It’s true I’ve seen my share of hand-hammered metal. Though, unfortunately, this mostly has involved the removal of decrepit tin from the roofs of equally decrepit cabins once upon a time during one of the more demanding summer jobs of my youth. And though this was during the age of distressed jeans, the era of “shabby chic” had not yet arrived, so the notion of a paint that simulated hand-hammered metal would not have had the same caché it does today.

Molten Metallics surface coating. Manufactured by Benjamin Moore.

Benjamin Moore Uses Alkyd High Gloss to Create a Beautiful Metallic Look

But the appeal of the antique is upon us, so long as it comes in the form a carefully crafted and modernized incarnation. Such is the case with Benjamin Moore’s intriguing Molten Metallics line. The latest addition to the company’s Studio Finishes portfolio, Molten Metallics make use of Alkyd High Gloss paint to approximate the look of hand-hammered metal.

The Molten Metallics line is comprised of a handful of colors/finishes suggestive of both different metals and the assorted and varied tints of said material  that one might encounter in a quick perusal of, say, a ghost town in the Colorado Mountains. There are six shades to be exact: Gold, Bronze, Silver, Copper, Gun Smoke, and Charcoal.

Each of the above offers a different take on the abiding theme of the collection—a dynamic, textured look that seems to rise above the surface and inhabit the third dimension. In fact, stare long enough at a surface finished with Molten Metallics and it may begin to jump out at you, much in the manner of those trick 3D paintings that eventually reveal a tiger in the grass, or a great white with jaws agape.

In the same way, Molten Metallics create a rather inscrutable and absolutely intriguing surface that gives a dramatic appearance to anything it covers. Nor is this limited to mere walls: “ideal for adding a dramatic, glamorous look to furniture, decorative pieces, trim and accent ceilings and walls… it also is recommended for exterior surfaces and delivers an effective rust-resistant treatment.”

Via Otto-Otto.

About the Manufacturer: A household name among any DIYers—among anyone who has ever opened a can of paint, in truth—Benjamin Moore makes paint. The company is so well-established, in fact, that, much in the manner of “Kleenex” signifying “tissue,” the brand name means paint. The company operates seven manufacturing plants and 22 distribution facilities, selling paints, stains, and finishes through a network of more than 4,000 independent retailers across North America. On the news front, Benjamin Moore recently joined a family of companies helmed by Warren Buffet. Since then, they’ve enacted a comprehensive initiative of sustainability and environmental protection, in addition to enhancing their tradition of industry advancement: “We continue to be at the forefront of product innovation, with a commitment to research and development unrivaled in the architectural coatings industry.”