How to Achieve the Industrial Loft Look
I've gotten countless messages from people asking me where I live (which is a difficult question to answer to complete strangers), but I always tell them the plain truth: I live near DTLA, where rent is a bit cheaper than downtown downtown but the streets are quite ghetto. There's no question that this apartment is a diamond in the rough. It didn't look anything like this when I first moved in. Sure, it was completely renovated, but the exposed brick wall and whitewashed cement was installed by yours truly! You can check out my before/after photos here. If you want more tips and tricks on how to achieve the modern industrial loft look with any type of space, keep reading!
1. Install an Exposed Brick Wall
You can't have an industrial loft without exposed brick. It's one of the great pinnacles of a studio loft! Good thing you can easily achieve this look with removable wallpaper. Here's how I made my non-removable brick wallpaper completely removable! :)
2. Buy a Gorgeous, Eye-Catching Area Rug!
When I first saw this rug on eSaleRugs, I just KNEW I had to get it!!! The Serapi Rug was absolutely mind-blowing in terms of intricacy, affordability and quality. ESaleRugs also carry a HUGE variety of modern, outdoor, solid, and vintage rugs of all sizes and price ranges for your convenience. I'm definitely using their service again in the future!
Seriously, how great is that rug?! I'm so in love.
3. Use Whitewashed Cement
Another great hue that just screams industrial loft is whitewashed cement. All I had to do was type in those keywords on Etsy and voila!! An endless selection of removable wallpaper to choose from :). Wallpaper completely changes the entire atmosphere of the room!
4. Hang Up Retro/Artsy Wall Decor
This is the real fun part because you literally have all the options in the world! Feel free to consider hanging up any wall pieces that make you happy, but be sure to sketch it out on paper first before you start putting holes in your walls. If it seems tasteful, hang it up! I hung up my entire bike using a generic bike mount that I found on Amazon, and I think it turned out quite well! I got the map from my recent trip to Seattle :).
5. Create a Modern Bed Set
Similar to wallpaper, bedding completely changes the whole feel of the room when it's done right. Stick to 2-3 solid colors that complement each other well, and use your pillows and throw blanket as a way to add texture to the otherwise-plain sheets.
6. Display Your Hobbies
If there's one thing that makes industrial design hip, it's the fact that they all look as though the tenant has some major time on their hands. Proudly display your hobbies! Instruments tend to look great in these types of settings, and so do original artworks, books, woodwork, sports gear, and just about any other kind of recreational products. Have fun with showing people what you're all about!
7. Install Contemporary Lighting
Rather than spending hundreds of dollars on a new floor lamp or an amazing chandelier, I decided to build my own lighting system instead. I bought battery-operated lightbulbs from Amazon and stacked these cage pendants over them. The entire process took around 2 minutes to stack and another 5 minutes to install. Not bad!
8. Invest in a Statement Chair
If your space is too small for a loveseat, try getting an egg chair instead! You can get one for a reasonable price on eBay or Amazon, which was where I found mine!
I hope you enjoyed this post! I would LOVE to see how you transform your space based on this article. If you can't afford all the little trinkets, remember that it only takes these three key items to completely change up your space: a rug, bedding, and a modern chair. My rug was the 7x10 ft Serapi Rug, which is currently selling for $299. That is UNHEARD OF for the quality and size!!! I hope you'll check them out and spend hours on their website because that's exactly what I did, and I have #noregretz. Feel free to leave a comment below if this post helped you or if you have any questions! :)