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Come Dine With an Industrial Edge
How to bring an urban flavour to your dining space using tactile materials, sculptural furniture and atmospheric lighting
Industrial style works brilliantly in dining spaces because it relies on hardworking materials such as wood, metal and concrete. But you don’t need to feel as if you’re sitting in a disused factory to pull off the look. Instead, take the elements you like and use these ideas to create your own urban-inspired dining space.
Be clever with artwork
This cunning framed photograph creates the illusion of looking through a window to see an undeveloped part of the building, with stripped joists and precarious stairs. The unexpected artwork adds an industrial edge to this bright, white dining space and offers diners an easy talking point.
This cunning framed photograph creates the illusion of looking through a window to see an undeveloped part of the building, with stripped joists and precarious stairs. The unexpected artwork adds an industrial edge to this bright, white dining space and offers diners an easy talking point.
Embrace everyday items
In industrial spaces, mundane pieces are celebrated for their aesthetic appeal as well as their usefulness. These beautiful built-in shelves house an assortment of everyday items, such as weighing scales and crockery. The school chairs, factory-style table and cage lights bolster the theme.
In industrial spaces, mundane pieces are celebrated for their aesthetic appeal as well as their usefulness. These beautiful built-in shelves house an assortment of everyday items, such as weighing scales and crockery. The school chairs, factory-style table and cage lights bolster the theme.
Aim for maximum exposure
One of the key facets of industrial style is its lack of facade. In this streamlined dining space, supporting beams are embraced as a key aspect of the room’s design.
There are lots of details that will help you to build the same feel in a space: steel RSJs, ventilation ducts, blockwork walls and plumbing can all be left exposed to create a multi-layered impression of the room’s structure.
One of the key facets of industrial style is its lack of facade. In this streamlined dining space, supporting beams are embraced as a key aspect of the room’s design.
There are lots of details that will help you to build the same feel in a space: steel RSJs, ventilation ducts, blockwork walls and plumbing can all be left exposed to create a multi-layered impression of the room’s structure.
Work in wood and metal
Both wood and metal are crucial components when it comes to creating an industrial dining space. This zinc-topped table with vintage chairs has a utilitarian appeal that’s also perfectly practical.
Both wood and metal are crucial components when it comes to creating an industrial dining space. This zinc-topped table with vintage chairs has a utilitarian appeal that’s also perfectly practical.
Commission concrete surfaces
Concrete floors are a practical choice for spaces with lots of foot traffic and concrete benchtops have growing appeal. This kitchen has a huge concrete-topped island ready for food prep, with handy seating alongside. Matching benchtops with a neat inset sink offer a further hit of industrial design.
More: Concrete Flooring Is Cool, but Warmer Than You Think
Concrete floors are a practical choice for spaces with lots of foot traffic and concrete benchtops have growing appeal. This kitchen has a huge concrete-topped island ready for food prep, with handy seating alongside. Matching benchtops with a neat inset sink offer a further hit of industrial design.
More: Concrete Flooring Is Cool, but Warmer Than You Think
Invest in vintage-style storage
Take inspiration from Victorian sculleries and old-school cupboards when planning your dining room storage. Built-in pantries pair well with industrial design because of their utilitarian nature and associations of efficiency. Choose glass doors and a dark paint colour for added impact.
Take inspiration from Victorian sculleries and old-school cupboards when planning your dining room storage. Built-in pantries pair well with industrial design because of their utilitarian nature and associations of efficiency. Choose glass doors and a dark paint colour for added impact.
Add high intensity colour
While bright shades are often avoided in industrial design, they can lend quite the factory feel. A well-chosen splash of colour can bring graffiti-like intensity to an otherwise monochrome space.
While bright shades are often avoided in industrial design, they can lend quite the factory feel. A well-chosen splash of colour can bring graffiti-like intensity to an otherwise monochrome space.
Create a lighting scheme
It might seem inauthentic to plan a careful lighting scheme for your accidentally awesome industrial-inspired space, but it’s crucial to have effective task and ambient lighting in your kitchen and dining room. Think about where the dining table will go and whether you can accommodate oversized factory-style pendants. Alternatively, beautiful bare filament bulbs with fabric flex can also make a utilitarian statement.
How to get dining lighting right
It might seem inauthentic to plan a careful lighting scheme for your accidentally awesome industrial-inspired space, but it’s crucial to have effective task and ambient lighting in your kitchen and dining room. Think about where the dining table will go and whether you can accommodate oversized factory-style pendants. Alternatively, beautiful bare filament bulbs with fabric flex can also make a utilitarian statement.
How to get dining lighting right
Size up
Industrial design requires large-scale pieces that won’t get lost in huge spaces. While your dining room may not have warehouse proportions, it’s important to choose furniture that makes the most of the floor area available. This supersized dining table is matched in scale by the equally epic metal pendant lights.
TELL US
Do you have industrial elements in your dining space? Do you like this look? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
MORE
So Your Style Is: Industrial
12 Essential Ingredients for an Industrial Kitchen
10 Bathroom Design Elements to Help You Master Industrial Style
Industrial design requires large-scale pieces that won’t get lost in huge spaces. While your dining room may not have warehouse proportions, it’s important to choose furniture that makes the most of the floor area available. This supersized dining table is matched in scale by the equally epic metal pendant lights.
TELL US
Do you have industrial elements in your dining space? Do you like this look? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
MORE
So Your Style Is: Industrial
12 Essential Ingredients for an Industrial Kitchen
10 Bathroom Design Elements to Help You Master Industrial Style
The beauty of industrial spaces comes not from fancy paint colours or busy patterns, but from a combination of basic materials. The sculptural quality of these metal chairs is contrasted with a smooth concrete floor and graphic metro tiles to create a multi-textured space that’s both contemporary and timeless.