A love letter to living finishes – and why we don’t use lacquer
February 5, 2026
Turnstyle Designs The Interior Designers Architects Furniture Makers Artisans Choice
In the highly aesthetic world of interior design, the promise of a flawless, long-lasting finish can have a glossy allure, and clients often ask why we don’t use lacquer or clear coatings on Turnstyle Designs hardware. The short answer is simple: every material choice we make is intentional, and lacquer conflicts with our environmental values, fails in real life, and works against the innate beauty of solid metal.
Here we explore what this really means and why a living finish is always a superior choice to lacquer…
Synthetic lacquer is essentially plastic
Synthetic lacquer (the only viable lacquer for metal coating) and clear coatings are, in effect, plastic sprays applied to the surface of metal – typically acrylic-based. While they may look pristine on day one, they sit between the end user and the material itself, creating a synthetic barrier that fundamentally changes how the product ages and feels.
From an environmental standpoint, this is not something we can stand behind. As lacquer breaks down over time, it sheds microplastics. These microscopic particles can end up on hands and dispersed throughout a space, contributing to a wider environmental problem that we believe designers and manufacturers have a responsibility to reduce, not worsen.
Using solid metal without plastic coatings is a conscious choice aligned with our environmental responsibility practices and position as the first ever hardware manufacturer globally to attain B Corp status.
LACQUER DOESN'T AGE GRACEFULLY
One of the biggest myths around lacquer is durability. While it may initially protect the surface, it does not wear evenly. Instead, it breaks down in patches.
As a lacquer coating begins to fail it will:
- Chip and flake at points of contact
- Hold dirt and grime at the edges of damage
- Create uneven, unsightly patches that cannot be polished out
Over time, this results in hardware that looks tired and damaged rather than beautifully aged. Unlike bare metal, which can be refreshed and maintained, failing lacquer leaves you with no recourse except full replacement – which is both costly and wasteful.
Also, because the patination process of aged finishes creates an oxidised layer, any clear coat will not achieve a strong bond, so lacquering is set up to fail.
It is worth noting that lacquer does have its uses… on decorative finishes that are not exposed to abrasion it can work well to preserve the look.
There is no such thing as a bulletproof coating
We’ve tested extensively. And, despite what marketing claims might suggest, no lacquer or clear coating we’ve encountered is truly hardwearing.
Failure usually comes from abrasion. Rings, watches, and daily hand contact create repeated micro‑impacts that gradually chip the coating. Once the lacquer is compromised, the damage spreads.
No matter how advanced the formulation, a coating is still a surface layer. And surface layers fail.
Rather than promising unrealistic permanence, we embrace how materials behave in the real world.
Living finishes are natural beauty
Living finishes are not about perfection frozen in time. They are about evolution.
To create a living finish, brass is polished then treated, either by accelerated ageing (as with the Vintage and Burnished finishes) or brushing (as with our Satin Brass). All the acids used in our accelerated ageing process are neutralised after use and returned to water.
When you choose a living finish from Turnstyle Designs, you are choosing solid metal that is allowed to breathe, react, and mature naturally. Over time, each piece develops its own unique patina shaped by touch, environment, and use.
This is not a flaw. It is the allure. A relationship with the environment rather than a resistance to it.
Like our own skin, the character of a living finish must be earned. Every mark, softening of tone, and subtle change tells a story. And no two pieces will ever age the same way.
There are alternative means of preserving brass
For those who prefer their brass clean and shiny, a regular cleaning with a light Brasso polish is required.
For a brass finish which doesn’t age, we do also offer electroplated finishes, from Polished Nickel to Matt Black Chrome and our new variation – Hammered Black Chrome. Plating is far superior to any clear coat, in terms of longevity; because it does carry an environmental impact we are exploring opportunities to improve on current standards.
Why choose a living finish?
Choosing a living finish means embracing authenticity over artificial perfection. It means accepting that real materials change, and that this change is what gives them depth and character.
At Turnstyle Designs, we believe hardware should age with dignity, not disguise time behind plastic. Living finishes don’t fail, peel, or flake. They mature. And because we only create products we can comfortably put our name against for life, all our pieces come with a lifetime warranty.
That is why we don’t use lacquer. And why we stand behind the beauty of living finishes, now and for years to come.
For questions about how a specific finish will age or how to care for it, contact our Sales team.
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