Inspired by lofts, warehouses, and factories, the black industrial style is characterized by dark styling, no-nonsense decor, and bare detailing like wood, metal, and brick. It can be found in any room in the home, with takes like sleek modern lamps in the bedroom, or black industrial pendant lights in the kitchen both being popular.
Black industrial design is free of distracting patterns and unnecessary curves or other elements, with essential minimalism being present in every detail of a room in this style. Recycled or reimagined items are common, making it a terrific way to breathe new life into items while blending them with newly purchased pieces.
We may not be able to pinpoint the exact spot and time that this style began, but it’s widely thought to have originated as urbanization took hold. As people moved back into cities, warehouses and factories were revamped into housing and designers needed a way to meld all the black and metal into something that would work for someone’s home.
What’s Great About the Black Industrial Style?
It’s incredibly flexible! You might think the heavy use of black and warehouse pieces would limit your choices, but the effect is actually quite the opposite. The simplicity and versatility of these items makes pieces from the style fit with almost any other lighting, decor, or furniture piece.
It’s stylishly bold! While pieces from the black industrial interior design style fit easily with each other, they still stand out on their own. With hard edges and striking solid colors, decor pieces from this segment don’t let go of your eye once they’ve caught it.
It’s great for the environment! With a premium on reimagining and salvaging existing furniture and other elements, black industrial design is a terrific way to give a room a fresh, new look without leaving behind a trail of waste in your wake.
Instead of expensive coverups and renovations, the style sees an exposed brick wall or steel beam and says: perfect! With its embrace of existing elements blended with new, the black industrial design style is terrific for a revamp on a budget.
How Do You Blend Black Industrial Interior Design With Your Home?
For materials, avoid pairing any plush fabrics with furniture from the industrial style. The cushiness won’t pair well with the more utilitarian and hardworking materials favored in the style like wood, iron, steel, and other metals.
Vintage items, particularly those with a distressed or weathered look, pair well with black industrial styling. If your home features bare metal, wooden floors, or stone tabletops, they’ll also complement perfectly.
Avoid the use of bright colors. The black industrial style favors neutral palette choices, with whites, grays, and blacks (obviously) being heavily present. Dark, moodier colors like a deep purple or red can pair well in the right setting.
Limit the use of accessories and accents in any room you’re looking to meld with industrial design. As we’ve discussed, the look favors dark neutral colors and minimalism, so keeping things clutter free should be a priority.
Instead, add personal touches to a room with large black and white wall art, small metal sculptures, and salvaged items to adorn tabletops and bookcases. Flowers or other colorful, lively additions are best left to other rooms or kept to a minimum.
Look for black industrial pendants and lamps made of metal with small touches of wood and glass, with fabric to be avoided entirely. Shades should be wide and solidly colored, and hung low by a black wire or chain.
You should now have all the knowledge you need to get moving on adding elements of the black industrial interior design style to your home. At first it may seem cold and restricting of personal style, but its willingness to accept both new and old actually makes it a style with a world of possibilities.
