Steel is making a lifestyle statement. Namita A Shrivastav takes a look at designerware in steel

If you wait long enough, fashion comes around. The big logic applies to things other than clothes as well. Steel - the humble alloy - used and abused in grandma's house, is today making a lifestyle statement.

Steel As It Is Today
Steel has been repackaged, recycled and transformed so beautifully that today it confidently struts around as objets d'art. New finishes and designer shapes are giving steel a class it never had before; making trend barometers declare steel stylish. It's also sleek, smart and contemporary. And if that isn't enough, fusion in steel is leading to more innovative designs. Consider steel with leather, porcelain, wood or glass. The result - exotic, hip, classy and dynamic.
Lifestyle stores are lined with steel designerware - porcelain teacups with steel saucers, tea glasses with steel handles, leather and steel wine racks and stylised spoons or steel mixed with cast iron.

The Makeover
Not too long ago the functional steel vessels in Indian homes were confined to the kitchen and at best made to the dining room. They disappeared as soon as guests appeared. Cut to the present. Interior designers are talking of steel tiles, wall panels and the stainless steel look in kitchens, bars and bathrooms. Steel is also being spotted in offices and restaurants. "It's contemporary, neutral and here to stay," says interior designer Aparna Karve. "You can play it up or tone it down."

Steel style is surely catching up. Rajiv Shroff of Elahe - In Vogue, a lifestyle store in Hyderabad, says, "Steel is the new new thing. It's moving faster than we imagined. People always end up carrying home something from the Art D'Inox range. It's funny how they steer towards the display island without even realising it!"

This explains why brands like Magpie, Art D'Inox (from Jindals), The Home Store and Westside are creating stylised designs in steel. They've literally put steel on the mantlepiece. Funky home accessories by Alessi and handcrafted spoons by Michael Aram make high fashion statements. Who wouldn't want a Philippe Starck lemon squeezer or Alessanadro Mendini's famous 'Anna Corkscrew' in their bar set?

Thanks to modern design, even our good ol' thermoses and colanders can now look cool.

Steel Moves
The new expression has moved steel into our drawing rooms. Lamps (the original Arco lamps and lookalikes, too), bowls and ashtrays available in shiny and dull finishes, add style to any space. The Home Store (countrywide) and The Courtyard (Mumbai) have a nice range of lamps. Check out the Westside outlets for the beaten steel range. And check out up-market lifestyle stores in your city, for the Art D'Inox range.

The Magpie range pretty much takes care of the bar. Their ice bucket with tongs, chip 'n' dip trays, salt and pepper shakers, cocktail shakers and snack picks are nattily designed. In low-sheen matte finish, they make the bar look tasteful.

The dull silver of matte steel also looks great with colour. Imagine, a cherry red retro upholstered chair with well-defined steel legs. Or, a steel candle stand with a red candle. Steel looks great in bathrooms too. Here, taps, mirror frames, soap dispensers, dishes, toothbrush holders and wastebaskets can all be bought in steel. With a dash of black or amber (a towel or tile), the metal begins to look extremely stylish.

Knick-knacks like photo frames, watches, mirror frames and furniture frames in steel lend modern neutrality to interiors. Hammered steel adds a bit of rustic and/or retro look. There's a lot to choose from; the choice is yours.

Steel Strengths
Two ways to use steel - play it up or tone it down.
Super-strong, hygienic and water resistant, steel is one of the hottest materials in residential kitchens.
It's cool and classy, not cold and clinical. Mix it with wood and colour and watch it take on a new look.
Makes the place look contemporary. Add steel as a design element - a wall, a table base, or legs of chairs.

Know Your Steel
Discovered in tSe early 1900s, stainless steel is an extremely durable alloy made by adding chromium to low-carbon steel. The addition of the chromium gives stainless steel its unique corrosive and rust-resistant properties.

In steel, gauge refers to the thickness of the metal - the lower the number, the thicker the steel.
Stainless steel is one of the easiest materials to maintain. It could stand up to a lifetime of heavy use.