Industrial chic is here to stay. Unique antique pieces, original architecture, and modern twists create a style that is both liberating and high impact.
A stalwart of design
Industrial antiques have enduring appeal and bring character to an interior. They capture livelihoods and craftsmanship through the ages, often with true one-of-a-kind status.
Increasingly, people want to decorate their homes without being limited to any one style. The industrial lends itself to this fluidity, by celebrating and exposing raw materials with striking simplicity. Old industrial pieces provide the perfect opportunity to marry vintage with modern, to give your home that 'lived in' feel.
Embracing the natural structure of a building sets the tone for the rest of an interior. Exposed brick, beams, and pipework are decorative features in themselves. Industrial style is a natural complement to this trend and suggests an interior that is evolving, as opposed to stagnant.
Wood, enamel, chrome, iron… all of these materials reflect their industrial history and need little adornment to stand out.
Repurposing industrial antiques
Antique and vintage industrial pieces are a refreshing antidote to the fast furniture age.
Industrial interiors value the bare bones of an object; the quality and the craftsmanship. It harks back to an era when, if something was broken, you would arrange a repair rather than replace it.
The beauty of this style is that it allows the journey of a piece to continue, by repurposing it for modern living. There is something quite special about a piece of furniture that was once a crucial part of someone’s livelihood, whether that was carpentry or sewing.
Perhaps your home and working life don’t require a set of seed merchant’s drawers, but they are a stunning decorative feature that offers lots of storage.
Create the industrial look
Whether you are looking to wholly embrace this raw aesthetic or just introduce a few pieces into your home, Lorfords is a great place to start.
Our aircraft hangars at Babdown Airfield are the perfect showrooms for industrial antiques. Our collection includes antique wooden furniture, trade signs, ladders, easels, and a host of other industrial pieces.
Antique and vintage trade signs are relics of mercantile history. Signs that once hung in a carpenter’s shop, horologers, or other stores are striking decorative items. With their cursive declarations of services, a trade sign is a stylish way to inject character into your home.
Industrial pieces bring a variety of textures and materials into the home, which creates a layered feel. This raw aesthetic can be warmed up by fusing it with other styles. Consider surrounding industrial features with eclectic Mid-Century designs or the fresh hues of Swedish chic.
Iconic designs, such as the Tolix chair, look stylish in an industrial interior. With their galvanised metal finish and bright colours, these chairs were firm fixtures in cafes, offices, and factories during the 20th Century. Soften the edges of the industrial with rich textiles such as velvet upholstery, a leather Chesterfield or an antique rug.
Industrial antiques are where tradition meets vogue, and there are no rules on how you style it within your home.
Lighting with purpose
Industrial lighting never goes out of style and is a simple way to bring a unique edge to your interiors. This trend is so appealing because these are antiques with clear provenance, and this is especially true when it comes to light fittings.
From Victorian street lanterns to Mid-Century enamel lights, there is a range of striking antique and vintage options available. Pendant lights exude atmosphere in modern interiors and help to achieve that 'warehouse loft' look.
Our collection includes several Holophane lights. Holophane Glass studied the distribution of light in the 1890s and came up with a solution: prismatic lighting. These lights provided ‘scientific illumination,’ on factory floors and other workplaces. In the 20th Century, they went on to light up famous spots such as The House of Lords and Westminster Abbey.
In a house full of beautiful antiques, your lighting can tell a story too. Repurpose old restaurant lights, school lights, and streetlights into amazing features in your home. Here at Lorfords, we have a pair of early 20th Century industrial lamps which originally hung in Camden underground station.
Get inspired
If your interiors need a refresh, adding a few unique industrial pieces can work wonders. Experiment with one or two statement antiques, or create a workshop inspired space for a bold look.
Visit our lookbook 'Into the Workshop' to view a selection of antiques with an industrial history behind them.