Steel
Use strong metallic lines for modern appeal. I just love this modern approach to using metal in such a simple garden design. The strong lines of the steel tubes are reminiscent of the spikes of cordylines or phormiums while echoing the color of the ground-cover plants around them. The steel and wood bench completes the picture, with the delightful touch of plants growing along the bench.
Use corrugated iron for more than just roofing the barn. There are alternatives to flat steel for a traditional barrier or fence. Corrugated galvanized iron panels, so favored as a cheap roofing and building material in the past, are used here as a decorative feature, set to contrast against a stunning yellow wall. The shadows created along the lines of the corrugation give the steel a great feeling of texture against the flatness of the wall.
While it's not uncommon to see steel in warm and cool grays, it can also wear a broader variety of saturated hues, especially when used untreated in the outdoors. Cor-Ten, as used for the plate here, oxidizes naturally. Its color is dependent on the climate and can turn bright orange, dark brown, deep red and even purple.
Galvanizing. Dipping steel in zinc creates a corrosion-resistant layer bonded to the top layer of steel. This mottled gray finish appears more casual, camp-like and unpretentious than other corrosion-resistant options, like stainless steel. The soft gray lines of the stair guard contrast the shadowed reveals of the siding.
Blackening. The surface of steel can be chemically altered in other ways. Blackening is a process in which the steel surface is coated in black oxide to protect it from rust (red oxide) and corrosion. This delivers a look similar to that of wrought iron, but more precise and without iron's brittleness. The thin black lines of the steel railing against the white wall make for a delicate, minimalist and sculptural stair here.
Much of the beauty of steel is derived from its strength relative to its size or thickness. Because steel is sold by the pound, designers often seek to use the most economical section or weight of steel for the loads involved. This steel stair tread, riser and railing showcase the lightness that is possible with steel. The stair appears to float in this instance, and the delicate verticals supporting the handrail appear as folded origami paper.
Indoor use for fireplace perhaps
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