{{Short description|Aesthetic trend in interior design of the 21st century}} {{distinguish|Industrial architecture}} thumb|upright=1.3|A food court in Toulouse thumb|upright=1.3|Lumière Cinema in Maastricht thumb|upright=1.3|Lumière Cinema in Maastricht '''Industrial style''' or '''industrial chic''' refers to an aesthetic trend in interior design that takes cues from old factories and industrial spaces that in recent years have been converted to lofts and other living spaces.<ref>{{citation |title=8 Homes With Industrial Style That Make Warehouses And Factories Seem Totally Chic (PHOTOS) |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/02/industrial-style-photos_n_3535989.html |publisher=Huffington Post |author=Shana Ecker |date=2013-07-02}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Youvan |first=Douglas C |date=2024 |title=Industrial Visions: How Artists Captured the Transformation of Society during the Industrial Revolution |url=https://www.researchgate.net/doi/10.13140/RG.2.2.30141.88803 |doi=10.13140/RG.2.2.30141.88803}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=What Is Adaptive Reuse in Architecture? |url=https://www.archivinci.com/blogs/what-is-adaptive-reuse-in-architecture |access-date=2026-04-19 |website=ArchiVinci |language=en}}</ref> Since its outset as an aesthetic style in the 1920s,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Modern Times in Paris 1925― Art and Design in the Machine Age {{!}} EXHIBITION |url=https://www.polamuseum.or.jp/en/sp/moderntimesinparis1925/ |access-date=2026-04-19 |website=Pola Museum of Art |language=ja}}</ref> Industrialism as a style has grown wider to include industrial features in several art disciplines, including architecture, visual arts, and even cinema.<ref>{{Cite web |last=admin |date=2025-06-05 |title=The Aesthetics of Industrial Style: Between Pop Art and American TV Series |url=https://www.lafabbrica.it/en/the-aesthetics-of-industrial-style-between-pop-art-and-american-tv-series/ |access-date=2026-04-19 |website=La Fabbrica AVA |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Industrial Architecture as Cinematic Stage |url=https://www.museumoftechnology.com/calendar/may2025/ciag |access-date=2026-04-19 |website=Cambridge Museum of Technology |language=en-US}}</ref>
== History == Emerging as an outcome of the industrial revolution and legitimized by the ''Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes'', industrial style became a trend in the second half of the 20th century. <ref>{{Cite web |title=The History and Evolution of Industrial Interior Design |url=https://houseofisabella.com.au/blogs/news/the-history-and-evolution-of-industrial-interior-design |access-date=2026-04-17 |website=House of Isabella AU |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Team |first=3D Design Studio |date=2025-05-26 |title=🏭 Industrial Interior Design: A Complete History of Raw Beauty |url=https://www.3ddesignstudio.in/post/industrial-interior-design-a-complete-history-of-raw-beauty |access-date=2026-04-17 |website=3D Design Studio |language=en}}</ref> The style was also termed Art Deco in the 1960s, echoing the name of the Parisian event.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ART DECO |url=https://architecture-history.org/schools/ART%20DECO.html |access-date=2026-04-19 |website=architecture-history.org}}</ref> This aesthetic has gained acceptance since then, remaining popular beyond the 2010s.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Jacewicz |first=Natalie |date=2016-06-29 |title=Why Does Every New Restaurant Look Like A Factory? |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/06/29/483306505/why-does-every-new-restaurant-look-like-a-factory |access-date=2026-04-19 |work=NPR |language=en}}</ref> == Interiors == Components of industrial style include weathered wood, building systems, exposed brick, industrial lighting fixtures, and concrete.