured or not depends on how thick it is. And thickness is governed by the type of texture you are creating. A heavier texture will require a thicker mix.
Moulds
In addition our liquid metal can be moulded. As you might imagine, cold-casting is much faster and much less expensive than foundry metal. It's also a lot less dangerous to work with and - surprise - you don't get hot working with it.
Metalier liquid metal finishes when cured are cold to the touch. They are cold just as sheet metal or foundry metal is cold to the touch. If you have any doubt that you are touching a real metal coating - give it the touch test. If it's cold it will be genuine. If it's not, it will be paint.
Seamless
Another essential feature of Metalier is that it is seamless - that means application is not limited by the size of the substrate sheet. In fact - no limitation is at the heart of liquid metal coating. You can create virtually anything on virtually any substrate of virtually any size. What more could you want?
To find out more contact us by completing the form below, telephoning us on +6493767099 or emailing.
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Liquid Metal Signs | Metalier Coatings
Liquid Metal Signs tick all the Metalier Boxes
Liquid Metal signs are one of the best ways to use all the design possibilities of Metalier Coatings. Also using Metalier Coatings for signage means you reap all the benefits that Metalier offers – not just for signwriters but for all Metalier specifiers.
Look at this list:
First: there is the huge number of metals and metal colour combinations that allow talented sign-writers’ design muses to run wild. You can match a metal to a customer’s brand colours or think up a whole new metal colour by mixing and playing with the basic metal range.
Second: you can texture, patina and rust signs for a unique and different look.
Third: Metalier liquid metal signs can be a fraction of the weight of the same sign in sheet or solid metal. Suitable substrates include acrylic and plastic. A light-weight sign means less stress on a building, less bracing and it’s a whole heap easier to install too.
Fourth: Metalier liquid metal goes round curves – think rounded lettering and graphic designs. There is just no limit to what you can do.
Fifth: Metalier liquid metal follows the indentations of the substrate. This means that you can router a logo in a reception desk, for example. The face of your business is this subtly reflected and reinforced. Create a wall of logos in a reception area. You can cut a design into the substrate or have it standing proud.
Sixth: Metalier liquid metal signs are cost-effective. It is much quicker, easier and cheaper to cut a sign from plastic or acrylic than it is to cut one from sheet metal.
It’s not only sign-writers who can benefit from the signage possibilities offered by Metalier Coatings. Architects and designers can incorporate the design features of this flexible form of signage into the very heart of their designs. We can help you win awards too. This rust sign won a Signage award in New Zealand.
We’d love to help you create beautiful signs. Contact us:
Or complete the form below
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Kitchen Design Ideas
Kitchen Design ideas from Shane George, along with many of our other favourite designers, really float our boat. And when the designer says he loves working with our product we’re in Metalier heaven.
Shane from Kitchens by Design specializes in kitchens and bathrooms. These are areas where Metalier can add that extra little something that lifts the design from the special to the spectacular. It was so spectacular in the kitchen pictured that Shane won first prize in the 2017 TIDA awards in NZ. In this kitchen Metalier Smoky Bronze has been used in the upper-level cupboards above the scullery/pantry area. It’s also been used on a range-hood installed above the hobs. We like the way the metal really finishes off the area and compliments the colour-ways of the smoky glass doors.
One of the advantages of working with a bespoke product like Metalier is that every finish will be unique. There is no danger of seeing your kitchen design ideas copied – your kitchen or bathroom will be unique to you. The individuality you will achieve is partly because there are so many metals and so many other options – patinas, waxes and textures.
At Metalier we work with designers and architects to fill their visions. It’s great fun to be able to show-off how much we can do. We also have some pretty handy ideas ourselves which we love sharing so if you want to know what’s possible in kitchen design ideas or anything else for that matter, contact one of our international distribution partners:
at HQ in Auckland NZ or our South Island distributor here.
Unique decorative ideas with liquid metal
Unique decorative ideas are the life-blood of Metalier Coatings.
Unique decorative ideas can being with the substrate. And it is certainly true that we apply cold-spray metal coatings to a vast array of substrates. But it’s how we do it that makes us unique. And we can make your home, office, shop or hotel unique too.
The unique decorative idea featured in the picture on this blog page was created by one of our senior technicians in New Zealand, Michael. Michael doesn’t just apply Metalier metals – he can’t stop himself designing and creating with them. It’s almost irresistible as the options are so many and varied.
We love the red and the aluminium together. The sunburst pattern could be developed with any of our 20 metal colours or a new one. The underlying colour can be any dye colour or another metal. And the pattern can be any size. One great big sunburst on the front door of a home or store, board room or hotel doors would be stunning. It could also be an amazing bed headboard or a splashback. Or a work of art.
