Ideas to give an industrial touch to a home
The industrial style lived its maximum splendor in the middle of the XX century. Many factories closed and became homes and was a trend in many spaces of interior design by the hand of Art Deco. This artistic discipline shares the taste for wood, steel and the rugged aspect given by the spaces.
In recent years, this trend in interior decoration has become relevant today. 60 years after its emergence, the industrial style is once again fashionable, not as a complete and homogeneous proposal in its features, but as certain brushstrokes that can be identified in contemporary stylistic proposals of a more heterogeneous nature. Stores, restaurants and private homes are betting today to dress their interiors with a interior design and decoration with an industrial touch.
Integral reform, interior design and decoration house in Sagrada Familia
What are the principles on which the industrial style is based?
How could it be otherwise, the stylistic principles of this style are based on the presence of own elements or inspiration in the classic industrial spaces. There is no need to look for an old industrial site to re-adapt it as a home. The use of iron, natural wood and brick can be identified as the basic structural elements that can be rescued under our walls or as a result of the demolition of a partition or wall. But we can also find shades and furniture that gives us a certain industrial air to the whole.
Gray and earth colors with white background
Gray is one of the colors that contributes the most to printing an industrial air to an interior space. Generates a timeless atmosphere that allows you to combine it with virtually any color. Especially with its complementary, that is, earth colors.
The earth colors have the tonalities that are most identified with the industrial style. Also, materials with these colors such as leather or wood itself are the ones that most fit with this style.
Although white should never be used as the main color, this tonality makes environments not seem too dark. They bring luminosity to the interior space. The white in the industrial style should be used as a background color in walls and ceiling, in specific pieces of furniture, lighting elements and appliances such as refrigerators. In conjunction with the other elements brings lightness to a dense environment.
Interiorismo Modern and industrial apartment in Grace
Brick and metal
As we have said, the brick wall is another element that gives an industrial touch to an interior space. It transports the user to a factory of the 50s, in full effervescence of the movement that put in value the values of the industrial aesthetic. Yes, we are committed to authenticity. Although there are options in the market that simulate visually, even with relief, a wall of old bricks of rasilla.
Next to brick, metal is one of the materials that best print an industrial touch to housing. This material can be found in different applications: structural reinforcements, furniture, countertops or installations. And specifically, iron, stainless steel or copper are the most commonly used metals. They bring to the space a solid and rugged character characteristic of industrial interiors. However, to soften and add a little warmth, it is often combined with softened colored wood and textile elements.
Large windows
The large windows were fundamental in the old factories to favor a good natural light distribution distributed along a large gallery where the activity was available. The distributions that combine in the same living room, dining room and kitchen can reproduce this great workspace. If we are lucky enough to bring together in the same space, windows that were previously divided between different rooms, we will have a similar effect.
In the majority of our projects, we start from existing homes and, on very few occasions, we participate in new construction projects. In this way, most of the time we are not in a position to influence the different windows of the house, or make modifications to the façade. Of course, the recovery of old windows or, the layout of parceled windows are resources that can help to enhance an industrial air. The large windows bring light to a space dominated by elements of great solidity.
Un singular apartment in the center of Barcelona
Structures with imperfections
We have already commented that the industrial style emerged more than 60 years ago from the transformation of old factories into homes. Then, homes were designed with the imperfections of a decadent space: cracks, bumps, dents in metal surfaces, etc.
All these elements, we believe that provide authenticity, history and a lived aspect characteristic of the industrial style that we are dealing with in this article. If we decide to keep them in an interior space, we will be able to print a very interesting industrial touch. The cracks, bumps and dents in metal surfaces provide imperfections that combined with other elements in perfect condition and clean produce a very attractive effect that enhances the contrast with its qualities.
Imperfection, often, is beautiful.
