How to Care for Velvet, Reclaimed Wood and Aged Brass

What each one is like to live with, how it changes over time, and how to look after it

Most writing about furniture stops at the moment you buy it. How it looks in the room, how it photographs, what it costs. Very little is said about the part that actually takes up most of a piece's life, which is what it is like to live with it two years later.

That gap matters more than usual with the materials in the Laurel collection. Velvet, faux fur, reclaimed wood, and aged brass are all materials with a visible relationship to time. They do not stay exactly as they arrived, and the way they change is a big part of why people choose them. So this is a different kind of post from the ones about color or mood: a plain guide to what each material does, what is normal, and what a little care looks like.

Materials That Change, and Materials That Stay Put

Stone, ceramic, and matte black, the materials we wrote about in the fall, are mostly stable. A ceramic vase looks the way it looked on day one for as long as you own it. That is a real quality, and it suits a certain kind of room.

The materials in this collection work differently. Wood darkens and softens at the edges. Aged metal keeps developing character. Velvet shifts in the light depending on which way the pile lies. If you are someone who wants everything to look exactly as it did in the product photo forever, it is worth knowing that going in. If you like a home that looks lived in, these are the materials that get there honestly.

Velvet

Velvet is a woven fabric with a short, dense pile, which is what gives it that deep, slightly shifting color. The gray and antiqued brass velvet tufted armchair is upholstered in it, with nailhead trim and tufted cushions, and the beige velvet sofa uses it at full scale.

What to expect. Velvet looks slightly different depending on how the light hits the pile. Where someone has been sitting, or where a hand has brushed across it, the pile can lie in a different direction and the color appears lighter or darker for a while. This is normal and is not damage.

What helps.

Brush the surface gently with a soft brush in one direction to even out the pile.
Vacuum with a soft upholstery attachment every so often, since dust settles into the pile.
Blot spills right away with a clean cloth rather than rubbing, which pushes liquid deeper and flattens the pile.
Check the care tag before using any cleaner. Upholstery tags use codes, and the code tells you whether water-based cleaning, solvent-based cleaning, either, or vacuuming only is appropriate.
Keep it out of long stretches of direct sun, which can fade any dyed fabric over time.

If you have pets, a rubber glove or a lint roller lifts hair from velvet much better than you would expect.

Faux Fur

Faux fur is the most tactile material in the collection, and the least demanding once you know a few things. The gray faux fur plush throw and the 5' x 8' gray faux fur washable area rug are both here.

What to expect. Faux fur sheds a little at first and can mat in spots that get a lot of contact, like where a throw sits across a lap or where a rug takes foot traffic.

What helps.

Shake it out regularly, which keeps the fibers separated.
Brush matted patches gently with a wide-tooth comb or a soft brush.
Follow the care label for washing. The rug is listed as washable, but settings matter, and synthetic fibers can mat or melt with high heat, so air drying or the lowest heat setting is the safer choice.

Reclaimed and Distressed Wood

This is the material that gives the collection most of its history. The reclaimed wood distressed trunk coffee table, the reclaimed wood frame console table, and the gray distressed solid wood ladder shelves all lean on it.

What to expect. Distressed and reclaimed wood already carries marks, variation, and uneven color, so a new scratch tends to blend in rather than stand out. That is a practical advantage in a home with kids, pets, or a lot of use. Wood also responds to its environment, expanding and contracting slightly with humidity.

What helps.

Dust with a soft, dry or barely damp cloth, and avoid soaking the surface.
Use coasters under glasses and trays under candles, since heat rings and moisture are the two things that mark wood most.
Keep it away from radiators and heating vents. Dry winter air next to a heat source is the hardest condition for any wood piece.
Avoid silicone-based polish sprays, which build up. A wax or oil suited to the finish, applied occasionally, is a better choice.

The natural and brown solid wood dough bowls follow the same logic. If you plan to use one for serving food, check the maker's guidance on food contact first, and avoid the dishwasher and long soaking for any solid wood piece.

Aged Brass and Bronze

Aged and antiqued finishes are the ones people most often worry about, because they can look like something is wrong. Nothing is. The darker, uneven tone is the finish. The set of two antiqued brass pillar candle holders, the bronze distressed botanical leaf hurricane candle holder, and the Perret 2-light aged brass pendant all carry it.

What to expect. Edges and raised details may lighten slightly with handling, which only adds to the worn-in look.

What helps.

A dry, soft cloth is usually all it needs.
Skip metal polish. Polishing an antiqued finish can strip the aged look you chose it for, and on a coated finish it can damage the surface.
Candle wax lifts off easily once it has fully hardened, and it is better to lift it than to scrape it.

A Quick Reference

Material	Regular care	Avoid
Velvet	Soft brush, gentle vacuum, blot spills	Rubbing spills, long direct sun
Faux fur	Shake out, brush matted spots	High heat when drying
Reclaimed wood	Soft dry cloth, coasters	Soaking, heat vents, silicone sprays
Aged brass and bronze	Dry soft cloth	Metal polish, abrasive cleaners

Choosing for How You Actually Live

If you want one practical takeaway, it is this: put the most hands-on materials where you will enjoy touching them, and the most forgiving ones where life is busiest. Velvet and faux fur belong in the places you sit and wrap up in. Distressed wood is a good choice for the surfaces that take daily use. Aged metal is mostly there to be looked at in candlelight, and asks for almost nothing.

A room built that way tends to stay good-looking longer, because the materials are doing the job they are best at rather than being asked to stay pristine.

Shop the full Laurel collection →

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I take care of velvet furniture? Vacuum gently with a soft upholstery attachment, brush the pile in one direction to even it out, and blot spills immediately instead of rubbing. Check the care tag for the cleaning code before using any cleaner, since the right method depends on the fabric.

Is it normal for velvet to look lighter or darker in some areas? Yes. Velvet reflects light differently depending on the direction of the pile, so areas that have been pressed or brushed can look different for a while. Gently brushing the pile in one direction usually evens it out.

Is antiqued brass supposed to look dark and uneven? Yes, that is the finish. Aged brass is meant to look worn and warm rather than bright and uniform. Wipe it with a dry soft cloth and avoid polish, which can remove the aged effect.

Can I clean reclaimed wood with water? A barely damp cloth is generally fine for light cleaning, but avoid soaking or standing water, which can mark or swell wood. Dry it afterwards and keep it away from heat sources.