It's about proudly displaying the building materials that many try to conceal. It's about adding a raw, unfinished look to the most thoughtfully designed homes. It's about selecting pieces that are as much about function as style. It's industrial interior design, and today's post celebrates this growing trend. Used in loft apartments, modern homes and commercial spaces around the world, industrial design showcases neutral tones, utilitarian objects, and wood and metal surfaces.

The result: a "warehouse look" that combines a true industrial feel with a range of other styles, from the earthy to the polished. This look isn't just for "unfinished" spaces. In fact, many design enthusiasts who celebrate upscale interiors are incorporating industrial style into their homes through features such as stainless steel surfaces, metal light fixtures and vintage furniture. Retailers such as Restoration Hardware have helped foster a love of industrial design with their thoughtfully designed pieces based on specific furnishings of the past. Today we highlight a few key traits of industrial interior design so you can bring this look home…

One signature element of industrial interior design is the presence of features that people typically try and conceal, such as pipes and ducts. You can imagine what a liberating strategy this proved to be when the concept of warehouse apartments began gaining popularity! Converting former industrial spaces (such as factories) to residential living may have been a challenge, but leaving a few raw elements exposed reminded residents of the buildings' original purpose and eliminated further construction.