Latest news with #brass
The Guardian
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
BBCSO/Ollikainen review – Stravinsky's sacrificial dance had serrated edges
A clarinet solo line carved, firm and fierce, out of the heatwave stuffiness. Twitches and rustles from the huge array of percussion. A bigger picture emerges, anchored by the deep throb of low brass. Bitonal parps cut through like car horns in gridlock. A century after its premiere, Edgard Varèse's Intégrales remains a beguiling listen – particularly in a performance as coolly loose-limbed as the BBC Symphony Orchestra served up under Finnish conductor Eva Ollikainen. Standing where the strings would normally be to marshal the piece's sparse wind, brass and percussion, Ollikainen made angular, hyper-efficient gestures. That not-for-show approach persisted throughout – with sonically spectacular results – as each item on the programme demanded an incrementally larger orchestra. The UK premiere of Anna Thorvaldsdottir's Before We Fall (Cello Concerto) began with a splash of cymbal and a tutti chord that disintegrated rapidly into tapping and sliding out of which soloist Johannes Moser soared, all generous vibrato and lyrical warmth. As with so many of Thorvaldsdottir's scores, the concerto has an elemental, immersive quality, its symphonic textures seeming at times to breath as if a living organism. Elsewhere, the orchestra was in danger of swallowing Moser's detailed passagework whole. Occasionally, the entire ensemble clicked briefly into tonal harmony – a remarkable, luminous effect. After the interval: Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring was performed with breathtaking clarity. The coordination was absolutely taut across the now-vast orchestra, the piece's sudden cut-offs of phrases and ideas brutal, Ollikainen maintaining a knife-edge balance between effortful, friction-heavy string playing and woodwind solos that might hail from another planet. The piece's tension between the mellow and the murderous, the natural and the machinic, felt genuinely high stakes: this sacrificial dance had serrated edges, every detail terrifying in its lucidity, its momentum intoxicating. The Rite's power was only increased by a cool-as-ice performance of Ravel's Boléro (earworm to end all earworms) at the end of the first half. Ollikainen's air of detachment came into its own here, holding back the tremendous power of Ravel's 13-minute crescendo until the very last minute so that the looping melody's final crash to earth came as a full-on orchestral catastrophe. Listen again on BBC Sounds until 12 October. The Proms continue until 13 September.
Times
01-08-2025
- General
- Times
How to polish brass bathroom fittings and avoid ugly water marks
Q. We've opted for solid brass shower fittings, but as expected, they have started to look dull. Typically, we would use a homemade recipe of salt, vinegar and flour to clean our brass ornaments, but we are worried about this paste blocking the drains. What would you use instead?Ed Cupar, Scotland A. The joy of having unlacquered brass fittings in your shower is that they will naturally age due to a process called oxidation, which leads to the development of different patinas, giving their appearance character over the years. I appreciate that you want to slow this process, limit the change completely, or even bring them back to looking as good as new. Thankfully, there are some easy ways to help you achieve this — and a not-so-well-known trick that will mean you don't have to polish them as often. • Read more expert advice on property, interiors and home improvement It's worth saying, always rinse away shampoo and soap residue daily, and limit water marks by drying the area with a towel. So you don't damage the surface, avoid any harsh cleaning products that include agents such as caustics, bleach or alcohol. Do not use any scouring pads or abrasive cloths, otherwise you could end up with a scratched or brushed finish to the brass. Before cleaning your brass, it's essential to protect the surrounding areas, particularly if they are marble. First, tape around the edges of your brassware with masking tape. Using a metal polish such as Brasso and a lint-free cloth, gently rub the solution in a circular motion into the brass. As you do so, the solution will start to go black, which is primarily due to the removal of tarnish and oxidation. (I recommend wearing protective gloves for this job as it can get a little messy.) For stubborn areas, leave the polish to work its magic for a few minutes, then with a clean soft cloth, wipe away any residue and then buff to a shine. • How to create functional bathroom storage To achieve a professional finish, get yourself a polishing wheel attachment for your drill — if you don't have a drill, I highly recommend getting one. The polishing wheel takes the hard work out of the buffing and can get into all those hard-to-reach places, leaving your brass streak-free and with a golden sheen. The final step, and one that most people don't do, is to rub micro-crystalline wax with a clean soft cloth into your newly polished taps. This will help to repel moisture, limit water marks, slow down the oxidation process and reduce the need to polish your brass. Follow Wayne Perrey at
