The term “industrial style” evokes images of converted warehouses, rough natural finishes, and metals, often with brick walls, exposed ductwork, and large factory windows. In today’s blog, we’ll explore everything you need to know about designing an Industrial style kitchen, from choosing the right materials and cabinet door styles to incorporating staple Industrial elements.
The History Behind Industrial Style
Industrial interior design style originated in the late 18th century during the Industrial Revolution, a time of economic growth and a new era when technologies were reshaping the world. All across the USA and Europe, an explosion of new factories was being built, and a plethora of new and innovative products were quickly flooding the market. Function-orientated design was at the forefront of this movement, focused on growth and productivity.
During the 1960s, a new ‘Loft-Living’ movement began rehabilitating these cavernous old manufacturing spaces into trendsetting urban homes. The old buildings were ideal for creating comfortable living quarters, offering open floor plans, clean lines, lots of natural light, and a desirable blend of history merged with modern living.
Today, the Industrial style trend continues to thrive with an emphasis on blending the old with the new in inventive ways.
Dura Supreme Cabinetry’s new Adien-Vertical door style in a combination of the “Salerno” and “Verona” Sculpted TFL.
Dura Supreme Cabinetry design by Guided Design in Niles, Illinois.
The Industrial Interior Design Color Palette
The overall Industrial color palette is typically neutral, featuring a combination of cool grays and black accents contrasted by warm/earthy browns and beiges. Small pops of color (like stone-washed blues, fiery brick reds, or luscious greens) are sometimes, but not always, sprinkled throughout the space to add an extra dynamic to the interior design.
This industrial styled mood board features Dura Supreme’s Hudson shaker door style in the “Onyx” stain on Quarter-Sawn White Oak paired with a sample of “Flint” Matte Foil. Other products include The Tile Shop’s Timeless Hudson White Brick Tile and Caesarstone’s “Rugged Concrete” 4033.
Consider dramatic cabinetry with a darker gray or true-brown wood stain, black painted finish, rustic engineered wood (TFL/Laminate/Veneer), or maybe a distressed Heritage Paint or Weathered finish.
Selecting Industrial Style Cabinetry
Since Industrial style embraces the old and collides with the new, cabinet door styles can vary from old-world traditional to ultra-modern. Although shaker and slab style doors are most commonly used, you can also a variety of raised, flat panel, and slab doors used for industrial designs.
Recently, we’ve seen a surge in the use of skinny and/or shallow shaker cabinet doors in Industrial designs.
Dura Supreme kitchen cabinetry, showing the Reese door style in “Black” paint, was designed by Village Home Stores, Inc. in Geneseo, Illinois.
If you’re looking for something other than plain glass doors for your accent cabinetry, consider metal aluminum framed doors in a dramatic finish like Dura Supreme’s matte black Onyx finish or brushed Copper, Wire Mesh inserts, or Mirror Inserts in Bronze, Gray, or Antique.
Cabinet design by Megan Dent, Allied ASID, NKBA of Michels Homes in North Oaks, Minnesota. Photography by Alyssa Lee.
Dura Supreme’s Aluminum Frame Style #1, in the Onyx finish, with the “Coriander” stain on Straight Grain Oak veneer. Kitchen design by Squaw Creek Millwork in Hiawatha, Iowa.
Glass door with Bronze Mirror inserts from Dura Supreme Cabinetry.
Design Elements of Industrial Design
A Splash of Factory-Inspired Flare: Industrial design often uses commercial lighting, plumbing fixtures, and bold uses of metal reminiscent of machinery, many times with a black matte finish, but also seen in matte silver metals as well. For example, in the picture below, the reclaimed plumbing pipes above were ingeniously incorporated into shelf brackets and bar stool seating. The unexpected use of the pipes gives a nod to the past while still feeling very modern.
Bronze Mirror inserts on the accent cabinets hide the clutter behind the glass yet give the look of decorative glass cabinet doors.
The kitchen island uses pipes to mount the movable bar stools.
The pipes mounted below the wall cabinets dive through the floating shelf, creating an intriguing design feature that’s also very practical and functional for storing spices and hanging daily used cooking utensils near the cooktop.
This kitchen (pictured below) uses corrugated metal to wrap the Industrial kitchen island, adding a beautiful glimmer to the contrasting dark cabinetry.
Dura Supreme kitchen design by Studio M Kitchen & Bath in Plymouth, Minnesota.
Dura Supreme kitchen design by Studio M Kitchen & Bath in Plymouth, Minnesota.
Reclaimed and Repurposed Materials: The texture trend of using reclaimed and/or repurposed materials is a very popular interior design element across the board – as seen in Modern Farmhouse, Cottage, and Rustic styles, to name a few. Industrial style is known for its creative and out-of-the-box uses of repurposing antique items or old materials in new and inventive ways.
Industrial office desk by Steel Vintage – The Industrial Furniture Company.
The Color Black: Black Metal framed windows, shower surrounds, metal light fixtures, and decor are sought-after features for Industrial style homes.
Dura Supreme bathroom design by Anneke Huisman of Standale Home Studio in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Photography by Leigh Ann Cobb Photography.
Photo courtesy of Wood Interior Design Ideas @Wood.Interior. Design project by Loft Buro, Kyiv, Ukraine. Photography by Andrey Avdeenko.
Dura Supreme bathroom design by Sheryl Wardlow of Insignia by Inspired Design in Barrington, Illinois. Photography by Kip Wilkinson.
