How to Get the Modern Industrial Style without Living in a Loft Apartment

Those who love industrial decor actually can’t get enough of it. It’s not surprising considering that the exposed steel and rustic wood ooze character. This stuff is meant for those who like to be effortlessly cool. So, it is understandable if you have difficulty smoothly slipping into it, especially if the style doesn’t speak to you. But there is a way to modernize it.

Some designers have managed to successfully do it and give their house a certain persona. This blend is typically referred to as the modern industrial home interior design. It is bold and sophisticated, organic and engineered, gendered and not all at the same time. How does one manage all of it in one place? Well, it takes a little planning and a good deal of understanding of the style.

The first step in that direction is to understand that the blend of modern and industrial decor design sometimes includes elements of mid-century modern, contemporary chic and rugged steampunk styles. Before you break a rule, you must master it. The same logic applies to interior design. Before you find your kind of modern industrial style, you must become an expert in spotting this decor from a mile away.

That’s what we are here to do today. Let’s go.

Industrial Interior Design Characteristics

This style is popularly about black and white typographic prints on exposed brick walls. It can be defined as a mix of shaggy rugs with factory windows. It is all about couches that feel great with gorgeous light fixtures. Basically, it is great detailing in what appears to be a concrete space. If you’re a bookworm, factory ceilings high with books is your thing. Which means, industrial is your style and copper and glass are your materials. Now to the question of how to add industrial design to your home. Here’s how to get started.

You need not be able to jump into the deep end with roughshod wooden floors meets iron piping. Let’s start small with colors, then move on to furniture and rugs and finally, figure out the overall statement you want to make.

Rustic Colors

The color palette is a key aspect in setting the mood of a place. This is the foundation of your design. The furniture, accessories, rugs and so on will all fall into place once you pick the colors.

If you are going for painted or unpainted brick walls with a cement or wooden floor, you kind of already know which way you are headed. When it comes to a modern industrial color palette, rustic room settings typically come down to brown and beige should be the dominant colors of the room. Your furniture will follow the same theme with brown and probably some burnt orange. And the rugs, if you get any, can be in accent colors.

Check out some of these industrial rustic designs for ideas.

Bold Furniture

Now, this should not shock you. Leather and raw and unfinished wood are popular choices for industrial style furniture. Items like your couches, chairs and tables are likely to be in this family of materials. There are some misconceptions that this does not work for smaller rooms. But in reality, industrial interior design for small spaces just needs a slightly intelligent approach.

Now, when you pick an industrial style living room design for a large space, you might have more than one table in the room. Take into account the coffee table, end table and dining table. At least one of them must be made of wood for genuine industrial design. This part is non-negotiable. It can have steel legs but ideally, it should be all wood.

If you want to move away from so much wood in one room, reinforced concrete tables are part of a rising trend. Your couches and chairs can have a leather finish. Chesterfield couches are also quite the rage. Couches and chairs with linen upholstery will also work. But be sure to also read up on their pros and cons.

Explore some of these designs for an industrial style living room.

Faded or Dark Rugs

If you like area rugs, traditional industrial designs might disappoint you just a bit. All you need to remember is to avoid abstract art and overly vibrant rugs. Even rugs with a geometric pattern stand out and look awkward.

Remember that this design is a lot about raw energy and rugs can be an awkward element in the mix. If you want one, try something faded. Dark colors like crimson red, blue or burnt orange will also work, depending on where you put them and the furniture you have. Ethnic style rugs like southwestern and distressed oriental will work too. You can also give woven jute rugs a shot.

Check out these rugs which lean on the chic side of interior design.

Contrast and Creativity

Now, when it comes to decor itself, you have a lot of options with industrial design. Leather and woven textures are great for add-ons like poufs and pillows. If you have a dark, solid-colored rug, get the add-ons in accent colors. Your tables, chairs and couches will be in a neutral tone. So it will all fit well. The overall design of the room will show contrast and creativity.

Modern Industrial Decor For Specific Rooms

As mentioned earlier, the raw energy of industrial decor is not for everyone. So, designers have found a way to make it modern and fit in urban spaces. And that might be one of the reasons for a rise in demand for decor of this style. It’s a perfect play of contrasts and a mix of old-school charm and sleek modernity.

When you add a hint of modernity, industrial style is no longer limited to exposed bricks and metal. The modern industrial decor has neutral hues and unique textures with great lighting. It can be simple and minimal while making a bold statement. The end result is layered and eco-friendly (thanks to the use of recycled materials).

How to get there? Let’s take a look at modern industrial furniture for the living room, bedroom and dining room in their specific contexts.

Living Room

The first place to start is ideas. Look at historical buildings to pick up some of those old-world elements. Typically, people are inspired by steel columns, brick walls and timber roof trusses. Look for furniture with minimal detailing and made from simple materials. Wrought iron chairs and monochromatic colors can be made better with attractive throw pillows and lighting fixtures. Pulley-inspired lighting and scissor accordion wall lamps are great ideas.

Iron and steel are a crucial part of this design. Cast iron, brushed nickel and copper are great too. So use the exposed mechanical details of the room to match the decor. Keep it raw and natural. That’s the whole appeal anyway.

Mix and match with contemporary designs. A flat-screen TV against a brick wall is a great idea. Edison style bulbs with rustic metals will also look good. Murals and painting bold symbols or greek letters on a brick wall is a great way to incorporate art on the walls. Abstract paintings also add character to an empty brick wall.

Bedroom

The modern industrial interior design bedroom has the same finish that the living room has. If you plan to design your whole house in this style, for one, it gives consistency, coherence and gives you the freedom to incorporate many different ideas. For this one, you can leave the walls in crisp white which will be the modern element. This works best if you have wooden flooring.

If you have a fireplace in the living room, look for hot-rolled steel doors for the bedroom that match it. Or you could go the other way and match the doors with the color and texture of the furniture in the room. And don’t worry about money because it’s all wood or metal. Use reclaimed wood and timber. Look for structural members from old warehouses and buildings ready for demolition. Railroad ties look great on the ceiling.

Dining Room

This one is probably the easiest. Every kitchen has a few exposed elements. Don’t try to cover them up because those are the best parts. Design the rest of the room around those elements. Consider this. A chandelier made of bronze and white glass on top of the dining table. And the table can follow the same logic as the rest of the house. Raw or unfinished wood, maybe with steel legs.

The stove and hood and fridge can have a stainless steel finish which keeps the industrial element alive. The open shelves can have the same finish as the dining table to maintain consistency.

A Rustic Finish

The modern industrial aesthetic is the marriage of styles from two different eras. You need to pay attention to the colors of the past with furniture that suits you in 2020 with finishes that give a room some character. The add-ons and the rest can be arranged according to these main elements.

This used to be the preference of those who live in lofts and couldn’t decorate their homes with more than a few affordable materials. But over time, modern industrial style has taken over large homes and given them the vibrance and a hint of glory. This style also makes it easy to transition into the next interior design style in a few years should you get tired of it.

The big changes are mostly done by just painting over. Neat, huh?

Have you had a read through our list of Interior Design Styles? Perhaps there is something which will inspire you.