The Surprising Technique to Gives Stainless Steel a Matte Finish
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Suzanne Stefan’s floating Portage Bay home includes an unusual hack—especially to owners of stainless steel appliances who are constantly trying to keep them shiny and streak free. Stefan used Scotch-Brite to dull the surface of her custom kitchen panels. When used on metal, the trick yields an “even, soft matte surface...with a level of subtlety and finish that would limit highly reflective moments,” she says.
In the design of her houseboat, not only was a functional layout crucial but so were materials that would allow light to move across surfaces without creating glare. “The overall selection of material types was dictated by whether they could convey a feeling of lightness,” Stefan reveals. “We were very inspired by the poetic quality of light reflecting off the surrounding water, but also because it is a floating home, we wanted the materials to feel lightweight.”
With that in mind, Stefan chose stainless steel for her kitchen, an innately strong material that could not only convey a thin profile and amplify natural light, but appear lighter than, say, a stone or wood. Stefan custom fabricated the waterfall-edge island countertop and island, but she went one step further by envisioning a unique finish-out courtesy of the "Scotch-Brite method," something she had learned about through working with various artisans over the years. Stefan hired metal craftsman Matt Kelly of Helve House for the labor-intensive process, and the panels were finished at his shop prior to installation (since fine particles can leak into the air). The now matte metal panels juxtapose custom white oak cabinetry, custom pulls, and Miele appliances.
“We love how this finish surface interacts with light; It is soft, subtle, and welcoming. We recommend it, but know that it is rather labor-intensive, and that can certainly have an impact on cost,” she says. If you're intrigued by the idea, talk to a local craftsperson or metal specialist before taking matters into your own hands—but with their help, you may have an entirely new finish waiting for you.
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