Industrial style of interior decoration has been a trend nowadays. There is just something charming about the minimalistic, the basic and the raw. Its utilitarian and authentic appeal has lasted since it was developed during the Industrial Period until today, though modernism has influenced it to be the clean and no-fuss style that it is today. If you want to learn how to adopt the industrial style as your interior decoration, click here.
However, not all people who love this style wants to adapt all its design elements completely. Perhaps you like its unpretentious vibe, but you’re not willing to redecorate and renovate your existing space just to achieve the industrial design. Using your existing décor (preferably something modern or contemporary), you can blend in some elements of the industrial style that are easy to add in your décor.
If you’re not willing to remove the wall that covers your pipes or if you’re not willing to replace your smooth, panted wall with a brick wall, here are some easy things to do to add an industrial vibe to your home:
Add rustic pieces
Even if your space is more refined, using industrial décor elements can help transform your interior into an industrial chic style. The easiest way to do it is to mix these elements with pieces you already have. Mix rustic or eclectic décor pieces to decorate your space with it. Imagine old wood, metal, chipped paint and you get the idea. It’s easy to find rustic pieces in vintage stores, flea markets and second-hand shops, but you can also find some from Amazon:
CWI Gifts Milk Can - 13" Galvanized Finish - Country Rustic Primitive Jug Vase
4D Concepts 2-Door Metal Bookcase
Wall-Art.us Wallpaper metallic look
Lightinthebox Retro Restaurant Bar Hanging Light Lamp
MyGift Country Rustic 3 Tier Floating Box Shelves
Yankario Rope Hanging Floating Shelves
1. A rustic milk jug as vase
CWI Gifts Milk Can – 13″ Galvanized Finish – Country Rustic Primitive Jug Vase
Display your plants or flowers on a rustic milk jug, and you can easily achieve the industrial chic in your home.
2. A vintage fan
Deco 79 Rustic Non-Functional Metal Old Fan Table Décor
Decorate your home office with this vintage, rustic iron fan. By the way, it’s non-functional so don’t expect it to work, but it can really make a strong industrial accent to your room.
3. A corrugated galvanized metal cupcake tray
CTW 770064 Corrugated Galvanized Metal Serving Tray Stand
Serve your homemade cupcakes in this beautiful galvanized cupcake tray. It’s really unique and perfect for displaying your treats.
4. A rustic soap pump
Mud Pie Water Spouts Soap Pump Set
Featuring a unique bronze faucet, this soap pump set is an adorable addition to your sink which will surely amuse your guests.
5. A metal wall clock
Studio Designs Home Industrial Loft 30 Inches Metal Wall Clock
This wall clock in dark bronze looks a bit aged, and it adds a touch of toughness and charm to your walls. It comes in a ring of metal with numbers, so it adapts the color of your wall in its face.
Buy furniture featuring metallics and/or a wood slab
Lots of metal is the hallmark of industrial design, whether it’s in the form of architectural elements, furniture, lighting and accessories. If you want an easy but impactful way to bring the industrial style, look for metal furniture. It can be of any color, but it often looks neutral yet either weathered, rustic or with patina. Don’t go for shiny and new and glamorous-looking, and it must not be ornate. Same goes with wood, especially aged or reclaimed wood. Furniture pieces that features aged wood and metallic legs are perfect.
1. A metal bookcase
4D Concepts 2-Door Metal Bookcase
Gear up your home office or library with this beautiful rustic metal bookcase. It opens locker-style, with fluted doors and closes with a magnetic catch. It looks weathered, plus the solid wood top looks weathered too.
2. A metal storage cabinet
Deco 79 Industrial Repurposed Metal Utility Cabinet with Storage & Wood Tabletop
This is an industrial-style metal cabinet with three drawers and one large cabinet, and comes with a wooden tabletop. It’s stylish and utilitarian-looking, and looks great for your home office, bedroom or entryway.
3. A rustic industrial bed
Home Accent Furnishings New Rustic Queen Industrial Wood and Metal Bed
If you want to go for a tough-looking bed, this is the bed frame to go. It features high-grade MDF wood panels with an antique, weathered wood look, and metal frames with a touch of patina. It’s a queen size bed complete with headboard, footboard and rails. You have to buy your own mattress, though.
4. An industrial style dining set
Dporticus 5-Piece Dining Set Industrial Style Wooden Kitchen Table and Chairs with Metal Legs
This one’s an adorable five-piece dining set if you want a no-fuss, basic dining tables and chairs. The tabletop and the chair seats feature an aged-looking, espresso-colored wood. The frames are made of black steel tube, and the chair backrest has an ergonomic form. It’s perfect for contemporary style spaces.
5. A set of rustic bar stools
Ashley Furniture Signature Design – Pinnadel Bar Stool
Line up your kitchen bar or island with tis set of rustic bar stools. These are pub-height bar stools with adjustable height swivel, 360-degree turning radius and a comfortable foot rest. It features a lovely, industrial chic sculptural form.
Install industrial-style wallpaper
You may not have exposed brick in your homes, but there’s an alternative. Go for wallpapers that feature bricks, galvanized metal and aged wood planks to add an industrial-style appeal.
