Think ‘industrial’ and your mind will likely conjure up images of a large warehouse, lacking paint or any other sort of feature coating. And to a certain extent, this is what the ‘industrial look’ is.
However, when incorporated into interior design, it can be a very simple yet effective home trend. In this blog, we detail how exactly you achieve this look throughout your entire home.
Craft with concrete
While copper and brass have long soared in home trends, concrete is also proving to be big in 2019, working perfectly alongside these metals. Tough, but practical, it’s found particular prevalence in spaces such as bathrooms and kitchens, which require such resilience.
You might however think that concrete comes across as too utilitarian. There is an easy solution to this: just polish it down to give it a sleek and smooth finish. Accessorising with soft furnishings, paler shades or simply a vase of blooms will make all the difference.
Get complementary
Concrete doesn’t have to be your only material. Reiterate the industrial theme by mixing metal with wood. You could choose furniture in the likes of iron and pewter and accompany them with natural wooden flooring or faux wood wallpaper, which effectively soften the harsh features of concrete and metal.
Expose the material
Industrial trends focus on raw materials that are stripped back so whichever you decide on, make sure you leave them uncovered. Don’t box in plumbing pipes, instead showcase them proudly.
Displaying the work behind the home’s creation such as exposed brickwork is also a key feature of the industrial trend. Alternatively, you can simply exhibit a faux brick wall mural or wallpaper instead.
Highlight your feature
You’ll want all the different elements of the look to be seen, and great lighting will help. Plus, the type of fixture you choose will contribute, for example you can embrace the industrial lighting trend and select a factory style pendant light.
You can also remove any lampshades, leaving the bare light bulbs in clear visibility and further incorporating the exposed aspect of the industrial look.
Make furnishings industrial
Your furniture can also take on industrial style by taking inspiration from factories and old railway carriages. In the bathroom, an idea is to display an antique triptych mirror. Instead of standard chairs for your dining room, pick turner stools. You could even craft your own version by attaching hairpin legs to scaffold boards, also doubling as an in-style table. Or, if you want some industrial looking storage, the scaffold board can be connected with iron pipework supports for shelving.
Effective storage space may be another home feature you need, and you can easily employ fitted furniture whilst still integrating the industrial look successfully. There’s no need to look any further than Hartleys to assist in this area!
We’ll provide you with creative design advice to ensure your vision is met. Just call our friendly team today on 01756 700471. We can either pay you a design visit or there’s the option to visit our showroom to see our bespoke furniture for your own eyes.
A big thank you to Ursh at Refunk’d and Linzi at Copper And Blonde for the furniture and copper images respectively. Lots more of their unique, fabulous work on their websites (please click on their links)
