Gold, silver, brass and bronze look more beautiful than ever! Along with all the highly valued traditional hammered silver items (from miniature animals to bowls and trays), repousse accents are now creating modern accents on countless decorative items, including seashell ashtrays, wood picture frames and silk bolsters.

Those gold leaf patterns adorning serving platters, vases and containers represent just one of the many contemporary versions of the classic art of gold stencilling. Gilding with gold and even silver turns a simple wooden item, be it a room divider, an elephant statue or even a piece of silk fabric, into an elegant interior accessory.

Putting a glass top on an ancient bronze drum or mounting a buffalo bell on a wooden stand turns utilitarian cast metal replicas into decorative "objects d'art". Glass-topped end tables and sculptural piece are just two of many modern interpretations of classic Thai forms that are making a splash on the design scene.

The same meticulous workmanship applied to crafting traditional brass dining utensils is also evident in the enormously popular stainless steel flatware, which comes in a variety of styles and finishes.One set of flatware was on display at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.