Chrome is Back – And I’m Quite Happy About It

22 September 2026

Chrome is Back - And I’m Quite Happy About It

A blog by interiors editor, Georgina Blaskey

Georgina Blaskey is an interiors journalist and editor, whose work has appeared across leading publications including SheerLuxe and The Telegraph. Known for her thoughtful approach to design trends, she explores how timeless interiors can be reimagined for modern living, including her perspective on the return of chrome and its place in contemporary homes.

Why Chrome Home Decor Is Making a Comeback in 2026

There’s a reason chrome is having a moment right now - cool, contemporary and sophisticated, it’s the easy way to add a touch of glamour to your home. From sculptural lighting to chic side tables and glossy accessories, I’m increasingly drawn to its ability to make a room feel instantly more polished. And after years of brass having the monopoly in the metallic department, I think it’s rather refreshing to give silver its moment.

The History of Chrome Interiors: From Art Deco to Modern Design

Chrome has, of course, been here before. It became synonymous with the sleek geometry of Art Deco before making its way into the sculptural furniture of the mid-century. By the 1970s, it had become a key part of that decade’s futuristic, space-age aesthetic. Then came the 1990s, when chrome was everywhere again, from tubular furniture to bathroom fittings.

But this time around, it feels different. The current chrome revival is less about recreating a particular decade and more about borrowing the best bits from several of them. Designers are using polished metal alongside rich woods, earthy colours, tactile fabrics and vintage-inspired shapes, giving chrome a softer, more sophisticated context.

How to Style Chrome in Your Home: Creating a Modern Metallic Look

It is this contrast that I find particularly appealing. Used sparingly, chrome adds just the right amount of tension. I particularly love it against the warmer palette that has been creeping into our homes. Chocolate brown, caramel, tobacco, burgundy and olive are all having a moment, and chrome looks fantastic against them.

The juxtaposition of something cold and reflective with something soft and earthy creates a much more interesting interior than matching every finish within an inch of its life.

The same goes for materials. Pair chrome with walnut, travertine, boucle, linen or dark lacquer and suddenly it feels less like a relic of the 1990s and more like a considered contemporary choice. I’d happily put a shiny chrome lamp on a chunky wooden side table, or a sculptural silver candlestick on a linen-covered dining table.

Why Chrome Works Across Every Interior Style

The trick is not to make everything shiny; one or two reflective pieces are enough to catch the light and give the room a little lift.

There is also something wonderfully democratic about chrome.

Unlike some of the more decorative finishes, it doesn’t necessarily dictate the style of a room. It can look minimalist and architectural, glamorous and 70s-inspired, playful and eclectic or surprisingly traditional.

It is, in many ways, the ultimate supporting act – although, given how reflective it is, it does occasionally steal the limelight.

Inside the Addison Ross Chrome Collection: A Modern Take on Silver Home Accessories

It’s perhaps no surprise, then, that Addison Ross has embraced the chrome revival for 2026. The brand’s new Chrome Collection takes its familiar love of decorative, personality-filled pieces and gives them a distinctly cooler, more architectural finish.

For me, that is what makes the collection particularly interesting. Chrome is quite a departure from the colourful, playful aesthetic the brand is known for, but rather than feeling like a complete change of direction, it feels like a more contemporary evolution of it.

The sculptural forms remain, particularly in the beautifully rounded candlesticks, but the mirrored finish gives them a sharper, more confident quality. And while the collection has a slightly more masculine feel - sleek and polished - it still has that unmistakable Addison Ross sense of glamour.

It is chrome, but not chrome for chrome’s sake.

Which, ultimately, is why I think this particular comeback has legs. We’ve moved on from simply asking whether a finish is ‘in’ or ‘out’. The more interesting question is how we use it.

And right now, I’m very much in favour of letting a little silver shine.