Metallics are weaving their magic throughout our homes, with glittering gold, blushing copper, beautiful bronze and even cooler touches of white gold or silver making their mark.

It’s all about putting on the glitz and ramping up the glamour as we lavish ever more care and attention on rooms, and create cosseting sanctuaries where we can relax and entertain in style.

“I’m secretly a fan of a bit of bling, which doesn’t have to be confined to Christmas baubles!” says designer Clarissa Hulse. “In fact, I regard metallics as another neutral shade, as they harmonise with so many colours. Combine them with different textures, such as sheers, velvets and linens – one of my favourites this season is an antique gold metallic linen – and they’ll add another dimension to your scheme.

“Metallic wallpaper can be particularly effective as it will reflect the light and add drama, especially in a dark room, or brighten a neutral space with pops of contrasting colour and soft metallic accessories,” she adds.

All that glitters needn’t be gold, although it’s tipped as the hot metal for 2016. Instead, you could opt for a heady cocktail of finishes. Designer Kelly Hoppen suggests mixing warm metals, such as copper and rose gold, with cool ones like silver, or for a more edgy effect, consider a layered mix of silver, gold and black.

So join the gold rush, seek out silver, or maybe covet copper. Be bold and don’t miss out on metallics...

Raise the bar

Shake up your style and invest in a cocktail cabinet, gilded of course, an item which is rapidly becoming a must-have for fashionable homes.

“There’s a real return to luxury – the growing use of burnished metals is part of that trend – and more lavish entertaining which has inspired a revival of cocktail cabinets,” says Alison Cork, founder of online interiors company Within.

“Two of my favourite pieces at home are my gold cocktail cabinet, which has a cartoon Dalmatian dog painted on one door and a shocking pink interior, and I complement it with a golden metal pineapple ornament. They both inject a party spirit to the room.”

Copper crush

Copper is the new black when it comes to decor and no room is complete without at least one accessory in this metal, whose colour evokes the burnished gold and brown shades of autumn leaves.

“Over the past year, we’ve seen classic metallic finishes, such as chrome and stainless steel, take a backseat as other richer metals have crept into the spotlight,” says Laura Pagan, founder of Pagazzi Lighting.

“Warmer and more inviting than cool steel, but less audacious than full-on gold, copper is the perfect material for adding a touch of rustic glamour to living spaces. It contrasts well with raw natural materials, such as leather and wood, or place it next to greys, khakis and warm blush tones, to create a luxurious and calming colour palette.”

Midas touch

Golden rules are meant to be followed and you surely won’t go wrong if you follow a gilded, glittering theme, because gold is a strong feature in all the home collections for next year.

“Gold and tones of gold are being used everywhere in the design world, as metallics continue to add that little touch of glamour to our interiors,” says Rebecca Williamson, senior colour design and content manager at Dulux, whose 2016 colour of the year is Cherished Gold.

“It’s a recurring colour and material at design fairs and in graphic design, as well as in architecture, fashion, beauty and interior decoration. We feel that Cherished Gold is a beautiful next step, a natural evolution and transition from Copper Blush, our choice for last year.

“The shade combines naturally with a variety of shades including tan, dark chocolate and duck egg blue, and creates an industrial edge, or – paired with blush pinks – conjures a more feminine atmosphere.”