A new home means many things to many people. A space to make your own, a safe haven, a place to relax–and for me, a new home and a new start gives me a place to express myself.

Having moved into a new place just recently, I’ve found that I’ve started cultivating a certain aesthetic that ranges from Contemporary (think metals and hard surfaces) to Mid-Century Modern (clean lines, tapered legs, quality woods, warm oranges and yellows, retro styling) and even Rustic (cowhides, my mom’s old Navajo rug used as a tapestry hanging, an old geometric quilt, a rough barn door style desk). It feels warm and welcoming to me, without feeling cluttered or knick-knacky–a tacky style I left behind when I shook up my life.

Lately however, I’ve been obsessing over all things copper. From copper-colored jewelry (rose gold is my current love) to copper lighting and house goods. Copper is a warming metal, it readily conducts heat and electricity, and its been said that wearing copper jewelry helps improve circulation. In mythology copper represented Hermes, the son of Zeus and the youngest of the Olympian Gods. He was quick witted and could move easily between  the divine and human worlds. Thus copper is also considered to be a connection metal between one world and the next.

The use of copper in spaces warms it up without a overly stuffed or musuem-don’t-touch-me-sense. Copper accessories, when used sparingly, make a room rich and warm, reflecting outside sunlight and radiating heat on cool days. Balancing them with small pops of color (reds, yellows, oranges, pinks, even blues) helps keep things in check (no rose colored glasses here!) and the metal picks up browns, beiges and even greys well. Use it with soft touch materials like fur, mohair or knitted items for a warming winter feel. In summer, pair them with light linen, woven materials with warm southwestern colors to keep them light and airy.

Below I’ve curated a few of my favorite copper items–most are very affordable and some have some very unique properties. Below each image are links to where you can buy these items. Be sure to click through all of them as you may find that, like me, you’ve got a bit of a copper obsession.

Hart + Salem makes beautiful handmade jewelry, clothing, and leather items and is all run by one incredible woman. Check out her line here. 

Milk Design published this work of art this week. It’s a bird feeder made of oak and copper. The idea is that the birds can nest, feed and rest while the copper cone amplifies their songs while they rest. Find out more about it here. Sadly it doesn’t look it like it’s for sale any time soon.

This was actually what really kicked off my copper obsession recently. On a trip to Portugal I stayed in a fantastic hotel called, The Palácio do Governador in Lisbon (Belém, actually) right near the water–and near all the major museums. The decor is beautiful–simple and right up my alley. It once was the governor’s house and each room has these gorgeous cupolas with brick ceilings. Along the halls you’ll encounter original art that is both intricate and simple–all united with blues, copppers and blacks. This light was in the room I stayed in and I went on a massive Internet hunt to find it once I got home. Turns out, its not terribly affordable–and the only place I could find it was at Living & Co–needless to say I went for something a bit more in my price range.

This was my go to alternative. I happened to stumble across it at–drumroll please–Target. It’s a great little task lamp and it looks perfect in my space. I couldn’t have been more thrilled with it–and it only cost me $40. It was on clearance (and still is–seems it’s going fast!) Find out more here. 

We’ve all seen copper Mules but this little copper espresso mug caught my eye while I was looking for some cookware over at Williams-Sonoma. I love this so much for winter time espresso or flat whites. It is stainless steel with a copper coated exterior. Bonus–it’s double walled so it wont burn your hands if you decide to fill it with hot liquids–but it will maintain the heat. Find out more over at Williams-Sonoma.

I’ve also become relatively obsessed with The Citizenry–a fantastic new site I stumbled upon on Instagram. They pride themselves on using local artisans to craft gorgeous pieces for your home and give back directly to those artisans. My latest obsession (amongst other items) includes this stellar copper and cowhide butterfly chair from Argentina. It’s pricey but so worth it. Check it out here. 

One of my favorite stores, now-a-days is West Elm. Their collection of great lighting, throwback modern chairs and furniture and their really unique accessories are right on the money.  I have this table in brass, actually–but got a second in copper to compliment another space. Its pefect as a small side table to an armchair and it warms the room right up. Find out more here.

Speaking of Martini’s…how about this decanter set that I stumbled across at Touch of Modern. This piece is by Fitz & Floyd and it’s just perfect for a almost  Mad Men-ish bar set. Warm it up with some woods and whiskey and you are good to go. Plus it’s on sale at Touch of Modern. Find out more here.  And PS–they also sell it at Bed, Bath & Beyond–but it’s more expensive. I also absolutely love their coupes. (Can you tell I’m a huge fan of traditional drinkware?)