Industrial Style

Written for Better Living Magazine, UAE

This style is all about machinery and factories. Think lots of brushed iron and bronze, chunky dark-stained and distressed wood, factory pendant lights, exposed plumbing /ducting or furniture that incorporates plumbing fixtures, bare brick walls, concrete surfaces and furniture, a gray/black/white colour palette, hard silhouettes, reclaimed hard-wearing materials, anything that reveals how a piece of furniture is made.. There’s no luxury or frills here – this look relies on the beauty of hard natural materials like iron, wood, concrete, and brick, without disguising them, but it can also be softened by integrating natural fabrics like linen, burlap, hessian and canvas. It’s simple, clean, honest, and a bit tough.

Where did it come from? A bit of background information on the style would be good.

The popularity of the Industrial style started around a decade ago, with old factories and warehouses being repurposed as homes and offices in US and Europe (known as gentrification). It celebrates a bygone era from the late 19th - early 20th century (2nd Industrial Revolution), when factory jobs were commonplace. It’s a look that is simultaneously traditional and modern – drawing on a past era in history, but one that is line with modern 21stcentury style.

How can our readers incorporate it in their homes?

As with any trend, a little goes a long way. Trends come and go and the last thing you want is to have a living room that you’ve just fully redecorated to a trend, and it’s on its way out! To create this look, go for a clean sparsely furnished look, with a predominantly neutral colour scheme. Incorporate furniture that’s rough around the edges, wall-mounted industrial pipe/ wood shelves, reclaimed wooden coffee tables, jointed metal lamps, DIY metal pendant lamps with Edison bulbs, plain neutral rugs, concrete walls, and abstract modern art for a pop of colour.

What type of person/ lifestyle does the trend suit?

This look is for a practical and fuss-free person who enjoys simplicity and honesty in design, usually living in an urban setting, preferably a loft-like or open-plan space. In spite of its dependence on natural materials, this style can look a little hard and austere, so it tends to attract younger fans, mostly men. Not for those who like a lot of colour, pattern or clutter, or soft, cushy, traditional looks.

Where would you recommend shopping for this style – which shops?

Marina Home, The One Fusion, West Elm, Ebarza, and even IKEA, but you can also find a lot of variety and customizable options in furniture warehouses such as ‘Wood and Steel’ in Dubai’s Al Quoz industrial area or ‘Lucky Furniture and Handicrafts’ in Sharjah’s Industrial area … and some affordable options for industrial style lighting at Dragon Mart.

Any stand out pieces on the market at the moment?

The best thing about this look is that it can be easily DIY-ed by adding some industrial hardware to existing furniture.