DIY Ideas for an Industrial Living Room
Updated on April 15, 2019
When it comes to interior decor, we’ll fully admit that we’re suckers for a theme or an explicitly specific style. There’s just something about a cohesively unique aesthetic that gets us excited, particularly if it’s one that you can use your creative and DIY skills to make all kinds of features and decorative pieces for! Lately, we’ve been considering adding some industrial chic inspired elements to our home, particularly in our living room, so we’ve had our eyes peeled for all kinds of resources that might help us out with that.
1. A brick wall with a metal ceiling
In classic industrial chic decor, leaving hard and textured surfaces exposed is like a central tenet of the style. That’s been true for years and it’s so timeless that the appeal of those features extends through today! This space featured on Digs Digs is the perfect example of what we mean. They’ve combined a metal ceiling, an exposed brick wall, and concrete flooring in one place for a stylishly “unfinished” yet comfortable look that’s perfect for building an industrial room in.
2. Stacked pallet furniture with brick and metal for rustic industrial chic
When you think of classic “industrial chic” does your brain also begin to picture clearly upcycled and repurposed pieces? Well, you’re entirely right that the two often go hand in hand! That’s why we love it when those with industrial chic living rooms choose to use things like reclaimed wooden pallets to make practical furniture pieces that play well off their exposed brick and metal features, just like you see here in this stacked pallet media centre highlighted in discussions of industrial style on Interior Idea.
3. Contrasting wood and metal for industrial and country at once
Are you perhaps absolutely interested in making some kind of industrial chic aesthetic prominent in your decor scheme but you’re also feeling a little more country than some of the very urban spaces you’ve seen use the same elements? Then we’d suggest upping your inclusion of wood so that there’s a strong farm chic contrast balancing out all of the dark metal you might be using elsewhere! This dining set and its wood and metal flower box are the perfect example of what we mean. You can actually see how the little industrial farm chic floral box was made on Home Made Lovely.
4. Exposed metal features
Have we really caught your attention in our discussion of exposed metal features and now you can’t help wondering just how many ways you can incorporate that into your living room? In that case, we’d suggest seeking inspiration in rooms like this one featured on Virlova Style‘s highlighting of fantastic industrial chic spaces! They’ve included exposed black metal in the centre of the living room, the fire escape inspired staircase, and the exposed ducts on the ceiling, which balances in a stunningly industrial way with their lovely exposed brick wall.
5. Exposed pipes, beams, and ducts
We’ve talked a little bit about leaving metal exposed on the ceiling but why not take that idea further within your room for a really industrial chic aesthetic? We love this discussion on Home and Decor that outlines all kinds of things you can leave looking “unfinished” in order to help establish the style a little more heavily in your space. Exposed wooden beams, pipes alone the walls, and, yes, the classic ceiling ducts can all contribute to the look.
6. DIY Industrial cage light sconces
If you’re going to start building your own industrial chic look in your living room, or any space really, would you prefer to start with a few DIY elements and slowly transition the look over using your crafting skills? In that case, we’d definitely suggest taking a look at how East Coast Creative made these fantastic industrial inspired cage light sconces in just a few simple steps.
7. Industrial DIY metal letters
Perhaps you’re actually quite pleased with the level of industrial chic you’ve managed to incorporate into your space so far but you can’t help feeling that you could use a little more metal, particularly lighter metals rather than the black painted version you see so often? In that case, we think you might get a kick out of the way Infarrantly Creative used faux metal painting techniques to create these awesome wall letters that you can use to turn any quote you please into industrial wall art.
8. Galvanized bucket sink
If you’re going to put the time and effort it takes into making clearly industrial inspired pieces for your home, would you actually rather expand beyond just the living room, at least a little bit? In that case, we’d definitely suggest taking a look at how Remodelista made this fantastic galvanized bucket sink that adds some kind of country industrialism into your bathroom, kitchen, or laundry too.
9. DIY faux worn industrial coffee table
In many of the featured space we showed you to highlight lovely industrial aesthetics, you saw fantastic exposed metal coffee tables in different formats, but what if you’re the kind of homeowner who loves featuring primarily furnishings you’ve made yourself? In that case, we think you’ll get a real kick out of how simply House Updated made this wood and dark metal table that’s faux worn and wonderfully industrial, just like the expensive store bought pieces you saw earlier, only more affordable.
10. Faux galvanized metal bar stools
Did we actually really catch your attention with the idea of incorporating galvanized metal pieces but you’re just not sure a washtub style sink would suit any of your spaces? Then here’s an alternative way of incorporating it for your consideration! We love how authentic these faux galvanized steel stools outlined step by step on All Things Thrifty look and we think they’re a great way to let industrial chic aesthetics spill over into your kitchen island space from the living room we’ve talked so much about.
11. Pallet coffee table with industrial warehouse wheels
Are you very into the idea of making your own industrial inspired coffee table but you’re also kind of leaning towards the concept we talked about earlier of incorporating more wood so there’s a country feel to things as well? In that case, we’d definitely suggest taking a look at how Ana White made this fantastic wooden pallet coffee table from reclaimed wood and kept things industrial by adding black warehouse wheels instead of feet or legs.
12. DIY industrial pipe guest bed
perhaps we really caught your attention when we started talking about ways to spread the industrial chic style of your living room out into the rest of your home and now you’re looking at your guest bedroom because it could really use a makeover? In that case, we’d definitely suggest taking a look at how Jaime Costiglio used wood and silver metallic piping to create a wonderfully upcycled looking industrial chic inspired bed frame that’s simpler than it looks to do but very impressive indeed.
13. Colour pop industrial pendant light
Just in case your space is actually a little more contemporary and eclectic, here’s a fun, brightly coloured tutorial to remind you that not all industrial chic projects have to be black, silver, wooden, or brick! Instead, take a look at how London Like The City made this DIY pendant light cover using metal for the right aesthetic but this time in a fun lime green for personality.
14. DIY industrial side table
Did we actually really pique your interest when we started talking about DIY industrial tables to incorporate into your space but you’re already got a coffee table that you like just fine within the scheme? Then perhaps you’d get along a little better with something like this tutorial from RemodelaCasa that shows you how to make a wooden and metal industrial side table instead! We love that the size of the finished piece could work in either a living room as an end table or a bedroom as a bedside table.
15. Industrial pipe curtain rods
Are you still looking for smaller details that you can include in your room to slowly start transitioning into an industrial style? Perhaps you’re actually just feeling very intrigued by the exposed piping aesthetic but that’s not an option that’s available to you using the actual piping in your home. In either case, we’d absolutely suggest taking a look at how Making Lemonade used piping to make awesome industrial chic curtain rods!
Do you know a fellow crafty home owner and DIY enthusiast who adores making over their own space and loves industrial chic aesthetics, but who might need a little guidance and inspiration as they tackle their living room? Share this post with them so they have plenty of help along the way!