soft industrial interior design

Image credit: Andrew Thomas Lee

If you’re a fan of industrial design, but find certain elements a little too... robust, for your sense of style, then we have the trend for you – soft industrial. Mixing a juxtaposition of signature industrial design elements alongside subtler pieces, this trend is the perfect way to create a warmer, more liveable feel to your home.

Below we’re sharing four essential pointers on how to incorporate soft industrial design, without compromising on style.

Industrial Fluted Glass Display Cabinet - Matt Black

Start with furniture

When you’re designing your home from afresh or simply updating one room, the key is to start with furniture choices and move forward from there. The reason being is that furniture, such as a Saw Cut Storage Coffee Table - Distressed used as a coffee table, or our Industrial Fluted Glass Display Cabinet pictured above, can set the scene of the room – it’s much easier in terms of design to soften a piece of furniture like this, than it is to use industrial-inspired accessories on, say, a contemporary white gloss sideboard. Remember, the key with industrial, no matter, what approach you’re taking is that, each piece of furniture has to be able to stand alone, rather than be part of a mix and match set.

soft industrial mixing textures

Image credit: Source unknown originally from Pinterest

Mixing textures

At the core of the soft industrial trend sits juxtapositions – think soft vs hard, cold vs warm, dark vs light, natural vs manmade. To create this look effortlessly, think wood with concrete, faux fur against leather, dark wooden furniture in a lighter room scheme, soft billowy drapes again black-framed crittall windows. When you’re making a design choice in this style of a room, look for ways you can soften the overall look, even if that’s just adding a plant or two to your coffee table – a great way, FYI, to add a pop of colour and also make the home feel more lived in.

soft accent shades

Image credit: Miss Jettle

Soft accent shades

You might think an industrial style of interior warrants a darker, more subdued colour palette – think again. Scandinavian design, for example, just goes to show how well pastels can work, with soft buttery creams, delicate pinks, sage and powder blues all sitting nicely next to exposed brickwork, concrete, and more luxe materials such as marble and leather.

Image credit: AR3Dillustrations

Finishing touches

When you’re looking at pulling a room together with a few simple finishing touches, look for pieces with curves – including artwork with fluid paint lines, designed to complement the straight, linear lines of the furniture in the room. Styling a variety of cushions, meanwhile, is a great way to soften a leather Chesterfield (an iconic style within the industrial interior design), with a mix of prints all within the same colour palette. Other finishing touches to consider include metallics such as brass, which can look incredible when teamed against black metal, and mirrored surfaces for a more luxe approach.

So, there you have it, our guide to incorporating soft industrial interior design into your home. Is this a style you’d like to work with? Is there a particular tip you’ll be looking to work into your current scheme?

March 17, 2020 — Vincent and Barn