Telegraph
09-07-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
The 10 small details that will make your kitchen look more high-end
There's an indefinable quality that's distinct to designer-made kitchens. It's not easy to pinpoint, because the source isn't glaringly obvious. Instead, it boils down to a few tiny design details that are easily overlooked. If you've ever felt as though your kitchen leans a little too utilitarian and lacks that refined feel, it likely features too many characterless, off-the-shelf elements. But you don't have to commit to fully bespoke joinery or custom marble countertops to make your home feel high-end; most of the time, it's simply a case of adding in a couple of small details that don't cost the earth. Whether you're retrofitting an existing kitchen or committing to an entire renovation, here are 10 upgrades to help you hone a more polished, elevated look. Skip to: DIY-friendly upgrades Full-scale kitchen remodel These simple, DIY-friendly upgrades can be retrofitted in any space on a modest budget Upgrade to brass hardware Switching bland hardware for more elevated cabinet handles and drawer pulls will give your kitchen that extra edge. This sort of micro-level customisation might seem trivial, but when you're dealing with something you touch every day, quality matters. It's also a simple way to give your current kitchen a facelift without damaging your wallet. Right now, brass is having a big moment, especially finishes such as burnished or antique brass, both of which age beautifully as they develop a natural patina. Half-moon cup pulls are the go-to, as seen on the drawers of this kitchen by Sims Hilditch. 'We often work with artisans to create hand-forged iron or brass handles, or we specify turned wooden knobs painted to match or contrast the cabinetry,' says designer Emma Sims-Hilditch. For off-the-shelf versions, try companies such as Cox & Cox. Beautify sockets and switches Are unsightly, discoloured plug sockets and light switches bringing down your kitchen aesthetic? Installing new faceplates will instantly make your kitchen look more high-end. 'Switches and sockets are elements we interact with daily, and in the kitchen, where they sit prominently at eye level, they present an opportunity to enhance the overall design narrative,' says Alicia Meireles, creative director at Own London. Choose a finish that matches your handles for a harmonious look, or opt for discreet solutions such as plates that sit flush with the wall and can be painted or wallpapered so that that they almost disappear. 'Whether statement-making or subtle, these details are the punctuation marks of a well-considered interior,' says Alicia. 'Small, but deeply impactful.' Wallpaper (or paint) the inside of your cupboards The finer details don't even need to be on display to make a lasting impression. Adding an unexpected design element such as a patterned wallpaper inside your kitchen cabinets will give you a lift each time you open them. An example of this can be seen in a storage cupboard by kitchen company Guild Anderson, in a house decorated by interior designers Salvesen Graham, where the back of the cupboard is lined in wallpaper and the shelves have been painted to match. It's a trick that can translate to pantries and open shelving, too, offering an understated and budget-friendly way to introduce pattern and colour in a kitchen. Install under-cabinet lighting Since our kitchens are primarily functional spaces, it's easy to see lighting as purely practical, but layering your light sources will elevate your kitchen to more sophisticated heights. Besides overhead lights and pendants, under-cabinet lighting is a great way to side-step the often clinical effect of harsh kitchen spotlights, and you can even use battery-powered LED strip lights or light bars if you don't fancy hardwiring new lights in. Reuben Ward, lead designer at kitchen company Blakes London, says mood lighting helps to set the tone in a kitchen, especially in the evening. 'This is particularly important in open-plan layouts, where the kitchen must adapt to different times of day and varying activities,' he says. 