Vintage industrial – living the style fusion

You know it, I know it, this style of furnishing is incredibly popular and is becoming even more so, throughout the western world. No one questions this either, as the incredible waste of pallets from the logistics industry is an issue that has cropped up time and time again in the past few years. The upcycling of pallets and crates to create admirable items of furniture, is, in this respect, admirable in terms of its eco-friendliness and principal ingenuity and the fact that they generally look great! 

In the example we see here, from German designers and upcyclers Kimidori,  we see industrial pallets turned into a set of charming draws, stained ever so slightly with white, giving it that industrial charm that would also incoporate itself into a more vintage surrounding.

Using a mobile coffee table, like this, is often beneficial around the home – you can use it practically at times of need or clear it out of the way when you need space. You may be thinking that this table might be the last thing you'd want to see in a vintage surrounding, given that its industrial overtones are just to powerful. On the other hand, if you don't have such a classic, sparkling white, vintage interior then you could be onto a winner with a quirky piece like this, from Italian architecture and furniture design studio 'Studio 12', even creating a nice talking point for when folks come round.

You may have noticed a reoccurring theme in this article: wood. Wood is an design element that will allow you to easily combine the two styles in question. In this case, we see a somewhat unusual kitchen table, from Korean designer ROMUS. The clinical, rough and angular look of the wood would bode well in any industrial or modern setting, but when it comes to implementing it into a  vintage backdrop, the question arises: how will it work? With slightly larger pieces like this you do, of course, have to be careful when fitting it into a dainty setting, but when used as a centre piece in a largely sparse design you may be looking at a design miracle. The intense dark brown of this wood would stand out a mile away in a white kitchen of floral accessories, china cups and bunting and help to create a real focal point in the room. 

For those who like an open display wardrobe, a piece like this, from Noodles Corp, would be a great addition to a industrial/vintage interior design. These ever popular wine creates are also something that many fall in love with quickly, nowadays, and you may be surprised at the reception a number like this would receive in your hallway or lobby, too.

The style fusion doesn't need to stay indoors though. Take this exterior staircase as an example: the industrial charm of a cast-iron staircase painted in classic, vintage white gives the impression that you've gone a little further in your home design than many. A piece like this is great for displaying your seasonal plants and is also very easy to clean – making it an all round appealing installation. Why not give it a try? You could be pleasantly surprised.  

What better way to finish off your style fusion than with a few accessories. Things like old cameras, set lighting and film props work wonders in a vintage styled home. In addition to this, clocks, old sewing machines and factory crates make for a good addition to a room in vintage. 

So, as you can see, the possibilities are many when it comes to a desired mix of styles between the industrial and that of vintage – two ever popular interior directions that leave a lot of room for personalisation and creativity. For more on these subjects, take at some more ideabooks in our magazine.