If you are looking for the best industrial living rooms for inspiration, then we are here to share the top ideas for your home. These industrial style living room ideas will give you plenty of inspiration for redesigning your living room.
Industrial decor and design is known for its open layouts, high ceilings, visible ducts and pipes, and brick accent walls. The typical interior layouts you’ll find in industrial homes are lofts, apartments, converted warehouses, or traditional houses. This style really exploded in the 1960s and 70s when artists realized that former warehouses in the Meatpacking District in New York City made for perfect studios– there was plenty of natural light from the big windows and the space was cheap.
The living room is arguably the most important room in the house when it comes to design. We spend a lot of time in the living room at home and it must be designed to comfortably seat every member of your household in addition to any friends or guests you may have over. You’ll need a sofa, accent chair, coffee table, and good lighting at a minimum. Now let’s make it industrial!
Industrial Living Room Design
How can I make my living room look industrial? Creating an industrial look in your living room can be an appealing design choice that often blends raw materials and utilitarian designs.
Here’s how you can achieve an industrial theme in your living room:
- Choose the Right Color Palette: Industrial designs often include a mix of greys, whites, and blacks. You can complement this with warmer tones like rustic browns to make the space feel more welcoming. Paint walls in a neutral shade, and opt for furniture in colors that align with this palette.
- Incorporate Exposed Elements: Leave elements like bricks, pipes, or ducts exposed to achieve a raw and unfinished look. If you don’t have these features, consider adding brick veneer or wallpaper that imitates these textures.
- Utilize Metal and Wood: Furnishings and accessories that combine wood and metal are a hallmark of the industrial style. Opt for metallic light fixtures, metal-framed furniture, and wooden coffee tables or shelves. Reclaimed wood can add a particularly authentic touch.
- Choose Open-Concept Furniture: Furniture that has an open and airy feel helps maintain the functional, no-nonsense feel of an industrial space. Metal shelving units, simple seating, and minimalist tables work well.
- Add Vintage or Industrial Lighting: Consider pendant lights with Edison bulbs, or metal and glass fixtures. They can be a focal point in the room and further enhance the industrial ambiance.
- Use Concrete Accents: If possible, consider incorporating concrete floors or accent walls. Alternatively, you can use concrete-effect tiles or wallpapers.
- Incorporate Leather: Leather sofas or chairs can add warmth and texture while fitting perfectly within the industrial theme. Consider distressed leather to add character.
Industrial Living Room Elements
Let’s take a look at the most beautiful industrial style living room ideas. These industrial living room ideas and trends will give you an overview of this type of interior design. Our goal is to create the ultimate industrial living room essential guide.
Open Layouts
The most common element of industrial interiors, particularly living rooms, is their open layout. There are few walls to separate spaces. Instead, one room flows to the next without much interference. Lots of natural light is let into the space from the big black iron-framed windows.
High Ceilings
High ceilings are almost always present in true industrial lofts. This allows you to create an airy open atmosphere in your living room.
Mezzanines
High ceilings also permit homeowners to install mezzanines and create another level of their homes. These are often installed adjacent to the living room so people on the upper level can look down at the living space. For example, you might have the kitchen installed next to the living room, and then an upper mezzanine above the kitchen area since this space doesn’t need to have a high ceiling.
Visible Metal Beams, Ducts and Pipes
Industrial interiors often have visible metal beams, ducts, and pipes which gives them their warehouse, factory charm!
Brick Walls
Brick walls and ceilings are commonly found in industrial buildings and many homeowners prefer to leave these brick walls exposed to view.
Concrete Floors and Ceilings
Concrete is a commonly used floor and ceiling material. This gray material can be sealed for easy walking, or left raw on the wall or ceiling for a gritty look.
Floor to Ceiling Windows
Many industrial-style living rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows that let natural light flood the space. These are often windows with square panes.
Industrial Living Room Furniture
Let’s take a peek at some common pieces of furniture often found in industrial style living rooms. Picking the right furniture will help you create a cozy industrial living room design.
Brown Leather Sofa
Brown leather sofas are the ultimate industrial-style sofa choice! Here’s a cozy tufted leather sofa sitting on a red velvet rug. I love everything about this industrial design!
Black Sofa
A black sofa is a great industrial couch alternative that gives you a dark and moody look. This is perfect for a man cave or a bachelor pad!
Blue Velvet Tufted Sofa
If you want to design a more feminine and friendly space, go with a blue tufted sofa like this one in an industrial loft. Pair it with light gray accent chairs and a glass coffee table.
Distressed Sofa
Restoration Hardware’s distressed furniture line was a popular pick for industrial home furniture. Here you can see one of the exposed body sofas from this line in a living room.
Gray Velvet Sofa
Gray sofas are always a smart choice for industrial sitting rooms. Here’s a gray tufted velvet sofa in an industrial living room.
Light Gray Sectional Sofa
Here’s an example of a beautiful light gray sofa in a more modern industrial apartment. Cozy!
Black Marble Coffee Table
Black is a popular choice for industrial coffee tables. This black marble coffee table looks very sleek and completes the room.
Concrete Coffee Table
You can’t go wrong with concrete furniture in industrial-style homes! Here’s a round concrete coffee table paired with a gray sofa.
Metal Coffee Table
This vintage style metal coffee table was the perfect addition to this industrial lounge space.
Industrial Rolling Coffee Table with Wheels
A rolling coffee table with wheels is a popular industrial coffee table pick. It really brings the factory chic look to the home.
Black Leather Chaise Lounge
Moving on to other types of seating, here’s a black leather chaise lounge which adds dimension to this industrial style living room design.
Leather Butterfly Accent Chair
I saw tons of leather butterfly chairs in industrial homes when researching this article!
Black Metal Bookcase
You’ll also need a great metal bookcase for storing your personal effects in an industrial style loft.
Marble Side Table
This marble side table adds character to this standard brick-walled loft.
Industrial Living Room Lighting
These industrial living room lighting ideas will help you decide what types of lighting fixtures are best for your home.
3-Level Ring Chandelier
Here’s a statement lighting fixture for a two-story high-ceiling industrial living space. This 3-ring chandelier is fitted with dozens of lightbulbs around each circular metal ring.
Black Metal Pendant Cage Light
Cage pendant lights are popular lighting fixtures in industrial home design.
Cage Lighting
Here’s another example of cage lighting – this time an antique silver pendant hangs from the ceiling, blending in a bit more than black.
Industrial Metal Floor Lamp
I see these large-scale industrial task lamps used as floor lamps in various industrial interiors, especially in Europe!
Branch Chandeliers
Metal branch chandeliers are popular picks for industrial lighting. They add an organic element to any home design.
Ceiling String Lights
This is a unique industrial lighting idea. This homeowner has installed several sets of string lights along the ceiling of the home.
Vintage Industrial Lighting
Head to your local flea market and pick up a vintage industrial lighting fixture if you want to make a unique statement in your living room.
Industrial Living Room Decor
Now it’s time to decorate! From rugs to wall decor, here are the best industrial living room decorating ideas to help bring your space to life! These accents and decorations will give your industrial home character and charm.
Industrial Color Palette
The industrial color palette for interior design typically revolves around a blend of neutral, raw, and muted shades that are often inspired by the natural colors found in industrial settings. Here’s a more detailed look at the components of the industrial color palette:
- Neutral Shades: These form the foundation of the industrial palette, including shades of gray, white, and black. These colors are chosen to represent the raw concrete and steel commonly found in industrial spaces.
- Metallic Tones: Silver, copper, brass, and other metallic hues are often included to mimic the machinery and metal structures that are typical in industrial settings. These can add a modern touch and interesting contrast to the space.
- Wood Tones: Earthy browns and natural wood colors add warmth to the space, balancing the coolness of the metallic and neutral shades. These can represent wooden beams, furniture, or flooring often found in old factories or warehouses.
Floating Bookshelves on Wall
One of the best industrial living room wall decor ideas is to install a set of floating bookshelves.
Spiral Staircase
Many industrial lofts have two levels. The best way to connect them while saving space is by using a metal spiral staircase.
Modern Industrial Living Room Fireplace
This modern home has an industrial-style concrete frame fireplace in the center of the room.
Cowhide Rug
A cowhide rug brings some warmth to this industrial home.
Large Abstract Wall Art
Don’t forget to hang some wall art or paintings in your industrial home.
Bohemian Industrial Living Room Design
Mixing styles is a smart idea to infuse multiple themes within one home. Here is a mix of the boho style and the industrial aesthetic.
Gray and Plaid Throw Pillows
Industrial throw pillows can make for a cozy and comfortable sofa experience.
Faux Sheepskin Fur Rug
While I think this rug is a bit small for the space, the faux fur rug trend is on-point in this home design.
Gray Interior Door Paint
This industrial living room design features a painted gray interior door set.
Contemporary Industrial Living Room Design
Here’s another example of mixing design styles. This contemporary home has an industrial touch with exposed pipes and columns, which results in a seamless blend of aesthetics.
Machinery-inspired Wall Decorations
This is certainly a bold living room. A large plane propeller has been installed as wall art above the fireplace/television set in the center of this industrial living room.
Small Industrial Living Room Design
Lastly, don’t be afraid to incorporate industrial decorations in a small living room. Just because you live in a studio apartment, doesn’t mean you can’t appreciate the industrial aesthetic, too!
I hope these industrial chic living room ideas inspired you! As you can see, there are so many unique ways to get the industrial aesthetic in your living room.
Happy curating!
