How to Decorate Industrial Style and How to Decorate Industrial Chic

What is industrial décor

In order to learn how to decorate industrial style, you should first know what is industrial décor. Industrial décor was born in the modern era in cities such as London and New York when young creative people moved to areas of the city where factories and warehouses form the industrial revolution were reconverted into living and art spaces. Those spaces were big lofts with visible pipes, unfinished walls, and a generally visible structural skeleton. Nowadays, there are various ramifications of the industrial style such as décor industrial vintage, rustic industrial décor and urban industrial décor.

The features of the industrial style are:

• a focus on humble but stylish materials such as unfinished wood and metal for industrial style furniture
• refined, masculine style
• lack of pretension
• stress on function rather than décor, industrial homes show little non functional décor

Even if you don't have an industrial style loft, it is easy to reproduce the décor industrial look in any kind of home. Let's discover how to decorate industrial style.

Image: http://homeandecoration.com

How to decorate industrial style: recycle waste material and industrial decor DIY

Industrial style considers someone else’s trash as a treasure, allowing you to decorate your house for free. The more worn industrial style furniture is, the better, so you can get a décor industrial vintage. Moreover, you can make lots of industrial décor diy furniture from waste material. So, let's see how to decorate industrial style with waste materials and some industrial décor DIY ideas:

• pallets! You can make tables, sofas, beds... anything, and if they have a factory mark it is even better for your industrial style home
• make industrial style lighting from old glass jars and metal wires
• search old factory machineries and wheels and use them to make table legs and other industrial style furniture
• look for metal office furniture that has been thrown out and use it to store kitchen stuff for your industrial style kitchen
• you can also make diy bookshelves with pipes
• collect old worn metal chairs and stools for your industrial style kitchen and industrial décor living room
• use old wooden boxes to store magazines
• get some recycled wood to make a simple industrial style desk
• paint some letters of a favourite quotation on your wall.
• avoid big furniture stores as for this style you need to get creative, go to flea markets and garage sales instead

How to decorate industrial style: industrial style furniture

The first rule of "how to decorate industrial style" is: when you are decorating your house ask yourself if that particular piece of decoration is feminine, pink, would fit a doll house or a Provençal cottage. If the answer is yes, it won't fit you industrial style home. Let's see some industrial décor ideas to decorate industrial style:

• Colors: stick to black, white and especially grey. If you want to use some color, use dark sexy ones such as plum or deep blue for your industrial style furniture
• materials: everything must be metal and wood. Steel, iron and alluminium are fine. Just leave the materials as natural as possible, do not show any golden materials
• art: non functional decor should be kept to a minimum. However, it is nice to hang a black and white picture on the wall, possibly with no frame. Road signs and old factory pieces on display are also very industrial style. Another idea is to display an old sewing machine. Also, you can check some industrial wall art ideas on the internet
• architecture: not everybody has the luxury of getting to choose the architecture of their industrial style home. However, if you can, you should leave ducts on display, leave walls unfinished, wooden beams visible on the ceiling, and concrete floors
• floors: if you can't have concrete floors, big boards parquet also works
• curtain: if you can, do not use any curtain, just obscure the glazing of your windows
• industrial style furniture: metal chairs and stools, black or worn brown leather sofas, raw wood tables are perfect for an industrial décor living room
• industrial style bathroom: it is a great idea to paint your bath tub in black. Also, leave the bathroom mirror without any frame
• industrial style lighting: industrial style lighting is possibly the most important aspect of decorating industrial style. You have various possibilities: choose a single big piece or a series of small lamps, or plain bulbs. Also, you can choose old pendant lights and worn table lamps to décor industrial vintage, or you can opt for something futuristic and steam-punk for your industrial style lighting.
• avoid rugs for your industrial style home
• put many steel countertops in your industrial style kitchen
• paint it black! anything really, radiators for example. Black immediately gives a décor industrial look

How to decorate industrial chic

The industrial chic décor, also called shabby industrial, is slightly more feminine than the industrial style. They key to obtaining this style is combining functionality with sophisticated touches into a more eclectic style. Here is how to decorate industrial chic:

• One easy way to obtain an industrial chic look is by privileging natural, worn woods over metal, although of course there needs to be a metal touch as well
• using forged iron instead of other metals immediately gives an industrial chic touch
• in terms of art, you can add a bit more decoration elements compared to the industrial style. Small, cute factory elements paired together are a good idea
• you can add a geometrical rug to a cold concrete floor to give it some warmth and cosiness
• if you want a décor industrial chic you should privilege lighter greys instead of dark ones, and add a hint of color. Lime green color is an excellent idea
• put some lively elements such as plants together with your industrial style decoration. Your industrial style home will look more homely
• mix and match: you can choose a classic bright kitchen and throw in some industrial touches such as metal chairs and stools

Now you know how to decorate industrial style, let us know the outcome of your restyling!

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