Industrial style design is an increasingly popular modern decor theme, modeled after commercialized buildings that have been turned into living spaces. Common elements include exposed brick, concrete, beams, large windows and an overall “industrial” look- full of materials you wouldn’t typically see in a home.
This design style is all about taking traditionally cold, unwelcoming materials and using them to create a stylish, unique space with some homey elements added in.
Concrete is a huge feature in industrial style homes. Not only is concrete super affordable, but it is also easy to keep clean. Usually presented in neutral greys, it goes with a variety of color schemes and is interesting to the eye. This material is typically found as an option for flooring, but can also be used for countertops in the bathroom and kitchen, as well as a backsplash, a shower, bathtub or even as an accent wall.
This design style is all about repurposing what you have and making it work- mixing materials and making them work together. For example, taking two common materials used in homes, such as wood and metal, and putting them together in your design. Think of a wooden tabletop on a metal base- this kind of mix-matched look can look very sleek when presented properly. In fact, metal itself is used frequently throughout industrial design- dark metal staircases, fixtures, and knobs are all popular choices and help the design come together.
In today’s home designs, we see a lot of polished, very “finished” looks. While there is absolutely nothing wrong with this, it is great to try trends that are a little out of the norm. Industrialism is all about practicality- brick walls, exposed beams, and pipes. These are the ideas you want to replicate when creating a home in this style- use this “unfinished” aesthetic as your inspiration, but make it appear purposeful. For example, line an interior wall with german smear brick or stucco, to give the same effect of a flipped warehouse building.
A wonderful thing about industrial design is that there is no one right way to do it, as it’s all about working with what you’re given. Let inspiration strike and see where it leads you. Whether you love it or not, we hope you can find inspiration in this theme, and implement some of the laid-back approaches into your personal design style.