Key Features of Industrial Interior Design Styles
The “industrial interior design styles look” has been a leading trend in the interior decor world since the late 2000s. In simplest terms, this school of design brings the “bare bones” of a building to the fore and places them front and center as a key aesthetic. The industrial interior design style decor is heavily influenced by the utilitarian design of factories and warehouses - with particular references to the Victorian and industrial revolution eras as well as mid-century furniture.
The look relies on durability, functionality, and a “stripped-back” vibe to achieve a combined air of robustness and edgy sophistication. Related aesthetic disciplines include minimalism, Scandi, and antique styles - and some designers even borrow touches from the steampunk world. Of course, there is a great deal more to industrial interior design than this. If you want to recreate the industrial interior design style in your own home or for a client’s property, you might not be sure where to begin. For a bit of inspiration, read on. The following article will explore a few of the standard signifiers and typical features of industrial interior design that you may decide to implement within your project. Before we have a look at the characteristics of industrial interior design, it’s important to discuss a little about how the interior designs of houses are planned.
How Are Interior Designs of Houses Planned?
Before beginning to actually do interior designing, interior designers usually have to prepare on how the interior design of the house will look like. The first thing they do is plan on the budget and average cost of doing the proposed interior design depending on the size of the building, type of furniture, accessories and furnishings.
After the budget is set, the next step is the development stage. This is where a virtual design or blueprint is prepared mostly using a 3D modeling software. This is important as it helps in the understanding of proportions and usage of the room as well. There are a lot of software available that can be used in preparing interior designs, but we recommend using SelfCAD.
SelfCAD allows interior designers to prepare their designs with ease. Unlike other programs that require one to take many weeks if not months to master, SelfCAD takes only a few days. In addition to 3D modeling, interior designers also have the capability to render and apply lighting to their designs making them more realistic.
Having looked at that, it’s time now we have a look at the characteristics of industrial interior design.
Key Characteristics of Industrial Interior Design
1)Exposed Structural Elements
One of the most common facets of industrial interior design decor is the presence of exposed pipes, girders, or beams. The use of original structural features such as vaulting can be frequently seen. A building’s “skeleton” is often left exposed, with the designer utilizing this aesthetic structure as a basis when “fleshing out” each space.
2) Open Plan
Perhaps partly due to the influence of New York “loft apartment” living - with which industrial decor is so commonly connected - many spaces that feature this aesthetic follow an open plan design. Living spaces and kitchens can be broken up using the clever arrangement of furniture or partial room dividers. In some cases, even sleeping areas remain somewhat exposed, often constructed in a mezzanine style.
3) Minimalism
Minimalist decor is crucial to the industrial interior design aesthetic. Clutter should be avoided, and, ideally, most items on display should have - or at least, appear to have - a practical function. Surfaces and shelving usually feature only a sparse selection of articles so as not to distract from their clear lines and sense of order. Color is often minimal, with many designers opting for a monochrome or natural-and-metallic palette.
When constructing a space of this kind, a great deal of focus and attention should be given to its finish. Neatness and craftsmanship are essential, as much of a room’s “fabric” will remain visible. Any artwork displayed in an “industrial” room is also likely to be minimalist.
4) Exposed Brick
Another hugely popular signature of industrial interior design is the presence of exposed brick. This trademark is often pictured in the context of an urban loft apartment, but in reality, it can be found everywhere - from offices to suburban semis. “Even if brick has not been utilized in the construction of a space - passed over in favor of breeze block or concrete, perhaps - some designers opt to install brick slips to ape the effect,” comments Ruban Selvanayagam of UK-expanded auction firm Property Solvers
While uncolored brick is trendy in industrial decor, bright white painted, brick-textured walls are also common.
5) Hard Surfaces
This industrial interior design discipline tends to forego soft furnishings and rounded or organic edges in favor of the hard, angular, or sharp surfaces. Fabric is used sparingly - for example, metal or wooden blinds are often installed in place for curtains.
6) Sparing Use of Patterns or Graphics
Surfaces and fabrics are often uniform in color or feature an organic or naturally occurring finish. This further reflects the minimalist influences that are so regularly drawn upon in industrial design. The palettes used in industrial interior decor are purposefully limited - with the most common colors being natural grays, blacks, whites, and metallics.
