There is a particular quality of light that only brass produces. Not polished, not lacquered — raw, unlacquered brass that has been given time to develop its own patina. A warmth that no paint colour, no tile, no stone can replicate. When we first specified a raw brass splashback for our Smith Street Fitzroy project, the client paused. It will mark, she said. Yes, we told her. That's the point.

The piece was produced by a small fabrication studio in Melbourne's western suburbs. They work almost entirely on referral — no website, no showroom. A phone call and a site measure is how it begins. The work they produce is some of the most considered metalwork we have encountered in a decade of sourcing materials for residential projects.

Why raw brass over alternatives

Stainless steel is predictable. Engineered stone is everywhere. Raw brass is different. It begins pale and deepens over months into something richer, more complex. The kitchen you have in five years will be more beautiful than the kitchen you have on installation day. That is a rare thing to say about any material.

The splashback at Smith Street is approximately two metres wide, cut from a single sheet and fixed with exposed screws — a deliberate choice that reads as industrial honesty rather than oversight. It sits behind a range in matte black. The contrast is extreme and exactly right.

Incorporating brass into your home

You do not need a full splashback to bring raw brass into a space. A single panel behind a freestanding bath. A custom shelf bracket. A range hood in a kitchen that otherwise plays it safe. These are the moments that make a home feel considered rather than assembled.

We work with this maker on a project-by-project basis. If you are undertaking a renovation and want to explore what raw brass could do for your space, reach out. We would be glad to facilitate an introduction.

She works from a corrugated iron shed in Fitzroy North. The kiln — a wood-fired anagama — takes three days to load, two days to fire, and another two to cool. Each firing produces perhaps forty pieces. No two are identical.

We discovered her work at a makers market in Collingwood four years ago. We bought three pieces on the spot. Within six months, we had specified her work across two residential projects. This is how the best objects find their way into homes — not through a showroom floor, but through someone who was paying attention.

What makes her work different

The imperfection is the point. Each piece carries the evidence of its making — a slight asymmetry in the rim, a glaze that pools differently on one side. These are not flaws. They are the qualities that make a handmade object worth living with for decades rather than seasons.

We maintain relationships with a small number of ceramicists whose work we trust enough to put in front of clients. If you want to explore what locally made objects could add to your space, we would love to have that conversation.

The conversation goes like this, approximately every time. We present the scheme. The client says: I love it. Then: But is the navy too much? Then, six months after installation: The powder room is everyone's favourite room in the house.

The powder room at our Rye Beach House project was designed around a single tile — a deep navy fluted ceramic made by a small studio in regional Victoria. They produce in small runs, work with designers directly, and have no retail presence. The flute profile is proprietary. You will not find it in any showroom.

Why the powder room is the right room to take a risk

A powder room is the one space in a home that can hold a bold decision without the risk of overwhelming daily life. It needs only to be memorable. At Rye, the navy tile runs floor to ceiling. Against it: a block of white Carrara marble, matte black tapware, and a pleated linen sconce. Exactly right.

We have worked with this maker on three projects now. If you are planning a bathroom and want to explore locally produced tile, we would be glad to make an introduction.