1. Metallic wallpaper
Wall-Art.us Wallpaper metallic look
This is a vinyl wallpaper that has a metallic gray look. It looks like a galvanized metal that adds just the right industrial vibe.
2. Faux brick wallpaper
NextWall Faux Rustic Red Brick Peel and Stick Wallpaper=
This red brick wallpaper features a realistic red brick look perfect for covering your wall in the living room or bedroom. It’s a peel and stick wallpaper that leaves no sticky residue.
3. Faux gray reclaimed wood wallpaper
Blooming Wall Barnwood Wood Panel Wood Plank Wallpaper Wall Mural
This is a vinyl coated, faux wood wallpaper that’s slightly grain textured. The wood panel design looks like aged barnwood, and the gray color can easily give away an industrial vibe.
4. Faux cement brick wall
Blooming Wall Industrial Style Faux Cement Brick Wall Mural Wallpaper
If you’re more into the cement-brick aesthetic, this wallpaper is for you. It brings a tough and rugged appearance that can be an easy style booster for your room.
Install industrial-style lighting
What most people love about the industrial style interiors is the lighting pieces that come with it. Think of utilitarian lights – shipper’s lights, filament bulbs, pendant fixtures with porcelain enamel shades, steel or ribbed glass shades, cast aluminum bulb cages and pendant lights ensconced in wire and metal cages. If you’re not sure, choose hanging lighting or wall sconces that feature metallic hardware.
Good thing is that you can easily buy industrial style lighting since a lot of manufacturers specialize in this style today.
1. Hanging bulb with pipe hardware
Lightinthebox Retro Restaurant Bar Hanging Light Lamp
This is a charming hanging light featuring industrial pipes, complete with a decorative knob. It’s great to use as accent lighting inside and outside your home. It suits most interior designs.
2. Pipe-shaped hanging track light
Lixada Retro Vintage Personality Bronze Metal Water Pipe Shaped Hanging Drop Pendant Lamp
Place this track lighting on top of your kitchen island and you’d get a wonderful accent. This pipe-shaped track light adds a retro vintage vibe, perfect for retro style homes, as well as Nordic, contemporary and modern homes.
3. Marquee letters with lights
Darice Marquee Letters – Galvanized Silver
Decorate your fireplace mantel with this marquee letters made of galvanized silver, complete with light bulbs that illuminate. Spell your family name or a special word and let it be a nice focal point in your room.
4. Industrial pendant light chandelier
BAYCHEER HL421942 Industrial Vintage Retro LOFT style Small hob cage Pendant Lamp
This pendant chandelier is perfect for hanging on high ceilings and lofts, especially those above curved staircases. It features a black, metallic, cage-like fixtures that house the bulbs. It’s a charming addition to any interior.
5. Metallic table lamp
Adam Industrial 23″ High Accent LED Table Lamp
This accent table light is an artsy showstopper, especially for industrial style lovers. The lamp is made of a metallic cage with a deep bronze finish and houses two energy efficient LED bulbs. The ironwork of this lamp is sure to be a conversation piece.
Be creative with storage
Skip the boring plastic containers and basic, modern shelving and use something a bit more creative, like rustic baskets, vintage boxes, wooden crates, old wooden boxes, metal tins and the like. Most of the time, it’s best to get creative, like making your own coffee table from reclaimed wood boards and a crate. But you can buy something a bit rugged and rustic from Amazon:
1. Rustic floating box shelves
MyGift Country Rustic 3 Tier Floating Box Shelves
Display your house plants or store small items in this rustic floating box shelves with three overlying rectangular boxes. The finish of this floating shelves is patinated and very industrial-looking.
2. Vintage suitcase trunk
Vintiquewise Old Style Suitcase With Straps
Use this old-style suitcase as storage for your special items and whatnots. You can put it under your coffee table or above the bedside table on your guest room for added industrial effect. It’s made of polywood faux leather and old-fashioned hardware to make it look antique.
3. Vintage serving cart
Not all fans of industrial style want to adapt the heavily weathered and patinated look, so if you want something with some polish, here’s a great way to start. This serving cart can be used as an additional storage or the kitchen or as a side table for the living room. It features a sturdy metal mesh shelf, a vintage-looking particle board surface, heavy duty iron legs and casters.
4. Rustic floating shelves
Yankario Rope Hanging Floating Shelves
This one’s a set of two floating shelves suspended by thick jute ropes perfect for hanging. Place your light decorations in here, such as a travel memorabilia, small potted plants and pictures.
5 .Floating shelves with pipes
Industrial Rustic Modern Wood Ladder Pipe Wall Shelf
Perhaps you’re not willing to go out of your way to expose your already concealed piping just to add an industrial style in your home, this floating shelves can do the trick. It features four layers of shelving that are interconnected with decorative pipe. It can be installed in a wall, or in two walls in a corner, as the pipe makes it adjustable.
6. Colonial Tin Works Set of Two-Decorative Wire Back Wall Shelves-Industrial
This is a set of rusty-looking, galvanized wall shelves that looks repurposed or bought from a flea market. It easily mounts to the wall with keyhole hangers. It can be used for storing small kitchen items, old books or you can even use it as a mini herb garden.