The affordable luxury that is Waterworld and Flux.
Elegant and luxurious, fun and photogenic, Waterworld and Flux are affordable and easy ways to create a metal look normally found in more expensive and difficult to fabricate stainless steel. It’s a great design material anywhere: walls, ceilings and, as shown, MTV set designs.
Waterworld.
Produced in-house by Chemetal on anodized aluminum as well as any solid metal design, which means a lot of choices (though Waterworld looks best on mirror-like reflective metals, like Chemetal 901 Polished Waterworld, our most popular Waterworld). Other versions are shown below.
This lightweight material reflects and enhances light and is available in 4’ x 8’ and 4’ x 10’ sheets, as well as custom. Coming in 2025, Waterworld will be available as a ceiling panel to fit within grid systems as a 2’ x 2’ and 2’ x 4’ bent edge panel with torsion spring attachment.
Important to note: we can provide samples on almost any solid metal design not shown on Waterworld sample page, and you’ll have to request these via email, phone call or chat message.
Flux.
Flux is an HPL version of Waterworld, meaning it’s a thin metal foil on a laminate backer, which is preferred by some designers and fabricators for layup as panels. There are two versions, shown below.
The easiest way to experience Waterworld and Flux is to order our Waterworld Sample Pack.
#276 Flux
#277 Flux Smoked
Flux is an embossed Chemetal design that creates water-like movement and texture. This material is an ideal and energetic option for designs such as backgrounds, feature walls, ceiling panels, and more. Both modern and classic, Flux reflects and diffuses light and expands interior spaces, all while creating an amorphous surface that captures and wonderfully reinterprets surrounding colors and space.
Flux and its darker version #277 Flux Smoked represent popular embossed designs from Chemetal. Additionally, Waterworld, a similarly luxurious embossed design available on every Chemetal solid metal design, is a popular choice. The advantages of these solid aluminum and HPL metal versions is that they are lighter and much more affordable than stainless versions and can be fabricated in a woodworking or millwork environment, as opposed to a metal shop.
“Chemetal has been included many high-profile projects, but this was especially cool for us,” said Geoff Schaefer, Chemetal president and creative director. “If you have the world’s biggest music star standing in front of your design materials, you’re going to mention it. Chemetal is a great way to add energy and glamour of metal to any setting, even one as star-studded as the VMAs.”
Another Chemetal design, #310 Antique Brushed Brass, was featured in the award reception lounge. Wide accent strips of this richly antiqued linear brass design complemented brass lighting fixtures on dark blue walls, adding the perfect touch of golden sophistication to the set design. Chemetal creates antiqued brass designs in-house.
