The industrial approach to interior design has certainly been gaining in popularity in recent years, both in the commercial and residential realms. Homeowners around the world in particular are loving the industrial look and feel, as there is something truly mesmerizing in the way the eclectic décor elements complement each other and create quite a unique image.
In fact, there is nothing ordinary about the industrial design, which makes it one of the best options if you’re looking to elevate your home’s interior design as a whole. Today, we’ll be looking at the five tips that will allow you to create a beautiful industrial style and breathe new life into your interior.
1. Create an industrial foundation
First things first, let’s talk about what makes a great industrial look. You’ll need to create a foundation upon which you will let the rest of the décor scheme expand and gain its unique flair, and it all starts with the walls and the floors, as well as an understanding of some unique décor materials. The industrial design thrives on several unique materials: exposed brick, wood, metallics, and of course, leather.
All of this, when introduced into a room, aims to create a comfortable yet vibrant living environment, an eclectic setting imbued with simplistic beauty. Start by choosing the right hue for your wooden floors, preferably something subdued such as rosewood or dark walnut. As for the walls, you can’t go wrong with the exposed brick look for the focal wall – while you can adorn the other walls in the room in a contrasting hue such as pure white or off-white.
2. Balance industrial with contemporary elements
To introduce an industrial look and feel into your home successfully, you need to know how to balance the elements. After all, going “too industrial” will produce the opposite effect and make your interior look more like a movie set than an actual place where people live, so one of your priorities should be to strike a balance between industrial and contemporary décor. Now that you’re laid the foundation, you can go ahead and sprinkle in some modern features.
For example, when designing the kitchen, you can easily create this balance by mixing industrial-style cabinetry and lighting (more on lighting in a bit) with sleek modern appliances. Another example would be to elevate the look of your living room by complementing leather furniture and hardwood flooring with modern electronics and gadgets, as well as some vibrant artwork to break the uniformity of the design.
3. Nail the lighting scheme
One of the key elements of a truly gorgeous industrial look is the lighting. Now, when it comes to your new lighting scheme, you need to consider two key features: aesthetics and functionality. Let’s take a look at how homeowners in regions where the industrial design is most popular, such as Australia approach this task.
Firstly, Aussie homeowners will use old-school lighting fixtures such as those oversized filament bulbs, and the like – this gives the interior that historic vibe. Next, they will optimize the lighting scheme in every room with the help of a skilled electrician from Sydney and other cities where the industrial approach is widespread, in order to create an intimate yet lively ambiance. This is an important element of the industrial design, as the way you position your lights in every room and the way you use it to accentuate certain focal points will greatly influence the look and feel of the interior.
4. Create a focal point in every room
Speaking of focal points, every room in your home deserves to have one. Focal points do a wonderful job of tying the décor together into a cohesive whole, and they’re just excellent conversation starters. Now, there are two ways you can go about creating a focal point: you can create an industrial-style focal point, or you can build an industrial look around a contrasting focal point.
The key here is to make the focal point stand out in its unique aesthetic appeal. That said, if your primary goal is to create an industrial living environment, then a go for a “clean” and contemporary focal point such as a stone fireplace underneath a brick wall, or a modern seating area surrounded by industrial décor.
5. Complement with the finer décor elements
And finally, be sure to introduce various smaller décor pieces that will emphasize the industrial aesthetic. From metal-frame furniture, to comfortable area rugs, all the way to the exposed pipework and various throws, fabrics, and textures on the furniture, you can combine all of these décor pieces to bring an industrial setting to life in a balanced and aesthetically-pleasing way.
6. Wrapping up
The industrial design is one of the most popular interior design options nowadays, and for a number of compelling reasons. With these tips in mind, go ahead and create a beautiful industrial interior in your own home, one imbued with comfort, intimacy, and positivity.
About the author: Mike Johnston is an avid creative writer and blogger. He is a regular contributor to the Smooth Decorator blog. Mike’s specialties are home improvement and interior design, but he also loves writing about family life, green living, entrepreneurship and many other topics. Mike’s goal is to create interesting and compelling content that will help readers navigate through these vast and ever-changing fields.