Exposed Structural Elements & Raw Materials: Industrial kitchens often celebrate the origin of the Industrial style and embrace the core of the home’s architecture with exposed brick walls, rafters, ductwork, plumbing fixtures, etc. It’s common to see raw and unrefined elements like concrete countertops and commercial-kitchen-inspired workspaces, as well as floating shelves or open metal shelving.
This Dura Supreme Cabinetry kitchen features the Silverton door style in “Black” paint with accents of the “Hazelnut” stain on Knotty Alder.
Is Industrial your interior design style?
To discover more inspiration for your Industrial style kitchen or bathroom remodel, browse the gallery carousel below featuring several Industrial styled Dura Supreme Cabinetry projects.
Dura Supreme Cabinetry’s new Adien-Vertical door style in a combination of the “Salerno” and “Verona” Sculpted TFL.
Kitchen design by Dondi Szombatflavy, CKD of Bella Domicile in Fitchburg, Wisconsin Featuring Dura Supreme C
Dura Supreme Cabinetry’s Weathered “D” finish on Cherry wood with the Avery door style. Design by Aaron Mauk of Mauk Cabinets by Design in Tipp City, Ohio.
Dura Supreme Cabinetry shown with the Reese door style in a combination of “Pearl” and “Graphite” paint finishes. Design by Tori Olijar of KSI Kitchen & Bath in Michigan. Photography by Martin Vecchio Photography.
Dura Supreme Cabinetry shown with the Reese door style in a combination of “Pearl” and “Graphite” paint finishes. Design by Tori Olijar of KSI Kitchen & Bath in Michigan. Photography by Martin Vecchio Photography.
Dura Supreme’s versatile Silverton door style in “Black” paint coordinates beautifully with the black metal frames on the windows. Knotty Alder with a “Hazelnut” stained finish lends that rustic detail to a very sleek design. Custom metal shelving provides storage as well as a visual appeal by tying all of the industrial details together.
Dura Supreme Cabinetry shown in the “Sesame stain on Knotty Alder with the Hudson door style. Bathroom design by Bianca Fathauer of Splendid Home Design LLC in Stuart, Florida.
Dura Supreme Cabinetry shown in the Chroma door style with “Black” paint with accents Straight Grain Oak exotic veneer with the “Coriander” stain. Kitchen design by Quinn Design in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Design by Quinn Design in Minneapolis, Minnesota featuring Dura Supreme Cabinetry.
This kitchen showcases Dura Supreme’s Craftsman Panel door style in the “Poppy Seed” stain on Cherry with accented Bronze Mirror inserts and a kitchen island with the Marley Inset door style in a Heritage Paint “K” finish on Knotty Alder.
This industrial styled kitchen island features Dura Supreme Cabinetry’s Marley Inset door style in a Heritage Paint “K” finish on Knotty Alder.
Design by Quinn Design in Minneapolis, Minnesota featuring Dura Supreme Cabinetry.
Design by Quinn Design in Minneapolis, Minnesota featuring Dura Supreme Cabinetry
Design by Ispiri Design Build Remodel in Edina, Minnesota featuring Dura Supreme Cabinetry.
Kitchen designed and installed by Guided Design in Niles, Illinois featuring Dura Supreme Cabinetry.
Kitchen designed and installed by Guided Design in Niles, Illinois featuring Dura Supreme Cabinetry.
Bathroom design by Insignia by Inspired Design in Barrington, Illinois featuring Dura Supreme Cabinetry.
Bathroom design by Kitchen Design Center by Gramophone in Cockeysville, Maryland featuring Dura Supreme Cabinetry.
Kitchen design by Karr Bick Kitchen and Bath in Brentwood, Missouri featuring cabinetry by Dura Sup
Kitchen design by Wendy Griffin of G2 Design Group, Inc. in Glen Ellyn, Illinois featuring Dura Supreme Cabinetry with a “Cyberspace” painted .
Dura Supreme Cabinetry shown in the Metro-Vertical door style in “Coriander” stain on Straight Grain Oak exotic veneer for the perimeter, the Sutton door in Black Matte Foil for the kitchen island, and Aluminum Frame Style #8 in Onyx for the accent glass doors. Kitchen design by Squaw Creek Millwork in Iowa.
Home design by Maine Cabinet Company featuring Dura Supreme Cabinetry throughout the new build. Photography by Structure Media.
Design by Quinn Design in Minneapolis, Minnesota featuring Dura Supreme Cabinetry. New Construction by Massey Berg Builders.
Kit design by Kitchen Design Center by Gramophone in Cockeysville, Maryland featuring Dura Supreme Cabinetry.
Bathroom design by Allison Steiger of dRemodeling in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania featuring a Dura Supreme vanity.
Kitchen design by Designs by SLJ, Inc. in Lexington, Kentucky featuring Dura Supreme Cabinetry.
Kitchen and dining room design by Erin Havard of Modern Mountain Cabinetry in California featuring Dura Supreme Cabinetry.
Kitchen design by Erin Loftin Serventi of E.L. Designs in Watsonville, California featuring Dura Supreme Cabinetry. Contractor/Remodel by Nieko Gonzales of Selador Construction. Photography by Devi Pride Photography.
Mudroom design by Ana Gomez of Evolo Design in Cincinnati, Ohio featuring Dura Supreme Cabinetry. Photography by rvp Photography.
