Techs & Specs

Hello Patina!

Discovering and working with local artisans is a highlight for me. This week I had the privilege of meeting Dan Romo from Studio Romo at his studio in West Oakland. I brought along my 18 year old son because I ...

Brass is HOT this Summer

Seriously, so hot! I feel I need to write about brass this week because we are quoting (and selling) so much brass this summer. I’m not sure what’s going on, but brass is beautifying homes, cabinetry and vent ducts via ...

Why is it More Expensive to do a Custom Vent Cover? How it all adds up….

When I founded Modern Metal six years ago, my goal was to make the custom process with Modern Metal straightforward, easy, and efficient with a resulting product that would be personal and customized to your aesthetic.  I do believe we ...

Modern Metal AV Cabinetry Inserts

While remodeling our own home, I learned that all of this fancy equipment we seem to need for our TV’s and music systems needs air to circulate. Modern Metal to the rescue! This summer, we’ve had many requests for AV cabinetry ...

Brass from Start to Finish: Recycled Scrap

We recently completed a spectacular residential project with brass floor grilles throughout the home (those pics will be in a post of their own), and this week, I want to share a bit of what went on behind the scenes.  ...

Pointcarre for Modern Metal Gate Design

For me, Pointcarre software is far more than just a CAD program.  During my years working as a Textile Designer at Maharam, I was trained in Pointcarre.  At the time, I believe we went to the offices in NYC to ...

To Flange or Not to Flange? What Happens Underneath a Modern Metal Vent Cover? 

We are currently working on a project with a local San Francisco architect who is using our standard line of floor grilles, Accentuate Foor Vents, throughout a Northern California residence.  As many of our customers do, he’s supplementing it with ...

Blackened Steel Finish is Here!

Ever since I started Modern Metal, customers have asked for blackened steel. Everyone seems to have a different and very specific visual in their mind when they say blackened steel. I have always considered it to be sort of an ...

What are louvers and when do we need them for air vents? 

What are louvers and when do we need them?  Curious customers want to know! This is a great question, and I love the opportunity to share my HVAC knowledge with you. It’s still not my favorite topic of interest, but ...

Spotlight: Behind the Scenes 

This week, I’ve been feeling so thankful to be surrounded by the circle of professionals who help Modern Metal behind the scenes. These people play a crucial role for us on a daily basis. We rely on many skilled people ...

#16 Install Beautiful Bathroom Fan Covers

How to convey how great this is? I realize a bathroom fan cover doesn’t sound that exciting…..but it truly is so cool! Just like our grilles, most people don’t realize they need these until they get one. Then they come ...

Is Metal Eco-Friendly?

A very important question of the times and a responsibility I feel as a provider of materials, is how are we as a company doing from a sustainability standpoint.  Is our company doing everything it can to be environmentally friendly ...