Homemaking & Horticulture

With their exposed bricks, iron columns, and vintage machines, industrial-style homes have become a popular trend in interior design. Even today, some think the industrial style only applies to factories, not houses. But the industrial trend is still massively popular in home decor; from the exposed wood ceiling beams to the concrete look flooring and the orange glow of naked Edison light bulbs, it has never been easier to incorporate this trend into your home. You need to learn how to do it right. This blog post will give you tips on incorporating the industrial style in your home without looking like you're living in an abandoned factory unless that's the look you're going for. 

One of the main characteristics of the industrial style is the floor-to-ceiling windows. While this might not be something you can easily add to your home, if you have renovation works planned and want to invoke that lofty, spacious feel often seen in warehouse conversions and more industrial looks, you can go for full-length windows or doors. Of course, you need to commit to the look with black framing, and this will work alongside other features such as bare brick walls, but for those wanting to invest in the industrial theme, a wall of windows, as it were, is an excellent way of committing to the theme.

When it comes to the industrial decor trend, less is most definitely more. The beauty of this style is that it focuses on a few stand-out details and decor pieces. You need to let the colours and materials do the talking. So you need to strip back everything you will be placed in the room and furnish it with as little as possible. This goes for decorative items such as pillows and throws, ornaments, pictures, artwork, etc. You want to create a pared-back space that is uncluttered and fresh for effect to really take hold. Combine form with function for the ultimate minimalist feel, and choose your non-functional items carefully.

As mentioned above, it is the colours of the wood and textures you need to let do the talking. You will be bringing in dark woods and metals to create your industrial look, and adding darker walls into the mix will only serve to overpower the space and do the complete opposite of what you are trying to achieve.Sticking to a neutral colour palette is the best option for walls. Think creams, off-whites, soft pastel hues, not bright, bold colours. Keep it simple, fresh and uncomplicated. If you have a larger space or high ceilings, you can think about adding a splash of colour on a wall. Maybe create a feature wall in rustic tones to complement the room and furniture you choose. But this isn't recommended unless for smaller spaces. Instead, you can use other options to bring colour into the decor. For example, if you have a smaller kitchen with an island or breakfast bar, white chairs with wooden legs can help to add light into a darker space while still adding colour and implementing your neutral colour palette or using a shade of grey instead of black for accessories ca soften up the look and avoid it becoming too harsh.

The industrial trend is all about dark woods and metals. You want to stick to the black shades for metal pipework and fittings for everything. From sprayed galvanised steel rods to varnished woodwork. You need to make an impact.The best wooden features are heavily grained and naturally rustic, and you can opt for wooden floors, tables, shelving, and more. However, you need to focus on the colours and light in the room when choosing the exact as you would for any other style. If you have a lot of natural light coming into the room, you can benefit from darker, richer shades, while smaller rooms can carry off a lighter shade or two thrown into the mix. Again matching your shades with the metal is vital to ensure your look is seamless and complimentary, not jarring and unfocused.

Your look will depend heavily on the woods and metals you are using. But too much of this can have a cold, almost uninviting feel. Mix different wood textures, focus on the wood grain, and add different textures to your room. For example, a few well-placed velvet cushions can add comfort to an otherwise stark-looking wooden seating bench. Metallic vases and green foliage can contrast well against browns and coppers, while gold and brass cupboard handles can add warmth and colour to your kitchen. Or maybe you want to add a concrete style flooring to contrast against a room that is otherwise heavily brick based or to balance out darker pieces of furniture.

Brick is a very common element that is used in industrial interiors. Many homeowners do this by stripping back plasterboard and rejuvenating existing brick walls or having them designed for this purpose during updated renovation works. While this can be highly effective, you need to ensure your home is still safe and secure and in a good state of repair when doing this. Not all walls are suitable to be exposed, and consulting with contractors can help you determine if you can go ahead with these options. Other exposed brick options include tiling, faux decor bricks, or wallpaper. You can find some highly realistic brick-style wallpaper in major retailers that can give you the look and feel you want without all the issues stripping back walls can give you.

From wire-styled light shades or decorative bowls to soft cotton cushions and throws on furniture and traditional woven rugs over a thicker soft pile can all add to the style you are trying to create. Remember, less is more, so you want to make the maximum impact with as few details as possible. This can mean buying shelving that looks like pipework coming out of the wall for added character, polished brass or gold fittings for handles, light switches and trims or even using photos hung on the wall in pewter to help you create clean, fresh lines to complement other design aspects of your room.

Out with the standard light bulbs, and in come more decorative bulbs with exposed oversized filaments. You want to look at the traditional design aspects and features for your lighting over the modern looks. Think simple hanging light cords with a solitary bulb for smaller rooms, or you can go for one light with multiple light hangings down above a breakfast bar or in a larger space. Pewter colour metal light shades can help you to add to the look, as can decorative glass pendants that are textured. The exact colour and style are up to you, but you want to stick to the vintage look and feel over shiny and new.

As we mentioned above, you want to go for a neutral colour palette. However, this doesn't mean that you have to have a boring room all over. Once again, you can use accessories to add pops of colour to your home. For example, you can add a red vase filled with flowers, a painting with red and orange tones, or a throw pillow with orange and red stripes. These little additions will make a big difference and help you achieve that authentic industrial vibe without having a bland room.

This is something that people who want to achieve an industrial look often forget. These people are so focused on achieving a minimalist and neutral look that they completely forget about adding a bit of eclecticism to their rooms. Don't be that person. Instead, embrace the idea of eclecticism. This means that you don't have to stick to a single theme. Instead, you can add different elements to your room. For example, you can have an industrial-looking coffee table with a woven rug. A "worn looking" Chesterfield sofa will add to the ambience and use wooden chests for storage or as a decorative feature. Really let your imagination go wild and avoid going for safe options to explore what you can do.

You don't have to start from scratch if you want to achieve an industrial look. Instead, you can just add a few elements to your existing home. This doesn't mean you have to go out and buy old machines or repaint your walls with a weird colour. Instead, you can just add some accessories to spruce up your décor. Don't let the misconception that industrial style only applies to factories stop you from achieving the look you want. Instead, follow these tips, and you can achieve a gorgeous industrial home without any hassle.