Phil Collins' '70s Bedroom Featured The Brass Trend

a splitscreen of phil collins on the left and his house in the 80s on the right — (Image credit: Graham Wood/Gabor Scott via Getty Images)

Jump to category:

Shop the Brass Bedroom Look

Aged brass is the latest 'it' material. Though designers rave about its natural lustre, versatility, and timelessness, we rarely see examples of how to style it outside the kitchen. However, archival images of Phil Collins' bedroom from 1976 prove that the metal is good for much more than cabinet pulls.

The '70s photograph shows the musician posing with his first wife and their daughter on an antique brass bed at their house in Epsom, Surrey. This lost-to-time piece is a staple of traditional design. As the popularity of aged brass and granny-chic interiors surges, we predict that it will be everywhere this season.

Article continues below

phil collins in the 80s with family — Phil Collins at Home with Family, 1976

Shop the Brass Bedroom Look

Subtle Yet Striking

Brushed Brass Drawer

Warm and modern, these straight cabinet pulls would be the perfect addition to liven up a white dresser. Their matte brass finish is right on trend.

Multi-directional

Antiqued Brass Spot Light

A beautifully layered bedroom includes intentional lighting. To add a brass glint to your walls, consider a beautiful sconce, like this one. Not only will it pair beautifully with the surrounding brass decor, but it will also bounce light off it beautifully.

Set of 6

Green Botanical Study

Picking out the brass of a bedframe like Phil Collins' in decorative pieces like these vintage-style prints with gold beaded frames is a way to create a cohesive look without overwhelming the space.

Sculpted Shape

Stacie Metal Spindle Bed

Emulate the heritage look with a modern piece, and this pretty brass bed from Wayfair is the perfect option. It would look gorgeous with modern linen bedding for a striking contrast.

Stylish Shape

Lumisource Gemma Metal Side Table Modern Brass

This gorgeous side table would look oh-so chic in a bedroom. I love the idea of buying two and placing one on either side of the bed.

Heritage look

Dog Bookends

These brass bookends combine two of my favorite things: aged brass and puppies. They feel elevated yet ontrend for a look that will improve any room where it is placed.

As we can see in Phil Collins' bedroom idea, part of what makes aged brass popular is its slight reflectiveness.

The Design Team at Oak by Design explains: 'Adding a finish to a metal makes a difference in a space. Brushed or satin brass is warm, but doesn't have the glare that other polished surfaces often have; instead, it produces a muted glow. This means that it won’t fade into the background, but it won’t dominate a space either, and it won’t attract fingerprints.'

Furthermore, the material conveys a subtle version of quiet luxury. As we see in Phil Collins's bedroom, it instantly makes any space where it is used look more expensive. The Oak by Design team explains: 'Brass works well as it feels heavy in the hand, which subconsciously makes us associate it with quality.'

A renewed interest in the '70s trend is also spurred forward by the boom of slow decorating. Brass bedframes like Phil Collins' are utterly timeless and will never need to be replaced.

Rohan Blacker, design expert and Pooky founder, explains, 'People talk about fast fashion, but they don't really talk about fast fashion in the homewares zone, and that does exist as well. People decorate their homes according to the latest trend, and then they don't like it, and they go and buy another one.'

He continues: 'The good thing about brass, it does not rust. And that's incredibly important. If you've got iron, it'll rust, but if you buy brass, it'll still be around in hundreds of years.'

So, what's the best way to style the hardware trend in a bedroom? Pairing it with natural materials is a great place to start.

The Oak by Design team advises: 'Over time, it develops a soft character rather than a dull one, making it ideal for adding an element of warm minimalism in a home, especially paired with timber and stone materials.'

If you enjoy our celebrity news and interior design advice, why not sign up to our newsletter so you never miss the latest features?

Sophie is a writer and News Editor on the Celebrity Style team at Homes & Gardens. She is fascinated by the intersection of design and popular culture and is particularly passionate about researching trends and interior history. She is an avid pop culture fan and has interviewed Martha Stewart and Hillary Duff.

In her free time, Sophie freelances on design news for Westport Magazine and Livingetc. She also has a newsletter, My Friend's Art, in which she covers music, culture, and fine art through a personal lens. Her fiction has appeared in Love & Squalor and The Isis Magazine.

Before joining Future, Sophie worked in editorial at Fig Linens and Home, a boutique luxury linens brand. She has an MSc from Oxford University and a BA in Creative Writing and Sociology from Sarah Lawrence College.