7) Matte Finishes
While the industrial interior design style does tend to focus heavily on metallics for certain fittings and fixtures, the use of matte finishes is also common. Elements including taps, drawer, door handles, chair, and table legs - among numerous others - are often finished in a flat black. This is often powdered coated steel or similar and provides an attractive contrast against polished concrete floors and white painted brick in particular.
8) Metals
From sleek, stainless steel kitchen worktops to exposed copper pipes to ornate, Victorian-style wrought or cast iron, utilitarian metals will always have a strong presence in industrial interior design.
9) Natural Wood
Square-edged, unpainted wood is another staple of this particular aesthetic. Exposed floorboards, tongue and groove paneling, raw ply, and even OSB-textured walls are extremely popular. Wooden elements are often patinated - whether artificially or naturally over time - for a “used” effect.
10) Polished Concrete
Many industrial interiors feature an exposed concrete floor that has been intensively polished and treated. This approach is quite affordable and is an easy way of injecting simple elegance into a space without using its sense of utilitarianism. Both pre-existing or freshly-laid concrete can be buffed to a reflective luster to help a space feel larger and brighter.
11)Grid Framed Windows
Many industrial-themed spaces include the use of large steel grid-framed windows - often with a matte black powder coating. These features offer a sharp contrast against the typical rustic red brick or bright white walls. Their strong lines pull together the more “relaxed” elements of space in a cohesive manner.
12)Modular Storage
Pigeonholes and other compartmented units - often in natural wood or utilitarian metal like stainless steel - are the go-to storage solutions in industrial design. Wrought-iron hooks and exposed rails may be used to keep items such as pans out on display, almost as part of the decor, in an industrial-style kitchen. Space-saving options are often preferred to reduce clutter and leave a room as clear as possible.
13)Upcycling and Repurposing
Some designers specializing in industrial-style interiors reuse old materials or functional items in a new manner. From pallet seating to pipe fittings reused as curtain poles, it’s possible to add a touch of interest and whimsy to an otherwise utilitarian space by way of clever upcycling. It is common for used materials to be installed in a new industrial-themed space without a significant amount of adaptation or retreatment, paying homage to their past uses.
For example, you may see beams or work surfaces bearing the marks of old hardware - a clear sign that they have been upcycled to fit into their new context.
14)Classic or Antique Furnishings
The furnishings in many industrial-style spaces echo either a Victorian or mid-Century aesthetic. Pieces of this kind can look neat and sharp to match their surroundings, or they may be purposefully worn or patinated. Some designers choose to include one extremely ornate or eye-catching piece to serve as a focal point, contrasting with the rest of the room.
15)Bare Bulbs
Lighting is a crucial element of industrial interior design, with simple pendants on long cables - either displayed individually or in clusters - serving as a staple. The Edison bulb is a common fixture here, usually in a design that exudes a warm glow. Other popular light fittings feature metallics dome or black cage shades, often hanging above a worktop or seating arrangement in triptych fashion.
16)Feature Staircases
Many industrial interior design-style spaces feature a slick, dramatic staircase design. Cantilevered or “floating” treads are often favored.Toughened glass may be installed in the balustrades of industrial-style staircases, whether via an inline configuration or attached with clips or brackets. Usually, the treads, risers, and handrails are fashioned from stainless steel, natural wood, or both. Concrete treads and risers are also popular. Alternatively, many designers choose to install a cast-iron spiral staircase as an imposing and exciting feature.
Drawbacks of Industrial Interior Design
The industrial aesthetic can be somewhat deceptive; it takes a great deal of effort and expense to achieve the appearance of stripped-back simplicity. High-quality materials and finishes are essential, and any examples of poor craftsmanship will be instantly noticeable in such a minimalist environment. To maintain the best possible effect, it is vital to keep “industrial-look” spaces neat and tidy at all times - making it necessary for their residents to be at least a little house-proud.
Any space that has been appointed using an industrial interior design aesthetic is bound to feature at least a handful of the facets listed in this article. The trend is so prevalent that most top interior design software packages will provide a number of the features we have mentioned as a part of their standard furniture and texture libraries.
Conclusion
If you are planning to furnish a property in an industrial interior design style - or at least with an industrial influence, be sure to take note of the elements mentioned in this article and decide which of them will best suit your vision. Depending on the intended look of your space or property, you may decide to utilize just one of the features we have discussed for a more subtle touch or a combination of many for a greater impact.
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