7 Tips for Decorating Industrial Style

**Collaborative post**

Decorating industrial style is something most people want but don’t understand. It is a minimal style, but there is much more to it than removing clutter and painting pipes. It can be tricky to get right, so you don’t end up with mid-century instead. So, here are some tips to get you started.

Don’t be Afraid of Metals

Metals are the enemy of decor for some people. However, the industrial style embraces metals as an integral part of the aesthetic. This is mainly because of how metals are used in industrial settings, from pipes and vents to lighting fixtures and handrails. These are great features to have in your project, but you can also include functional metals such as a brass curtain pole, steel and wood shelving, and even metallic legs on your custom-designed furniture.

Expose Infrastructure when Decorating Industrial Style

One of the defining features of the industrial aesthetic is exposed walls and ceilings. Don’t cover them up, and try not to paint them unless necessary. Bricks are excellent as they are, and most are designed to last for over 100 years. This means your brick walls can still look amazing in their original form. The overall style can also be enhanced with exposed original plastering or concrete on any other walls and industrial ceilings, all of which make a room feel bigger, too.

Maximise the Space Available

Further to making a room feel bigger, the industrial way of decorating seeks to maximise the available space without compromise. While it’s okay to carefully place vintage pieces that add to the aesthetic, such as pipework art, it helps to keep these to a minimum. Industrial buildings themselves were designed to make the best use of space possible in order to enhance production. You will detract from the original meaning and efficiency by adding more stuff.

Find Inspiration from Other Sources

Inspiration is all around us when we want to start a decorating project. And no matter where you live, there are industrial links to the past everywhere, especially in cities. Try these first:

• Browse the web and Pinterest for images of warehouses and industrial buildings.
• Find photos of the building where you live and replicate some of the original features.
• Take a tour of a nearby historical town with links to industrial production.
• Visit places with excellent industrial decor, such as local bars and art galleries.
• Take a trip to nearby docklands, where many warehouses remain the same.

The easiest and most powerful way of finding inspiration is to look to the past with photos. You can replicate what you see in your project. However, it also helps to immerse yourself in history.

Use Natural Window Treatments

As industrial designs are efficient at using space, they are also efficient at maximising light. This helped keep electricity costs down in old factories that already used a lot, which is why there are often massive windows in most of them. This is a huge advantage for a decor project, as natural light helps a room feel larger and makes you feel happier. Because of this, try not to use heavy materials for drapery. Instead, consider sheer curtains and natural blinds for your privacy.

Decorating Industrial Style Uses Utilities

One of the most intriguing things about the industrial concept is the use of exposed utilities such as ducts, pipes and vents. These add something unique to the project and really capture the feeling of minimalist industrial. You can also save some cash by using these as part of your decor, which is handy given the average cost of a home renovation in the UK is about £75,000. So, you will save money and boost appeal by not having to cover the exposed utilities.

Accent it all with Unique Lighting

Time and time again, we are told about the many virtues of layered lighting and how lighting helps a design project. And this is absolutely true. You need to think about how the lighting affects the room, the types of lighting you need and what to use it for. Yet there is some freedom with industrial because it offers unique lighting. Bare Edison bulbs with low-hanging pendant shades are a huge statement and look stunning, as do bare-frame shades that expose the bulb.

Summary

Metals are often overlooked in design, but are embraced when decorating industrial style. But industrial can be hard to get right, and looking for inspiration from historical buildings helps get a sense of what you want. Bare lighting, such as pendants and shades, adds to the aesthetic.