9 Tips To An Industrial-Style Home Makeover!

Industrial-themed interior spaces have become hugely popular in recent years. With an essence of minimalism, achieving an industrial style is relatively easy once you’ve learnt a few simple rules.

With the intention of creating an “unfinished” look, this decorating style weaves industrial elements with modern/contemporary styles to create a new aesthetic that nods to eras passed.

1) Baby steps

Wanting an industrial-style does not mean you need to completely re-do every single aspect of your interior; all we’re looking to do is mix together contemporary and modern elements with industrial ones. This style is all about “less is more”, so make sure you take the process of industrialising slowly. Rome wasn’t built in a day – for a successful and genuine home transformation, let this amazing process take time.

2) Be clutter-free

As you work through this transformation, make sure to follow this one important rule: do not over-clutter your space. While the industrial look does not look neat at first, this style requires that your furnishings and storage are sleek and well-planned. (And don’t be tempted to over-accessorize!)

3) The four walls

For those who may be beginners in interior transformations, consider starting with the shell of your home. Make use of your walls to achieve the industrial look. Having a balance of worn walls, exposed brick, and washed out paint is exactly what we’re looking for. It will create a beautiful finish that you can continue building on to.

4) Colour is key

The industrial style is humble, in as much as it does not try to make a bold statement. This style effortlessly creates a new atmosphere without the need of drastic change. Using warm and neutral tones for all furniture, accessories and decor will work best. Using white, for example, gives a crisp clean look, particularly when mixed with shades of grey. Even warmer tones, such as copper-like shades, are also ideal. Avoid bright, strong colours.

5) Tackle your texture

The industrial style is one where the texture of flaking-paint is accepted, and even encouraged! This goes for walls and furnishings.Texture-wise, we want a rough and worn-down feel. Aged pieces of furniture, with some wear and tear, will add character and interest. Unfinished paint jobs on furniture, as well as metal-standing tables or stools would be perfect. It gives the feeling of an original warehouse or loft. Make use of materials such as clean glass and wood as well, to ensure a simplistic feel.

6) Raw vs soft

While having a raw, spacious and unfinished industrial look will have your guests in awe, all positive feelings will be lost if your home is nothing more than a “nice idea”. Remember that your home is actually a home, and you therefore need to balance what the interior style needs, with the comfort and love of a home. Bring softness into your space using comfortable couches, woollen throw rugs and cushions to provide warmth alongside the industrial touches.

7) Lively lights

There are no strict guidelines to the location of your light, whether it be a wall, floor or ceiling light. For a genuine industrial feel, try using lights in conjunction with natural light for a bright and spacious atmosphere. Free-standing feature lighting works well in industrial spaces for both practicality and design interest. For an ultimately industrial feel, metal lighting is a must, and using a warm-toned bulb is ideal to compliment other warm tones in your interior.

8) Furniture with feeling

The main key to furniture for the industrial-style is ensuring that you stay true to using neutral shades and rougher textures. Remembering the “less is more” mantra, select fewer pieces to ensure a spacious and intentionally unfinished look. A lengthy couch with a couple of small tables will be enough for most living spaces. If DIY is your thing, consider creating your own furniture out of general everyday pieces to create a truly industrial atmosphere. You can use ladders for shelving, wooden crates for seating, pallets for low tables – there are so many ways to reuse and recycle existing objects. Mason jars are a great option for storage and make great vases. A quick search online can show you how easy it is to find pallets for sale for things like this.

9) Finally, we decorate

Decor for the industrial style is very straight-forward, and vintage-inspired pieces keeps the style true to it’s origins. You can use vintage magazine covers, old advertisements, posters or books to help “set the scene”. Indoor plants are a fantastic way to inject colour and life to your interior. The key is to avoid over-filling your walls, and ensure you continue the spacious industrial look from the floor-up.

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