Industrial-style furniture has a fairly long tryst with furniture makers, consumers, architects, woodworkers & interior designers. The origins of Industrial furniture can be traced back to the industrial revolution in Great Britain [present-day United Kingdom] & also in the United States around the 1750s.
Industrial furniture as a distinct design style took birth during what could easily be considered the fastest growing periods in Europe, the United States, the rest of the western nations & possibly most of humankind.
At that time, the style didn’t come about simply to please the aesthetic senses was popular due to its raw utilitarian features. Metal forging, steam works & manufacturing was at the center of the industrial revolution & during these times furniture, fixtures, portable carts, storage bins, and cabinets were in need within the factories themselves.
Traditional Victorian furniture was brittle and fragile, nowhere near adequate to handle the aggressive, energetic & rugged environment of the factories during the time.
As an alternative, craftsmen of the time thought of something genius which would not only play a supporting hand to the most prosperous times in humankind but also mature to be some of the most preferred furniture styles for villas, restaurants, pubs, high-end homes, hotels and all types of commercial businesses.
At the onset, we’d like to thank the team at FurnitureRoots for sharing their know-how & expertise regarding this furniture style. As a manufacturing supplier of Industrial furniture, furniture, (click here to see their services), they make pretty much all of the industrial styles listed below & sell them world-wide.
Table of Contents
French-Industrial
Among all the styles within industrial design, French-industrial is certainly an outlier, because it is probably the only style that cannot be identified as Industrial immediately. These are rather simple to incorporate within a décor theme.
French industrial styles are normally characterized by provincial style architecture and also comparatively minimal hints of metal across any furniture piece. The authentic ones are made of wrought iron and are carved by a skilled blacksmith.
They also tend to have a lot more fabric & wood. One would require a keen understanding of furniture in the backdrop of dim lighting to appreciate the aura and ambiance exuded by these furniture styles.
Source: blogspot.com
As authentic wrought iron is rare to find & also much more expensive to make/manufacture, popular alternatives used are galvanized zinc & tin materials. Make sure the one you get is properly electroplated to ensure a corrosion-free experience with the furniture.
Rustic-Industrial
Although rustic furniture, also known as farmhouse style furniture is a separate furniture category & style on its own, the marriage between countryside rustic & a bustling industrial style theme may seem slightly nuanced.
But you will be surprised at the demand for this particular style of industrial furniture. Normally these are stacked in colors that contrast each other and use natural colors like beige and brown.
They really come into their own when the flooring is wooden, or at least in wooden color and the furniture pieces themselves are predominantly, although not entirely metal.
We’ve compiled a list of ideas to add a rustic & farmhouse theme to your home & business establishment. [Check Out The Guide Here]
Source: metallicepoxy.sg
Vintage-Industrial
Inspired by Victorian period furniture during the times of the industrial era, while these styles also use a whole lot of wood, they are generally distressed thoroughly to manifest an aged and matured appeal. Folks over at the creative market have also compiled this guide on vintage industrial furniture.
Curiously, the metallic elements are made using pure, unadulterated iron, and oxidation is preferred instead of being prevented. This also aids with the aging of the furniture pieces.
Enthusiasts of industrial styles prefer a middle ground between vintage & contemporary depending on the level of efforts they’re willing to take and also on how much of a sacrilege they think adding modern elements to industrial furniture is. This brings us to the next industrial theme.
Source: homesquarefurniture.com
Scandinavian Industrial/Contemporary Industrial
While the industrial style of the old featured unprocessed & unadulterated metal. Alloys during the time were an unknown concept & raw ore was simply used as-is. However, in this modern age, we have the luxury of & the privilege of trying out futuristic materials that are ideal in terms of design, sustainability & durability.
Also interchangeably called Scandinavian industrial, (although both can be segregated, technically speaking). This is so because the Scandinavians are known for their sleek & minimalistic design sense that is intrinsic to them. Contemporary designs are similar.
Additionally, using materials like stainless steel gives the added advantage of corrosion resistance while also ensuring that the furniture looks seamless and beautiful. Modern industrial furniture typically uses a light-colored but metallic shape that also gives it a futuristic look. We’ve also stacked a guide on modern furniture & fitting ideas.
Source: johansondesign.com
That’s most of the variations & their details that we’ve covered. Industrial furniture design, just like the revolution it is based on, has been quite impactful and the after-effects and the various designs that took birth afterward is a testimony not just to our love for aesthetics but also to our keen desire for comfort & affluence. Just what the revolution wanted to achieve.
