Industrial Chic

Ed Ong, creative director of Dwell Interior Design, offers his insights on the things homeowners should consider if they are after an industrial look for their home.

The industrial interior style seems to be a look that’s trending at the moment. Are there things homeowners should bear in mind if they’d like to achieve the look?

When homeowners ask for the industrial look, they need to realise that they have to be willing to employ the use of materials that are commonly used in industrial spaces, such as factories, lofts and warehouses. These include exposed brick walls, screed concrete, untreated wood and metal beams. So when a client asks for an industrial look, I start by asking if they have seen an actual industrial setting because it means they want the look of living spaces created within disused factories and warehouses.

What are the origins of the industrial style?