The quiet luxury of solid brass - interview with SUMUM design advisor Silke Budts.
Some brands compete for attention. SUMUM does precisely the opposite. The Belgian brand crafts architectural hardware in solid brass that settles into any interior with restrained elegance. We spoke with Silke Budts, design advisor for Belgium, about the philosophy behind the brand, the strength of the Colour Concept, and the collections winning over architects and clients today.
A guide to the world of SUMUM
Before joining SUMUM, Silke Budts built her experience as an interior designer, designing kitchens, measuring spaces in clients' homes, and tailoring every plan to both the room and the people living in it. That background makes her a natural conversation partner for architects and interior architects today.
For roughly a year now, she has served as design advisor for the Belgian market. She guides projects from start to finish, introduces the brand to designers, and translates their vision into the right finish. In that role, she is above all one thing: the point of contact for anyone who wants their project completed down to the smallest detail.
Living today: the art of restraint
Ask Silke about her vision, and she returns to a single idea: calm. Not the emptiness of an unused room, but the quiet of an interior that gives the eye somewhere to rest. She speaks about de-stimulating interiors, spaces that respond to the busy lives people lead.
"As long as everyone leads that hurried life, I think these calm interiors will remain. The home has to be a place of complete rest, a way of de-stimulating, of stepping out of all the noise." Silke Budts
It is a philosophy she places under the heading of quiet luxury. Where interiors once leaned toward glamour and gleam, gold taps, gold switches, the shift across Europe now favors a more restrained, old-world elegance.
That tempered sensibility, she notes, feels especially at home in Europe, where understatement has long been a mark of true refinement.
Yet she never loses sight of how people actually live. Beauty that fails to function is, in her view, an empty promise.
Solid brass, entirely Belgian
What sets SUMUM apart begins with the material. Where competitors often reach for aluminum, SUMUM consistently chooses solid brass, a noble material with a warm appearance and a story to tell. The brand traces its origins to Wesley Demeester, an interior designer who drew inspiration from his grandfather, a man who polished brass candlesticks in his garage.
Just as defining is the entirely Belgian craftsmanship. Production, coloring, and head office are all located in Belgium. Each piece is finished by hand, with an eye for the 'perfect imperfection' that makes craftsmanship so recognizable.
The SUMUM curated colour palette is rich: brushed brass, brushed nickel, medium and dark bronze, brushed copper, antique bronze, … and more colours to discover . Brushed nickel is the most requested finish at the moment, while antique bronze pairs beautifully with rural homes.
The SUMUM Colour Concept: one finish, one point of contact
In practice, architects, interior architects, and clients often run into the same challenge. They want one and the same finish across all the architectural hardware, switches, door handles, taps, and lighting, so that every detail in the home aligns seamlessly. That is exactly the need SUMUM answers with the Colour Concept.
"The beauty of this concept is that you only need a single point of contact, instead of writing to several parties for switches, door handles, taps, and lighting. SUMUM coordinates everything internally, so it all comes together as one whole." Silke Budts
To make that possible, SUMUM collaborates with specialized partners: Jullight for lighting, Quincalux for door handles, and RVB for taps. The materials from these partners arrive in raw brass and are colored alongside SUMUM's own plates. As a result, every element shares precisely the same finish, with no colour difference between disciplines.
For the designer, that means significantly less administration and no more concerns about finishes that fail to match. One point of contact, one palette, one coherent interior.
Collections with character
SUMUM currently offers four collections, each with its own signature.
- The Core collection stands for sleek, minimalist plates, square or round, and forms the foundation of the range.
- The Hidden collection integrates the switch even further into its surroundings.
- The MATA collection, designed by Studio Straf, features a solid brass frame with buttons on a thin plate that can be filled with natural materials such as plaster by Domingue, cork by Studio Corkinho, … , allowing the switch to merge entirely with the wall. Discover all finishes collabs to enhance any interior.
- The Lys collection, finally, was born from a specific request by an architect during a castle renovation, who needed a narrow, elongated plate to fit between a door and its moulding. The beveled edge gives the collection a classic, refined appearance.
The range continues to grow. With new collaborations, including one with Norm Architects in Copenhagen, the brand will expand to six collections by the end of 2026.
Blending in or standing out
A frequent question among architects: should the switch disappear into the wall, or set an accent? At SUMUM, it can do either. The brand moves roughly fifty-fifty between finishes that blend into the space and finishes that deliberately seek contrast.
"SUMUM is partly about blending and sometimes about standing out. Everything can be very calm and still catch the eye, but it doesn't disturb, it doesn't scream for attention, and when you look at it, it's a truly beautiful finishing touch." Silke Budts
That flexibility makes the brand a rewarding partner. Whether a designer opts for a dark bronze against a white wall or for a switch fully integrated into the wall, even down to the same finish as a door frame or a doormat trim, the result remains harmonious.
A favorite with allure
Ask Silke about her favorite collection, and the answer comes without hesitation.
"That would be the Lys collection. It's truly my dream to live in a townhouse one day, with high ceilings, herringbone parquet, and marble fireplaces, and a collection like that fits perfectly there."
Silke concludes, “SUMUM stands for craftsmanship, restrained elegance, and the conviction that the finest detail never needs to compete for attention. For architects and interior architects seeking finishes that effortlessly unite functionality and style, that is precisely the brand's promise. Feel free to contact me formore information.”