Michael is one of many talented creators around the world. Our teams in the UK, in the USA and India all bring their own unique decorative ideas for colour mixes, textures and patterns to the table. What this means is that you, the customer, can have a finish that’s special and unique to you. While we are very good dreaming up our own ideas, we’re also very good at making your ideas a reality too.
So for something different and stunning, contact us:
UK here
USA here
India & MENA here
NZ Head quarters and other applicators here
Or contact us we’ll direct your inquiry to the correct person.
Bronze liquid metal paint – on latex
Bronze liquid metal paint finish created on latex.
Bronze liquid metal paint was used to create this sumptuous finish on a piece of latex. To make sure that the latex was properly coated our Water-based Flexible Binder was used.
Flexible binder
Metalier’s Flexible Binder was designed mainly for the film, theatre and larp industries. This piece of latex was given to us so that the binder could be put through its paces. Even though we say it ourselves, we think the bronze liquid metal paint looks spectacular. The pattern underlying the metal is in the substrate. It is not, on this occasion, created using our textured techniques. In fact, it is not possible to create textures using the Flexible Binder – they must always be in the substrate. Metalier’s polishing techniques, however, allow the full beauty of the metal to be exposed.
Bronze
Bronze is one of the favourite alloys – and Metalier has bronze in many varieties. We have bronze, smoky bronze, chocolate bronze, dusky bronze and gunmetal bronze. Bronze is, in fact, so versatile that it doesn’t always even have the brown look associated with the metal. Dusky bronze is a greenish grey and gunmetal bronze, as you would expect, is a deep grey – well gunmetal – colour.
To find out more about Metalier bronzes or our flexible binder or our bronze contact us.
Or complete the form below;
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Nebula Liquid Metal Finish
Nebula Liquid Metal is a new finish combining metal, artistry and exclusive patinas.
Nebula Liquid Metal Finish was created in the workshop at HQ in Auckland, New Zealand, for a very lucky client’s front door.
If it’s not mixing our metaphors we are over the moon about the finish. It truly is very beautiful and conjures up images of the heavens and interstellar dust clouds. A nebular in the sky, just like this Metalier finish, is a truly wondrous thing to behold. They are named after the Latin word for cloud. For humanity nebulae are objects of endless intrigue and discovery.
We’re fond of a bit of actual star-gazing ourselves. When this door finish was created, we were looking down at it – but we felt like we were looking upwards. The designer and the client are thrilled.
We’ve shared the formula for this magic finish with our international hubs so that, no matter where you are, you can have this finish for your door or cupboards or reception desk – whatever. And the beauty of this finish is that it is organic. Although we’ll use the same metals and processes again and again, each iteration of the finish will look slightly different and will be unique. This is because there will be different humidity and temperatures and no two people will apply the patina in the same way each time.
Nebula Liquid Metal finish is a fantastic example of the artistic creations possible using Metalier metals and our fabulous range of patinas.
If you are in the UK and fancy nebula for yourself then contact our UK hub and distribution centre,
Granlyn Specialist Coatings. All their contact details are here.
If you are in North America then there contact details are here – or you could go to their own Metalier website ……
For India and the Middle East our representatives’ contact details are here
And for anyone else contact HQ here.
Or complete the form below.
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Metalier University – become an expert
Metalier University - an idea from North America.
Metalier University is a term coined by the Metalier Team at our North American Hub. M2, our exclusive distributor in North America has a vast area to service. So they’re doing it by holding 3 day training courses in Elkhart, Indiana and they have produced a comprehensive video course as an alternative.
While not actually a university – really – Metalier training courses are comprehensive and every one leaves saying they’ve learned heaps.
One of the attendees at the first session at Elkhart, Ron Opatril of Phoenix Arizona, had this to say:
"The days spent with all of you was well worth it! We are working on a couple of ideas that should prove to be positive for all of us. I have shown the images to several high end designers in the Arizona market and heads are spinning."
Not only do you learn heaps, you also come out with a great certificate for your office wall which confirms that you are an authorised Metalier Applicator. Sort of like getting a degree, don’t you think? “I’ve got an MA from Metalier University” sounds pretty good to me.
And above all – the courses are “hands-on” and they’re heaps of fun. The guys in the picture all look like they’ve had a good time, don’t they. And our team has a great time too. We love the initial looks of wonder as they start to “get” what Metalier is all about. We love too the look of pride on the faces of the attendees as they start to create their own finishes and try out their ideas.
Metalier North America is spreading its wings across the USA. We have trained people from 8 states now.
1 in Arizona, 3 from California, 1 from Colorado, 1 from Texas, 1 from Georgia, 2 from Wisconsin, 2 from Michigan, 1 from Indiana and 1 from New York.
To join the next course at Metalier University or complete their on-line training please contact Tim. Metalier University has branches too, you know: in the UK contact Alison; and at HQ contact Mary.
Or complete the form below: