7 steps to an industrial inspired home office

Industrial style is all about making a feature of the rough, rejecting a tidy finish and instead allowing a space and the objects within it, to remain raw and ‘imperfect’. Pipes and brick walls are left exposed, whilst industrial products are turned into useful furniture and accessories. That's all very well if you live in a city loft or factory conversion but is it a style that can work in just one room in a home? At The Wooden Furniture Store, we think an industrial style home office is the perfect on-trend option. The look lends itself to home office schemes, where the simple and functional aesthetic translates into practical storage and less distracting decor. Hardworking materials, such as wood, metal and concrete, are key to the look, and can easily be incorporated in the form of desks, shelving and wall coverings. Here are our tips on how to achieve an industrial inspired home office.

Start with a neutral colour pallet

Image from vintageindustrialstyle.com

When you think of industrial style, the first thing that comes to mind is exposed brick walls and metal surfaces. If you are going for this style, make sure the rest of the home office is as neutral as possible. Too many colours and patterns can create visual clutter, instead of using a wide range of colours, keep your focus on bringing a selection of contrasting textures together. To visually balance the raw surfaces, add a plush rug and some comfy seating, which will give the room a softer look.

Add some reclaimed wood

If you’re worried your industrial-inspired space will look too stark, then consider including some reclaimed wooden furniture. Reclaimed wood can completely change the character of a room, adding a rustic charm to a space and making it more welcoming. Our reclaimed, grey washed pine, Searle range adds texture and interest without being distracting. The stand out pieces of the collection are the slimline rustic desk and sturdy cantilever faux-skin chair.

Use some metal

Image from discoverattic.tumblr.com

In the days of steel and iron manufacturing, the use of industrial metals were prominent in plumbing and lighting fixtures, cabinet and doorknobs. Today the use of iron as in ornamental and structural element of furniture designs looks stylish in a contemporary home office and is the perfect way to add industrial edge. It doesn't have to be a desk, re-purposed metal industrial items, such as pipes or old machinery parts, will lend an authentic feel to the design style.

Don't forget storage

Image from Elledecor.com

Organisation is key in any home office. If you have the space, invest in purpose-built office storage, such as a dedicated filing cabinet or chest of drawers to keep all your paperwork sorted.Wire racks and baskets look great above a desk and add a utilitarian feel, or try a notice board on which you can pin important notes and papers.

Open shelf bookcases are a great storage solution for any home office, as they provide easy access to all your bits and bobs. For extra colour and interest our Urban Chic range combines reclaimed wood from Southern India with a steel outer frame to give a stylish industrial edge to each piece. The range has five different sizes of bookcases to choose from and some include sliding cupboards and drawer space too.

Concrete anyone?

Image from blog.making-spaces.net

Concrete is a great finish to work with, as it can be polished for a high gloss or left matte or unfinished for a rustic appeal. Any industrial-inspired home office scheme can benefit from a dose of concrete but if you don't live in an abandoned warehouse, you can cheat the look with convincing concrete-effect wallpaper. Restrict yourself to one statement wall and combine with wooden elements and elegant lighting to stop things from feeling stark.

And accessories

Image from offition.com

Another way to bring industrial architectural details into your home is to use artwork to express your creative design style. Bold graphics, murals, you could even re-purpose old street signs and other unusual contemporary paraphernalia to add an easy industrial update to your study area.

Mix it up

Image from Apartmenttherapy.com

Instead of just sticking to an industrial look, bring in other styles and blend them with the existing home office. Mid-century modern furnishings look great combined with urban vibe which gives a home office a distinct aura of its own.

Do you have an industrial inspired home office? We'd love to see it, if you do. You might also be interested in our recent blog post about about ways to add industrial style furniture to your interior.