How Beautiful is Corten Steel when Used in Interior Design?

When the designer embedded the mottled rust-red steel plates in the entrance wall of the apartment in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, the owner worriedly asked, "Will the rust stains ruin my cashmere carpet?". This question reveals the core problem of using Corten steel in interiors - how to ensure the cleanliness and safety of the home environment while maintaining an industrial aesthetic.

In recent years, BROMOCO has been entrusted with an increasing number of projects involving the application of Corten steel. The number of searches for "industrial texture" on Houzz, a leading home design website, has increased 4.8 times compared to the pre-emergence period. This material, with its own sense of time, is rewriting the grammar of high-end home design.

Designed by AG Architecture & Design Ltd.

For a recently completed residential project by AG Architecture & Design Ltd (株式会社agアーキテクツ) in Fukuoka, Japan, the designers combined Corten steel panels with light ceramic tiles and dark cabinet systems. The gradual patina created by oxidation creates a unique dialogue of time with the sense of wood grain created by the tiles, confirming the compatibility of controlled patina with the modern home.

However, the untreated oxide layer is not stable, and lightly rubbing your fingertips against untreated Corten steel will leave a noticeable rusty colour on your fingertips, and more vigorous rubbing with a hard object can even leave irreversible abrasive marks on the wall. This is not a friendly strategy for installing Corten steel in high-traffic indoor areas. One of the main ways of overcoming this problem today is to apply a sealant to the oxidised Corten steel surface. However, conventional solvent-based protective coatings still release large amounts of VOCs during and after curing, so projects applying sealcoating to Corten steel have largely focused on outdoor projects.

The water-based protective system developed by BROMOCO overcomes this limitation by keeping the release of VOCs to a very low level. And because it forms a crystal clear protective layer after curing, it does not affect the colour of the finish in any way. This gives users the peace of mind that they can weather to a satisfactory colour at the weathering stage, without having to take into account the random variable of colour deepening after application, as is the case with solvent-based paints.

Episode of Grand Designs, the TV show that BROMOCO is working on.

Our water-based Corten protection was the key technical support for a recent Lincolnshire residential project that was featured on the UK's leading building renovation TV show, Grand Designs. The designers used Corten steel sheets treated with BROMOCO's water-based protection system in the interior corridors, creating a unique look and design style. You can watch the full programme via the link below: https://www.channel4.com/programmes/grand-designs/on-demand/73533-002

Every time you breathe in Corten steel indoors, it changes the relationship between materials and people. BROMOCO changes rust into art, and each rust mark becomes a carefully planned visual story. This industrial material is no longer just for outdoors.

BROMOCO corten steel water-based protection system for interior applications. Image taken from the TV show ‘Grand Designs’ in which BROMOCO participated.