Chair Crazy: A new Industrial Revolution

With current design trends that favour rustic tones as well as the juxtaposition of modern and vintage, the raw with the refined, and the masculine with the feminine, the industrial design concept, long seen in down-town Manhattan lofts and warehouse spaces, is fast becoming tremendously popular. The design experts from Chair Crazy shed light on how you can achieve the Industrial look in your home or office.

Invention and Inspiration

This inspirational interior trend is said to have been inspired by characteristically utilitarian old factories and industrial spaces built as far back as the 1700’s. As technology progressed, the types of businesses housed in these buildings moved to areas outside of metropolitan areas, and these old buildings were abandoned and only recently converted to living and office spaces.

The Elements of Industrial Design

Typically, industrial design is all about proudly displaying the building materials that are customarily concealed. It’s about deliberately adding a raw, unfinished look to a space and selecting pieces that are as much about function as about style. This achieves a raw, edgy, urban flair – a celebration of engineering and mechanical ingenuity. This style, much like the original buildings themselves, is characterized by utilitarian surfaces, such as rough, weathered wood surfaces, distressed walls, exposed bricks, and concrete.  Often the iron pipes, ducts and fittings are left open and on display as are the original industrial lighting fixtures. This unfinished look is really the key element of this style and can be fairly easily recreated in your home, office or any commercial space. This pairing of rustic wooden finishes and exposed iron or steel achieves a wonderful aesthetic balance for fans of eclecticism. The industrial feel achieved from the use of metal in a design concept is often extended through the selection of chrome or high-sheen steel for light fixtures and finishes or accents in kitchens and bathrooms. Minimalist Musings

Industrial design lends itself to a very minimalist look, in both colour and design, often making use of bold, featured pieces, such as an oversized light fixture, or a brightly coloured piece of furniture or art as a focal point. The use of indoor plants is also a popular option and one that falls in with current trends that celebrate the contrasts of nature and man-made and brings life into an otherwise industrial space – a perfect accent to elements such as concrete floors and wooden beams. Comfortable Contrasts

Just because you have chosen a style that is modern chic, by pairing sleek, contemporary pieces with plush, comfortable accessories such as carpets or your favourite armchair, you can still achieve a cosy feel to your home.  This is not only perfectly on trend but also a pleasing example of mixing what has been thought of as ‘masculine’ hard lines and edges with ‘feminine’ notions of ease and luxury. After all, what is one without the other? All the typical exposed structural elements could be overwhelming if not for some visual variety and contrast, some softness, some nature. This design concept is not only popular in private homes or offices but in many restaurants and pubs – giving these venues an air both of comfort and cool.

Chair Crazy stocks many items that would fit perfectly in an industrial interior setting. Please visit www.chaircrazy.co.za or pop into their showrooms to view some of these choice options.

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