Reclaimed materials with a seamless transition of textures and elements; these are the basics of an industrial style kitchen. It’s not as easy as it looks though, there is plenty more to consider when seeking to create this trendy, lived-in style. Here are our hot tips for piecing together a great industrial style kitchen in your own home.
An industrial style kitchen is based on a design theme that is both easy on the eye and moderate to maintain. The good news is that you can make this versatile kitchen style work in just about any home. The secret to creating a good industrial style kitchen is finding the perfect blend of textures and materials.
What are the key elements of an industrial style kitchen?
When I think of industrial style, I think clunky cast iron machines cranking out plenty of noise and steam. But industrial style kitchens are a lot more refined than that. Characterised by reclaimed timber, exposed brickwork, sleek stainless steel and lighting that doubles as a feature element, industrial style kitchens are a mix of new and old carefully pieced together to work in symmetry. This is a style that oozes personality whilst allowing plenty of flexibility to be ultra-functional.
With the kitchen, an important part of most households these days, almost any kitchen design can be tailored and tweaked to suit your own household requirements.
Benefits of an industrial style kitchen
#1 Renovators’ delight
Industrial style kitchens are great for new kitchen designs but are perfect for renovators too.
When renovating, the kitchen foundations can almost be stripped back to bare bones to expose features that require minimal tweaking to restore. Natural brickwork, concrete flooring, and exposed beams are welcomed feature elements of industrial style. Embrace these from the start and you are already halfway there.
#2 Design
Design benefits are aplenty in an industrial style kitchen but the most prominent of those is the neutral-coloured base. With the use of natural (and neutral) materials such as stone, timber, stainless steel and concrete for the core items of the space, you can get inventive with a playful mix of brighter and bolder colours on furniture and fittings. And, it really doesn’t matter what blend of colours you use – almost anything goes. Trying something different, uniqueness and individuality is certainly encouraged and at home here.
Cabinetry
Colours such as duck egg blue or navy, work well against a background of natural-coloured brick. Shaker-style cabinets look particularly great in these shades. And to add even more spice, you could colour a glass-fronted overhead cabinet in a brighter shade like red or orange to mix it up.
Small appliances
Appliances such as kettles and toasters really come into play as part of the essential décor in an industrial style kitchen. Set atop the kitchen bench, larger, retro-styled appliances are the way to go here.
Instead of settling for standard stainless or white, choose chunky-looking appliances in interesting colours such as red, green and blue. For a little inspiration, check out the range of toaster and kettle packs we found at appliancesonline.com.au. This bronze-coloured set would look especially fabulous with industrial styling in a kitchen.
#3 Cost-saving benefits
Industrial style kitchens offer cost-saving bonuses too. Here are just a few of the ways you can help ease the pain on the hip pocket with this eclectic kitchen style.
Upcycling
Industrial style is all about embracing pre-loved pieces of furniture and fittings. Other than looking great, this can also save money on a new kitchen build or renovation. Here are a few ideas on how to capitalise on upcycling; industrial kitchen style!
- reclaimed timber: use chunky pieces of reclaimed timber to build an island bench or a nifty butcher’s block to feature in the kitchen
- upcycled furniture: inject some love back into used bar stools or seats to feature against a breakfast bar or nook. A new coat of paint, a spruced-up chair back or renewed material seat pad will work wonders. And to give your industrial style kitchen more character, vary the type of stools used with a different mix of textures and stunning colours
- lighting: instead of buying modern-styled lighting, choose some chunky pendant lights to hang from recycled stainless, black or bronze-coloured chains or repurpose other pieces you have found to create, or restyle, unique light fittings of your own
Check out recycled timber yards, tip shops, and op shops where you can often find some beautiful items to revamp.
Light and bright
Open, inviting windows that draw in the light are ideal industrial style partners. And when there is plenty of light there is less reliance on energy consumption to drive artificial lighting. Embrace the light when designing your industrial style kitchen or remove the window shades to get out of the dark.
Accessories
There is no need to buy over-priced trinkets that do nothing but look pretty with this kitchen design. Where you would have wasted the space (and the money) to house them, show off your cooking tools and utensils instead!
Suspend cooking utensils like ladles, slotted spoons, and tongs from a rod above the cooktop. Make a D-I-Y pot holder from an old ladder or pieces of timber to hang from the ceiling. Hang a pegboard to house smaller pots and pans on the wall.
If you want a contemporary but eclectic kitchen that boasts an impressive mix of textures, colour, functionality, and versatility – look no further than this understated, but statement-making, style. It’s a great way to inject your unique style and personality into one of the most-used rooms in your home.
For professional advice on creating an amazing industrial style kitchen for your home, or any other kitchen design style for that matter, contact the Harrington Kitchens team on 1300 662 112, submit an online enquiry or visit us at our Narellan or Bowral showrooms.
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