<ref>{{citation |title=7 Ways To Add Cool Industrial Style To Your Home |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/houzz/2013/09/10/7-ways-to-add-cool-industrial-style-to-your-home/ |work=Forbes |date=2013-09-10}}</ref> Industrial style can also be seen in the use of unexpected materials used in building. Shipping containers are now being used in architecture for homes and commercial spaces. The industrial style of design is most commonly found in urban areas, including cities and lofts. These are prime locations because they provide almost a blank space for homeowners to get started with a fresh canvas. Such locations also contain some of the key elements used to achieve this style of design including exposed bricks, and pipes, concrete flooring, and large open windows. These elements help give the space a “warehouse” feel, which is the ultimate goal of this style of design. This style incorporates raw materials to give the space an unfinished look.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lofts: The Modern Architectural Canvas {{!}} EGGER |url=https://www.egger.com/en/support/blog/loft-living?country=AG |access-date=2026-04-17 |website=www.egger.com}}</ref>
To achieve an industrial feel, a natural color palette is most commonly used. A mix of grays, neutrals, and rustic colors can be seen in these spaces. These simple colors allow for the use of furniture and other accessories to help liven up the room. Also, having the walls a neutral color allows for open areas like lofts to feel bigger and more connected while giving furniture the opportunity to help create a natural flow of the room.<ref>{{Cite web |last=admin |date=2026-01-23 |title=Industrial |url=https://www.nipponpaint.com.my/articles/inspiration/industrial/ |access-date=2026-04-17 |website=Nippon Paint |language=en-US}}</ref>
Large sectionals are a staple item in any industrial-style room. This is because of their ability to help close off larger spaces and help divide up the living areas. This is important because spaces like lofts tend to be very open. In order to create the illusion of multiple rooms, a sectional can help block the flow and define a separate living area.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Industrial Style: Living in a Loft |url=https://www.griffwerk.de/en/blog/industrial-style/ |access-date=2026-04-17 |website=www.griffwerk.de |language=en}}</ref>
As far as lighting goes, floor lamps are trending. Any light fixture with metal finishes fits right into this style. Large open windows also help bring natural light into the space, which can be very beneficial for smaller spaces. Overhead light fixtures can also give the area an industrial ambiance, especially in the kitchen.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Industrial floor lamps for style and function |url=https://lampgiant.ie/blog/post/industrial-floor-lamps-for-style-and-function |access-date=2026-04-17 |website=lampgiant.ie |language=en}}</ref>
To tie into the industrial theme, many homeowners resort to a kitchen island. These islands tend to be made of reclaimed wood or other earthy materials. A kitchen island can also contribute to separating a big room and providing a defined kitchen area. They can be paired with barstools that are made of wood or contain metal finishes. Open-faced shelving and storage are big hits when it comes to an industrial kitchen. Free-standing metal racks can also provide extra storage and can be beneficial in smaller rooms. If they have wheels, they can multitask. For example, low shelving on wheels can serve as a computer desk one day; the next day it can stand- n as a bar cart. Exposed overhead beams, brick and concrete are notable accents to the kitchen, along with darker cabinets and shelving. Lighter colored floors or polished concrete are ways to incorporate this style into any kitchen. To modernize this rather rustic look, decorative tiles look great in the kitchen. Tile as a backsplash can help create a modern twist and help liven up the space.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nothingam |first=Sherry |date=2017-05-05 |title=Industrial Kitchen and Versatile Family Room Redefine the Northcote Home |url=https://www.decoist.com/multitasking-family-room-study-melbourne/ |access-date=2026-04-20 |website=decoist |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Architecture == Having originated from the adaptive reuse of old, primarily industrial buildings, industrial style has played an important role in urban regeneration in many cities, serving to revitalize decayingneighborhoods, promoting investment, and avoiding unnecessary urban expansion.<ref>{{Cite web |title=What Is Adaptive Reuse in Architecture? |url=https://www.archivinci.com/blogs/what-is-adaptive-reuse-in-architecture |access-date=2026-04-20 |website=ArchiVinci |language=en}}</ref> The city of London is a particularly conspicuous example of the latter phenomenon.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Luscombe |first=Belinda |date=2000 |title=Architecture: Industrial Revolution |url=https://time.com/archive/6741258/architecture-industrial-revolution/ |website=Time (magazine)}}</ref>
