Copper kitchens are back in vogue.  We just completed a giant, L-shaped copper counter top, truly the perfect material for a kitchen or any other space with bacterial growth potential.  Copper has more antibacterial/antimicrobial properties than even stainless steel.  And while our personal taste lends itself to the more modern, clean and sleek feel and lines of stainless steel, the truth is that the copper looked amazing.  It also prompted a quick look around Pintrest (honestly a great resource for design inspiration and ideas) to check out some other copper kitchen looks.  There's some cool shit out there.  Reminiscent of the old-fashioned copper pots (the best pots for the kitchen, by they way - copper is an excellent conductor of heat, so the copper pots ensure even cooking), everything from copper sinks, range hoods, counter-tops and cabinet accents bring a beautiful warmth to the heart of the home.  It was surprising as well, how good things like a copper counter top with a chrome tap-set can look.  Who knew?

Here are 8 things you also may not know about this beautiful metal (source LiveScience):

1. Copper has been mined and used for over 5,000 years.
2. The word copper and chemical symbol for the element, Cu, come from the Latin word cuprum after the Greek word for the island of Cyprus.
3. Copper is second only to silver in electrical conductivity abilities.
4. Copper is typically used in electrical wiring and residential plumbing.
5. Copper is also mixed into the paint used on the underside of ships to prevent seaweed, algae and barnacles from sticking to the vessel.
6. Copper is also used to create brass or bronze alloys. Brass, a mixture of copper and zinc, bronze is copper and tin.
7. Copper is commercially available at a purity of 99.999+ percent.
8. Copper ore deposits are found in the United States, Chile, Zambia, Zaire, Peru and Canada.

Next time you're thinking of a kitchen reno, or even a partial update, consider copper.  Check Pintrest, magazines, look around.  The possibilities are plentiful.  This is a metal that can add a timeless flare to your space.  It can be electroplated to give you a more modern vibe, or patina'd for a warm, traditional look.

If you didn't get a chance to see the Ai Wei Wei exhibit, According to What?, at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) in Toronto, there's still time!  We saw it, but only after a ram-packed 2 hours at the David Bowie Is exhibit, so we were a bit brain dead.  That was a shame, but we did at least get to appreciate some of the Ai Wei Wei exhibit.  He's a remarkable man, with remarkable talents: some of the pieces were made using traditional Chinese joinery.  This technique of marrying pieces together without the use of glue allows for disassembly, the original purpose of which was meant for ease in relocation - most transport when Chinese joinery originated was by animal.  While simple in appearance, the innards of these joints are incredibly complex.  That Ai Wei Wei uses these traditional techniques for his contemporary pieces is something to behold.  Not only is his skill level that of a master, but his applications are nothing short of genius.
    The installation that was the most moving was Ai's Straight.  Using rebar recovered from the sites of schoolhouses that were decimated in the 2008 earthquake in Sichuan Province, he painstakingly straightened each and every piece once collected - 38 tons of it.  He did this in response to the Government's refusal to acknowledge these young victims (over 5,000).  One can imagine the monumental task in both salvaging and then straightening this amount of rebar.  The photo above does not do this piece justice.  It's definitely one to see in person.
    There were many other fascinating installations too: the Han Dynasty urns, the Snake out of children's backpacks, the River Crabs, and the Moon Chests (another favourite of ours), to name but a few.  The exhibit as a whole is extremely interesting, with many beautiful and moving things to see.  Certainly for us the rebar stood out though.  The impact that this average, every day building material has in this context is indescribable.  Go see for yourselves.

DISCLAIMER: This is gross.  Lots of us like to dick about with tools, we all know that.  And sometimes one can uncover amazing hidden talents this way - this guy has uncovered quite the skill.  Who's up for challenging this record-breaker?  Have a look:

What do a hammer, an anvil and a pair of tongs have in common?  These are the go-to tools for our very own Haphaestus, god of metal workers everywhere.  While described as physically ugly and deformed, Haphaestus is widely revered as the most unfaltering of Gods.  His character is equated to that of  hardened steel – unbendable., sturdy, durable and resilient – resilient in that he was the only God to ever have returned to Olympus after having been exiled. 
What is interesting about Haphaestus in particular, are his multi-talents as designer, innovator and metal fabricator.  Since Haphaestus's time, those who create items from materials beyond your average every day sheet metal, often need to wear many hats.  We find this at Hogtown too - we're asked to do so many interesting things, least of which (lately) is roofing sheet metal.  Now, this is not to say that we're forging magical swords for the gods or anything, but we are designing and prototyping many different products, completing various landscaping projects, stair cases with both aesthetical value and industrial practicality, providing weights for children's sensory vests, weighting kettlebells for GS competitions, making tables and chairs and many, many other pieces of furniture.  And of course, we're still fabricating the roofing metal too (that's a very different hat altogether).  Using hammers and anvils to do it all.
    Metal work, fabricating in particular, necessitates polymath.  The problem-solving, mathematics and understanding of design far surpasses the lay perception of what epitomises a metal worker.  Haphaestus, the ugliest of deities, made jewellery and other things of utmost beauty.  He also made weaponry for the gods, and all things practical.  And was worshiped by blacksmiths and artisans alike.  We are fortunate to be passionate about a skilled trade that enables us to embrace so many applications, brush with so many different industries, and meet and impact so many people.  The ability to adapt and expand is the exemplification of metal working.  Those who are non-pliant cannot offer the same skill, experience and services of those who can.  Keep that in mind when hiring a metal worker for your next project.  We established ourselves as a sheet metal company with a focus on our ancillary fabrication business to ensure we can keep up with the fascinating, challenging, and ever-changing needs of our varied client-base.  Anyone worth their Haphaestus-ish thick neck and hairy chest will do the same.