I is for Industrial
In this latest instalment of my A to Z of Interior Trends, ‘I’ is for Industrial.
Industrial materials
Raw materials such as metal, brickwork and concrete, are at the heart of this interior style. Borne out of the conversion of redundant factories and warehouses this look became particularly popular in Britain in the 1980s and 1990s.
Nowadays this trend is not just restricted to lofty apartments. As open-plan living has become ever more popular industrial elements have been introduced into all sorts of homes. Its popularity is less dependent on the building’s architecture and more on the wide range of finishes and furnishings that are now widely available.
Tiled, polished concrete and terrazzo floors would suit this particular genre along with exposed brick walls and visible ceiling rafters.
Industrial colour palette
The colour palette is drawn from the original industrial structures and the smoke that often billowed out into the atmosphere. Think inky blues, cloudy skies, old brick stocks, and stone floors to construct a cool and subdued backdrop.
Industrial furnishings
Furnishings tend to be roughty-toughty! Leathers, metal, glass and wood. Industville, Barker & Stonehouse and Cox & Cox are great retailers to source new furnishings whilst antique and salvage fairs are brilliant for one-off vintage pieces.
If you want to step it up a level there are some extraordinary craftspeople manufacturing exquisite door furniture and lighting components. Buster + Punch have an exotic range of gun metal, brass and steel door handles finished with a sophisticated criss-cross or linear pattern.
On the surface this style may err on the masculine side but the addition of carefully curated soft-furnishings certainly helps it get in touch with its feminine side.
Would you like some help?
If you would like help designing or styling you interior please contact me as I would love to help you.