== Industrialist art ==
=== Painting === thumb|upright=1.3|''Pressure #1'', Oil on canvas by Jan A. Nelson Often merged with Precisionism,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Richman-Abdou |first=Kelly |date=2020-02-05 |title=Precisionism: The Modern American Style Sparked by Industrialization |url=https://mymodernmet.com/precisionism/ |access-date=2026-04-19 |website=My Modern Met |language=en}}</ref> industrial style painting is found in modern artists including Charles DeMuth, Robert Delaunay, Charles Sheeler'','' Jan Nelson, Don Eddy, Allan Gorman, Roland Kulla, Jeffrey Milstein, Andrew More, and Chris Klein <ref>{{Cite web |title=Industrialism in the Twenty-First Century {{!}} Nicole Longnecker Gallery |url=https://longneckergallery.com/show/nicole-longnecker-gallery-industrialism-in-the-twenty-first-century?srsltid=AfmBOoofSNdGD_J1ZkDCXqXGXmiILludvJjVGz4TcFRgulDVTuZhx1ST |access-date=2026-04-19 |website=longneckergallery.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Industry |url=https://www.artsy.net/gene/industry |access-date=2026-04-19 |website=Artsy |language=en}}</ref>
=== Sculpture === thumb|upright=1.3|''Sculpture'' by Nancy Rubins Sculptors cultivating an industrial style include Kurt Schwitters, Man Ray, Mario Merz, Sarah Lucas, Arnaldo Morales, Nancy Rubins, Nataliya Zuban, and Nahum Tevet.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tate |title=Assemblage |url=https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/a/assemblage |access-date=2026-04-20 |website=Tate |language=en-GB}}</ref> <ref>{{Cite web |last=Roulet |first=Laura |date=2017-05-05 |title=Arnaldo Morales: What Humans Do |url=https://sculpturemagazine.art/arnaldo-morales-what-humans-do/ |access-date=2026-04-20 |website=Sculpture |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Allen |first=Jane Ingram |date=2007-04-01 |title=Pushing the Structure: A Conversation with Nancy Rubins |url=https://sculpturemagazine.art/pushing-the-structure-a-conversation-with-nancy-rubins/ |access-date=2026-04-20 |website=Sculpture |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Williamson |first=Beth |date=2025-11-14 |title=Fragile Times: A Conversation with Nataliya Zuban |url=https://sculpturemagazine.art/fragile-times-a-conversation-with-nataliya-zuban/ |access-date=2026-04-20 |website=Sculpture |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Goldfine |first=Gil |date=2018-12-01 |title=The Evolution of a Four-Legged Table: A Conversation with Nahum Tevet |url=https://sculpturemagazine.art/the-evolution-of-a-four-legged-table-a-conversation-with-nahum-tevet/ |access-date=2026-04-20 |website=Sculpture |language=en-US}}</ref>
=== Other media === Industrial style art may also be found in photography<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MF4Nc47MWI |title=Industrial Landscape Photography. Abstract photos of factories and buildings. Olympus Cameras |date=2022-01-30 |last=Roberto Di Donato |access-date=2026-04-20 |via=YouTube}}</ref> and graphic design,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019 |title=Uncovering the Avant-Garde Graphic Design + Experimental Teaching of “Soviet Bauhaus,” the Vkhutemas School |url=https://eyeondesign.aiga.org/uncovering-the-avant-garde-graphic-design-experimental-teaching-of-soviet-bauhaus-the-vkhutemas-school/ |website=eyeondesign.aiga.org}}</ref> among others.
==See also== * High-tech architecture * Revivalism (architecture) * Rustic modern * Shabby chic
==References== {{reflist}}
=== Further reading === *{{cite book|last1=Durieux|first1=Brigitte|last2=Hamani|first2=Laziz |title=Industrial Chic: Cult Furniture, Design and Lighting|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gzBiLwEACAAJ|year=2012|publisher=Thames & Hudson|isbn=978-0-500-51663-8}} *{{cite book|last1=Emslie|first1=Sara|title=Urban Pioneer: Interiors inspired by industrial design|year=2017|publisher=Ryland Peters & Small|isbn=978-1849758000}}
Category:Architectural design * + Category:Interior design