'It draws the eye to different areas of the room and adds depth to the overall design.' Use under-cabinet lighting alongside cordless table lamps to create a soft glow when you're eating or entertaining. Add a gallery rail If you really want to raise the bar, adding a gallery rail to your shelving is the sort of small detail that makes a big difference. Sometimes known as a fiddle rail, this retro design idea is having a huge resurgence right now in line with the popularity of open shelving in kitchens. Designed with functionality at heart, it helps to prevent things from falling off the shelf in a busy kitchen, and is easily installed with just a few screws. A metal rail, such as the one shown here, looks more elegant than a wooden one, and will give a modern kitchen a dash of vintage charm. Find gallery-rail kits on Etsy. Five details to consider when renovating Committing to a full-scale kitchen remodel? Don't forget these details during your initial planning stages Choose external hinges Your choice of hardware is a relatively small design decision, but it can make a serious difference to your kitchen. Even the minutiae of mechanics can become a point of interest, so instead of concealing your cabinet hinges, consider surface-mounting them to add an extra accent alongside your latches, pulls or knobs. Think of your hardware and ironmongery as the jewellery of a room, with external hinges offering an added glint that draws the eye. 'Visible hinges may be small, but they can add a huge amount of character,' says Emma Sims-Hilditch. 'Traditional butt hinges in aged brass or antiqued pewter suit a country kitchen and feel authentic to the setting. They also allow for a pleasing level of patina over time, which adds warmth and character to a kitchen.' Use coloured grout Making the smallest of details count is the secret to an expensive-looking kitchen, and it doesn't get much more granular than grout colour. Instead of opting for a default white (which discolours quickly and is difficult to maintain), consider using a coloured grout that will complement your tiles instead. Fiona Ginnett, co-founder at kitchen company Hølte, notes how this minor detail has the power to shift the overall tone of a room. 'With more earthy tile tones, a softer, tonal grout keeps things calm and natural, while a subtle contrast brings just enough definition,' she says. 'A darker grout with a lighter tile can add a graphic edge, while a brighter grout can lift the whole space. It's these quiet details that add up to a more considered, high-quality finish.' Opt for inset cabinetry Cabinets that sit flush within their frames are the new standard in designer-made homes. If you're planning a kitchen remodel, your cabinets are a top priority. The sharp-eyed and design-minded will have noticed that inset cupboards are the new normal for sophisticated modern kitchens. Also known as flush cabinetry, this type of cabinet style features doors and drawers set inside the unit's frame itself, rather than overlaid on top. The result is a sleeker, seamless cabinet face that looks cleaner and more tailored. If your bulky Shaker cabinets are starting to look worn and dated, upgrading to an inset style will take your space from humdrum to high-end. 'They help to bring structure to a kitchen,' says Emma Sims-Hilditch. 'Because the doors sit within the frame, the result is clean and measured and suits both traditional and contemporary homes.' Choose a decorative countertop edge As far as finishing touches go, few are as effective as a decorative countertop edge. Once you've settled on the material, spare a thought for how you round off the worktop. Do you want a smooth bullnose finish for a timeless look, or a fluted edge for something more ornate? Reuben Ward of Blakes London loves using a decorative edge to dress up a countertop. 'There's increasing demand for more tailored edge details that add depth and interest,' he explains. 'Stacked worktops, for example, showcase visible stone layers. When using natural stone, these layers can be offset to emphasise the craftsmanship.' He suggests choosing a design that enhances your worktop's natural texture or adds a tactile layer: a raw, chisel-cut edge on concrete, for example, or elegant fluting on marble (pictured) to show off the veining. Add a tile trim Most of us have tiles in our kitchen, but few of us make the effort to add a trim. If there's a line between your splashback and the wall, avoid leaving a blunt, abrupt tile edge that looks incomplete – or opting for cheap plastic trim. 'Sometimes your tiling needs a smart little finishing piece, rather like the perfect necklace for a cocktail dress,' says Rob Whitaker at tile company Claybrook Studio. A delicate pencil edge or a dado trim, for example, will give your splashback a polished appearance – or, if you have used square tiles for your splashback, a line of slim metro tiles laid horizontally along the top will finish it off.
