Industrial Interior Design: Best Ideas to Create an Inimitable Industrial Décor Style

What Is Industrial Interior Design? 

Industrial style design is the result of combining the past and the present. A former brewery can be converted, for example, into a spectacular open office with innovative design solutions. Industrial areas are more likely to be transformed into living spaces rather than new factories, which is reducing our material footprint.  

Having a “warehouse look” is not an unusual request for designers and architects these days. Industrial interior design is all about showing what was once hidden, where the building materials are now shown to create a raw look. Nowadays, it is common to go to a restaurant or a café and be surrounded by exposed pipes, ductwork, large windows, and other functional elements that play with different modern elements like furniture or lighting. 

Five Ways to Master Industrial Interior Design 

When working with an industrial-style design, it is critical to produce a well-balanced interior that is both evocative of its industrial past and livable and pleasant. A combination of colours, textures, and patterns may offer a warm and homey atmosphere to an otherwise chilly area, and bigger furnishings can add comfort. Continue reading to learn about five ways to master industrial-style decor. 

1. Choose Building Materials to Enhance Hidden Elements 

The unfinished look of the modern industrial style leaves hints of the space’s previous life, enhancing its distinctive personality. Old timber roofs, bare beams, metal surfaces, or exposed soffit ceilings — these structures contribute to the architectural legacy of the space. Without a doubt, when renovating such a place, building materials need to be carefully chosen not to change the space’s unique atmosphere.  

The industrial design represented a revolutionary way of thinking about architecture, far removed from the classical forms and schemes. This way of renovating keeps the historical elements of the past present and reshapes the space for new people to live or work comfortably. 

Furthermore, industrial interior design is a hymn to simplicity and pragmatism. The decorative elements are often minimalistic to create a contrast with the heaviness of the exposed ductwork or pipes. For example, you can opt for light bulbs of different sizes and shapes instead of traditional lamps. Industrial style spaces are also recognisable because of their large area, and the expected effect is to maintain a sense of openness, which is why it is essential to keep the space as minimalistic as possible and not to crowd the room with too many details.

The key is less is more. Industrial style design ideas can include a bicycle hanging on the wall, metallic elements to contrast wooden furniture in a restaurant, hanging coats on old pipes in an open office lobby. Being original with the industrial style is about finding surprising and uncommon details that will make your space perfect. 

2. Keep Your Ceiling ‘Industrial’ with Excellent Acoustics 

So, you want to convert an old pharmacy into a great literary café? That’s great. When renovating a place with so much history, you want to choose building materials that enhance the space that you’re working with. Old buildings tend to be noisy because of the hard surfaces, like concrete and glass, that reverberate sound rather than absorb it. A fantastic way you can experiment and enhance the indoor climate is with the ceiling. An industrial ceiling design should improve the atmosphere while respecting the architecture. 

If you’re considering transforming a big old warehouse into a modern and innovative office, sound absorption needs to be your priority. Our acoustic ceilings tiles and wall solutions are a perfect complement for modernising an industrial interior design to meet the standards and regulations of today. 

Acoustic Ceilings Islands to Soften Your Industrial Interior Design 

Choosing a unique acoustic ceiling can improve an industrial oriented space and offer a completely different perception and feeling of the room. Acoustic ceiling islands floating above your head are the right decision to bring acoustic comfort to the space without hiding anything. Rockfon Eclipse®, Rockfon Contour® or Rockfon® Universal™ Baffle are ideal solutions because they are flexible and available in different colours and shapes, helping you to achieve the industrial interior design that you want, with no compromises. 

Do you want to leave the ceiling as it is but reduce loud sounds? Rockfon® System Eclipse Wall™ could be the right system for you as it has several different possibilities to play with geometrical designs, exciting hues, all while absorbing noises and reverberation to ensure a great atmosphere. 

3. Play with Contrast to Create a Perfect Industrial Style 

Industrial interior design is becoming a popular request for different spaces — everything from private loft apartments to commercial spaces. This trend offers a fascinating way to give a second life to an old space. When combined with reusable and recycled raw materials, it reduces our material footprint and adds to the architectural landscape, shifting focus towards the rare details and compelling engineering elements.  

For all these reasons, the industrial style enables a contrast between the old and the new. Therefore, it is essential to find the right balance that harmonises the diverse and various elements present in the same room. The raw materials of an ex-factory can be softened with rustic or vintage style furniture. Wood and leather, for example, can create the right contrast with pipes and metallic surfaces.

4. Create a Story-Telling Space with Industrial Ceiling Design

Industrial ceiling design is all about being bold. The visual dimension characterises a space by revealing what was thought should be invisible. How can you recognise an industrial interior design mark? Well, you can start by looking up. If the ceiling dramatically shows the structural elements of the building and the mechanical details are visible, there is a pretty good chance that you’re sitting in an industrial interior design.  

An industrial soffit is attractive because of its openness and the boldness of the look, which gives flexibility in the design plan. This provides more freedom and space for creativity when designing a new office or a museum.  

5. Discover Different Colour Palettes to Balance the Industrial Decor

Colours are also a critical element to achieve a great industrial look. A colour range of natural hues is preferred with several tones of greys, whites, wooden brown, and natural shades. A minimalistic palette allows other elements of the space to liven up the room and generate an exciting contrast. If you want to experiment a little, you can think about black or charcoal shades to get a strong effect and play with lighting and furniture. Décor for industrial interior design suggests creating a visual impact to soften the dramatic and heavy style of exposed industrial features. Vintage couches, colourful rugs, minimalistic hanging lamps, old-fashioned prints like movie posters or iconic illustrations — all these elements can give the right visual balance and the ultimate personal touch to your space. 

However, you can equally choose light colours for the walls and the ceiling, which can help to give you a feeling of a bigger and more relaxed space. A coloured ceiling design can enhance your home or your new co-workspace in many ways. If you are afraid of having an extremely cold design because of the exposed metallic elements — such as electrical pipes or plumbing systems — you should opt for warmer colour schemes. They can help you adjust the ambience and soften the industrial style of your space. Remember that you can easily add various patterns and decorations, including plants and paintings when you have basic and neutral colours as your starting point.  

Final Notes on Industrial Interior Design 

Creating a relaxed environment with a great industrial style requires a careful selection of building materials and interior design elements to avoid a chaotic feeling and achieve the right balance instead. When transforming an old warehouse into a stylish bar — for instance, it is important to maintain the traces of the past without limiting the new vision of a modern place.