How to Create an Industrial Kitchen
How can we create an industrial look in our kitchens? Which elements bring out that raw, edgy feel? Exposed materials such as brick, steel, copper and concrete are the starting point for opening up this style in the hardest-working room in the home. Below are a few tips for creating a space you will love for years.
The Industrial Kitchen at a Glance
An industrial kitchen is built on raw materials and dark, layered colour. Expect exposed brick, steel, copper and concrete alongside shades of black and grey, contrasted with timber to stop the room feeling cold. Because dark schemes can make a room feel smaller, splashes of white or pale grey on the flooring or worktops help bounce light around. Worktops often mix materials, such as quartz on the main run with solid oak at the seating area, and appliances are either fully integrated for a fuss-free finish or deliberately left on show. At Handmade Kitchen Company we build industrial features into our Shaker cabinetry.
The industrial kitchen design
With an industrial design, dark colours are often used to create a simple yet sophisticated look. Layer up different tones across the room using shades of black and grey, picked up in the appliances and the fixtures and fittings, then contrast those colours with raw materials such as metal, brick and timber. Dark kitchens can often feel smaller than they are, so add splashes of white or pale grey on the flooring or worktops to encourage light to reflect around the room. Our kitchen design choices at Handmade Kitchen Company range from
to
, and industrial features can be built into either to create the look you are after.
Worktops for an industrial kitchen
Materials derived from nature are key to creating an industrial look, and there are plenty of worktops that bring a natural element to the surface. You can mix and match them too. Introduce contrasting tones and textures: for example, a large island with a quartz worktop and the seating area finished with a solid oak top.
Appliances in an industrial kitchen
Want to keep it sleek, or are you someone who wants to bare all? Integrate the dishwasher, hob, ovens and wine cooler for a fuss-free finish, or hide some appliances behind cupboard doors and keep the spectacular ones on show, such as a big, bold Wolf range cooker. Our
covers the range.
Industrial accessories and finishing touches
The overall design of an industrial kitchen is fairly restrained, so it can take a bold piece of statement art. A blank wall is the perfect place for a large framed picture or a group of wall art. For other quirky touches, open shelving lets you display utensils, pots and pans as part of the look.
Industrial Kitchen FAQs
What defines an industrial kitchen?
Raw, exposed materials and dark layered colour. Brick, steel, copper and concrete are the signatures, combined with black and grey cabinetry and contrasted with timber so the room feels warm rather than austere.
Can a Shaker kitchen look industrial?
Yes. The Shaker door is neutral enough to carry the look once the colour, hardware, worktops and materials around it are industrial. Dark paint, metal detailing and mixed worktop surfaces do most of the work.
Do dark industrial kitchens make a room feel smaller?
They can, which is why pale flooring or worktops matter. Adding white or light grey at floor or surface level bounces light back into the room and stops the dark cabinetry closing the space in.
Should appliances be hidden or on show in an industrial kitchen?
Either works, and many kitchens do both. Integrating the dishwasher and ovens keeps the run clean, while leaving a statement range cooker or an extractor visible reinforces the industrial character.
Where does Handmade Kitchen Company design industrial kitchens?
We design, hand-build and hand-paint bespoke kitchens from our workshop in Essex, for clients across Essex, Hertfordshire and North London. For other looks, see how to create a
or a
. Looking to bring an industrial look into your handmade kitchen? A mood board is a good place to start, and it helps your designer understand your ideas.
today for more information.
