The car manufacturers' designers are now copying the folk art/vernacular designs of hot rodders and tuners — recycling cool into pre-customized products. And one thing the custom guys decided long, long ago is that brightwork (on cars) is not cool.

Perhaps, SETI-wise, we can see the NYT author's quest for a home with no visible metal as a leading edge indicator of where the blobject-sensibility will go next. Blobjects are the New Dynamic? Perhaps it is not "aesthetic stillness" as much as "organic dynamism" that he's going for. As other commenters have pointed out, the real challenge for this guy will be in the very small details — light fixture bases and the like.

As for cool-hunters . . . Do companies actually pay for stuff like that? One would think that the really cool cool-hunters are too cool to commercialize their observations. Sort of like a true star-to-be would never show up on American Idol. . .

Brightwork comes from boating,

powerboat.about.com/library/glossary/bldef-brightwrk.htm

Brightwork Related Terms • varnish

Definition: Today, usually refers to wooden surfaces that have many coats of varnish resulting in a high gloss. Formerly, referred to metal parts or fixtures on a ship that had a high brilliant gloss due to constant polishing by the crew.

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Don Casey writes,
http://www.sailnet.com/collections/articles/index.cfm?articleid=caseyd0043

"My next boat won’t have a single piece of wood on deck."

For 20 years I have been hearing this refrain from sailors exhausted with the tyranny of brightwork…. Exterior wood seems to be going the way of mast hoops.

Is this a good thing? I don’t think so.
[snipped out long lovely paean to boats]

I lament the decline in the importance of beauty in sailboat design. The omission of brightwork is just one factor. Wood trim does not make a boat sail any better, but it can have a huge impact on the boat’s appearance.

I acknowledge that nonessential wood on a boat is a matter of taste. There is nothing inherently wrong with stainless-steel hand rails. On the contrary, they are admirable for their strength. And maybe you like the way they look. But I think of steel handrails on a "yacht" as a response to those who want a boat to be "maintenance free," or as nearly so as possible. The motivation is noble enough, but given the true nature of sailboats, we would do well to ponder the ultimate cost.

All non-sailors love brightwork on a sailboat. Sailors, however, can be divided into two groups—those who find brightwork attractive and those who find it superfluous. Sailors who revere brightwork can also be divided into two groups, those who think it is worth the effort, and those who don’t. Some in this last category hire others to maintain their wood. Others neglect the brightwork, paint it, or own boats with little or no exterior wood.

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No visible metal…what is the NYT guy saying? REALLY no metal, or no reflective surfaces? (That lops off a lot of non-metal surfaces — like the polished dark granite that's popular. Does he want wood? Does he want a fuzzy, soft surface instead of the coldish, hard surface?

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I'm also wondering about second home design. What do people want? What's the trend? does it vary by locale, or is it sort of driven by exterior forces?
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To me, (traditional boating) brightwork has the implication that you are an admiral; you have armies of servants at your command to keep the brightwork untouched by the elements.

I'm not sure what it says in the kitchen.

Faucets and spouts: there might be ceramic or stone alternatives, but they probably suck when it comes to using them over time. This is a very good reason that this stuff is solid brass on the inside: it lasts.

Ceiling light fixtures: unless he goes with all recessed lighting, I don't see much alternative to metal for light fixtures. They just don't make them in wood or, for the ceiling, in ceramic. Possibly he can find something all glass, but I'll bet it has metal at the base where it attaches to the electrical box.

Door knobs: even the glass ones have metal bases and even the glass ones generally have metal escutcheons.

Appliances: I've never seen a stove that wasn't metal (although it may be coated with procelain). There may be refrigerators that don't LOOK like metal, but I'll bet they are metal. When you think about it, LOTS of kitchen stuff is just better in metal: knives, pots and pans, mixing blades and so on.

Fans, airconditioning grilles, ductwork, heating elements, ceiling fans: most things that heat or cool your house involve lots of metal. Not all of it is exposed, but some of it is.

Electronics: Good luck finding a wooden flatscreen TV or stereo. Some electronics you can hide, some you can't.

This guy is going to have a tough time with his obsession. I think that makes it an unlikely trend.

I for one welcome the day that Grant starts dishing, right here on this blog.