Custom Finishes
The color is only the beginning.
Custom Finishes explores the appearance of an existing hardware design: its lacquer, texture, hammer patterns and finish color. A familiar piece can take on a different character through its surface.
Start with the design that already works.
The form may be right for the room while the surface needs something different. Bring the existing Inspire Hardware design and the appearance you have in mind. We review which treatments are feasible for that piece and production method.
For physical design changes, see Bespoke Hardware. Compare services in the Overview.
What a surface brief can explore
- Lacquer. Discuss a matte or gloss sheen, or an uncoated surface where appropriate.
- Texture. Consider how brushing, polishing or another surface treatment changes the reflection.
- Hammer patterns. Explore the scale and character of the marks and whether the design can accommodate them.
- Finish color. Establish the desired tone with a physical reference and the surrounding materials.
Three reflections. One shape.
All three pieces are solid brass. The first two have satin brass surfaces with different clear lacquer sheens; the third is polished brass without lacquer. Matte here describes the lacquer, not a separate base metal.
A physical sample is the useful reference when the hardware needs to sit alongside a faucet, light fitting, furniture finish or architectural metal.
Existing Demi product photographs. Review a physical sample in the project lighting.
A reference everyone can return to.
“Warm brass” can mean several different things to a designer, a supplier and an installer. A named reference and a reviewed physical sample make the intention easier to carry through the project.
Tell us about the base material, color, texture and desired sheen, and whether the surface will be coated or allowed to develop character with use. Available options depend on the product and production method.
How to Understand Metal Finishes and How to Understand Gloss explain the distinctions.
Bring the surroundings into the brief.
- A physical reference, when one is available.
- The other metals, colors and materials the hardware will sit beside.
- The room lighting and the degree of reflection intended.
- The application, cleaning routine and exposure the finish must accommodate.
What a finish review needs to settle
Matching an existing finish
Send the reference and describe the relationship you want: a close coordination, a softer contrast or a deliberate difference. Exact matching is not assumed from a photograph or a finish name; the proposed result needs a physical review.
A consistent finish across different pieces
Identify the full hardware family at the beginning. Shape, material and production method can affect the appearance, so related pieces should be considered together.
Appearance over time
The finish brief should distinguish the appearance at installation from the way the surface is intended to age. Discuss the cleaning routine and whether a protective coating or an evolving patina is part of the desired result.
See the shared process in the Overview
Show the surface you have in mind.
Send the existing product reference and the finish direction you want to explore. Note whether a physical reference is available for comparison.
The email link opens your email app. Add references there if helpful. Feasibility, cost and timing are confirmed for the individual request.