Estate Living Digital Publication Issue 2 February 2015 | Page 52

52 is of the utmost importance that the industrial interior design space is carried through onto a mood board. This assists in making important decisions in preparing the space with the selection of the correct furnishings. One of the advantages of industrial design is that you can achieve fantastic looks on a tighter budget. Minimalism is a very important aspect in accomplishing this look correctly, but it is also imperative that the company branding comes through within the design and that health and safety procedures are adhered to. Key architectural factors and elements determining the finished look include natural, exposed brick, columns, beams and exposed concrete and ceiling steel structures. Rough timber in beams or exposed trusses, wood and glass are also fantastic aesthetic features. As a general rule, if exposed concrete, brick or wood surfaces are not available at the time of the transformation, one can achieve this look with fantastic wall finishes, such as wallpapers and paint surfaces. Floor finishes consist of mostly polished concrete as the most sought after look, which is easy to clean and maintain. This can also have a roughly finished look, but one should take into consideration the type of work undertaken before opting for this type of finish. Timber and stone surfaces also work fantastically in this style. Interior design centres on clutter-free zones that are great for office environments and feature light fittings and interesting furniture pieces, and wall finishes are all that is needed to create unfussy working stations. At the very core of this trend lies time to reconnect with everyday working rituals that existed before the computer age. Coffee, culture and getting together for a face to face chat is becoming more and more popular, as opposed to communication via emails and social media. The look, although trendy and contemporary, is fundamentally a nostalgic one, reviving vintage objects from the forgotten past and having roots in ‘getting back to basics’. The industrial trend is being used more frequently in restaurants and new style office developments as a nod to the quirky, old school way of doing business. Love it or hate it, this revival is new age and here to stay for some time. This theme is hugely masculine, so one can add large, comfy couches, colourful scatter Chér Gauché cushions and more feminine Blue Planet Decór aspects to soften the space, sometimes referred to in this concept as ‘shabby chic’.