Get the Look: Industrial Chic
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected."
I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia. I've been writing about design online for quite a few years over at Hatch: The Design Public Blog.
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta... More »
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I love to add an element to a room that's rusted and crusted. It's probably not very feng shui -maybe that's why I keep losing stuff lately? I digress. With the huge popularity of lofts, found objects, the need to be sustainable and reuse/repurpose, the return to crafting with big old hand-cranked machines like letterpresses, the yen for vintage ephemera (think sfgirlbybay style), rusty and crusty has gone from being a con to a pro!
What gives a space industrial style? It can be exposed brick, ductwork, or pipes; it can be furniture made from pipes; it can be furnishings that came from a factory; it can be metal accents on chairs or big fat gears used as door stops. Let's take a look at some examples from around Houzz;
*SIDE NOTE: When I first made this ideabook, I realized I had swiped about half of the photos from The Lettered Cottage's "Tossed and Found" ideabook. It must have been her ideabook that gave me the industrial inspiration in the first place! Anyway, I cut out most of the pictures that were double-dippers, so as not to be a repetitive copycat, so CLICK HERE to see her wonderful "Tossed and Found" ideabook! I think these two ideabooks work well together.
What gives a space industrial style? It can be exposed brick, ductwork, or pipes; it can be furniture made from pipes; it can be furnishings that came from a factory; it can be metal accents on chairs or big fat gears used as door stops. Let's take a look at some examples from around Houzz;
*SIDE NOTE: When I first made this ideabook, I realized I had swiped about half of the photos from The Lettered Cottage's "Tossed and Found" ideabook. It must have been her ideabook that gave me the industrial inspiration in the first place! Anyway, I cut out most of the pictures that were double-dippers, so as not to be a repetitive copycat, so CLICK HERE to see her wonderful "Tossed and Found" ideabook! I think these two ideabooks work well together.
Take inspiration from industrial lighting.
This is a true industrial space. What you can learn from it is how to arrange an open space, and you can also pull ideas like exposed brick and beams.
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| Consider adding wood and metal chairs. These vintage industrial hightop chairs here add scads of personality to this eating area. |
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| Aluminum stools do the trick as well. The contrast between the pristine white kitchen and the stools keeps things interesting. |
Recycle and Reuse! This detail is from a wonderful repurposed old door on a track. It's the perfect example of rusted and crusted.
Vintage metal bakers racks, library shelves, school desks and tables, shelves, can often be found at surplus stores and sales. After seeing this picture you should look at those seeminly boring items with new eyes.
Spread out your industrial items - The Old Painted Cottage knows how to rock some rusted and crusted items. Learn editing lessons from her, or else your crib will start to look like Sanford and Sons. The next thing you know, Hoarders will be calling.
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| Show off your utilitarian items. Here, big metal fireplace tools become sculptures. |
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| I am pretty obsessed with ABMWOOD and all of their beautiful woods that they repurpose in all sorts of great ways. Here it is the beams that they reused. Also, those custom made industrial iron windows are TDF. Check out some more gorgeous windows like these at House Beautiful dot com - search "Jill Brinson" and the story will come up. |
I feel like I saw this in an '80s Grace Jones video. In a good way.
by CWB Architects
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PRESERVE OLD BUILDINGS! This might be my very favorite exterior shot on Houzz...
by CWB Architects
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...Check out how gorge those doors are from the inside...
by CWB Architects
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...it still seems like you could slide the furniture over and pull the carriage into this joint, doesn't it?
by CWB Architects
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Let the industry carry into the bathroom. I love the look of this large sink and stark mirror/spotlight combination.
Consider all materials. These gabion walls are a nice combination of rural and industrial styles.
Think about industrial materials for your exterior. This is one extreme example...
by CWB Architects
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...or just a small gesture, like these chimneys, can add the right dose of industry.
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| Not all industrial style is rusty and crusty; rather, it's futuristic. Doesn't this almost look like a creature that would give you a retinal scan from "Minority Report"? I totally love it! |
Sometimes a peeling-paint wall can add huge amounts of character to a space. It's funny, the industrial space peeling paint reminds me of 500 year old peeling Italian walls in Venice.
Ideabook updated on Jan. 27, 2010.
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