Industrial Cabinet: 10 Tips for Styling Industrial Cabinets
If you love industrial design as much as we do, you'll be thrilled to hear that industrial-style kitchens are trending this year.
The beauty of industrial interior styles is they never truly go out of style. If you kit out your space with industrial touches, we can just about guarantee it'll never look out of date—especially if you do it with flair.
That said, it can be tricky to figure out how to decorate things like an industrial cabinet.
The wrong industrial cabinet styling can throw off the look and rob your design of cohesion.
As they say, the devil's in the details.
Fortunately, styling your cabinets doesn't have to be daunting once you have a few pointers. Keep reading and arm yourself with our top 10 industrial storage cabinet styling tips.
1. Less Is More
If you want to style industrial cabinets like a pro, the first tip to keep in mind is that less is usually more.
It's very easy to get carried away when styling shelves or industrial kitchen cabinets. Before you know it, you have all your aunt's china up there, and if the kitchen sink could move—it'd be joining the clamour.
Busy shelf and cabinet styling is fine if you're going for a maximalist, cottage-core look. But if you're trying to achieve an industrial design scheme, it's usually better to veer towards a paired-down feel.
If you take a look at industrial inspiration photos you'll notice that the most striking designs usually have a stripped-back flavour. This ties in perfectly with the utilitarian origins of industrial design.
This doesn't mean you have to be entirely minimalist with your styling, but it does mean that you might want to hold back from adding "just" that one extra vase, teapot, etc.
If you find yourself struggling to hold back on the ornaments, try this trick. Once you've styled an area, step back, and then take away one thing.
Making yourself eliminate one thing from each vignette can help train out the urge to pack on the decor. It also forces you to remove your least favourite item, or the one that isn't essential to the look. Once you've taken the least impactful piece away, you'll often notice that the rest have more room to shine.
2. Be Careful With Colour
Another thing to be careful of when decorating an industrial cabinet is too much colour. You can definitely incorporate colour into an industrial design, but you do need to be intentional about it.
Some bright pops of colour can add interest, energy, and personality to an industrial-themed space. But too much colour, in combinations that aren't well thought out, may end up looking chaotic and commonplace.
To avoid this, start by prioritising decor elements with neutral hues that tie in with an industrial scheme. Materials like brass, copper, dark wood, aluminium, and iron are all classic industrial material choices.
Once you've got a base layer of neutral-toned decor, you can then add some pops of colour here and there.
Distressed paint in primary or muted colours is usually a good match for an industrial space.
3. Add Something Unexpected
So far we've told you to play it fairly safe, but this tip throws caution to the wind. If you want to create an industrial design moment for the books, we'd also recommend you add something unexpected.
A lot of industrial designs that catch and hold the eye have some decor element that comes totally out of the left field.
For instance, one industrial kitchen design we saw recently had a guitar slung up on top of an upper cabinet. This might sound bizarre, but often these "out-there" decor pieces can take an industrial design from good to magazine-worthy.
4. Play Around With the Rule of Three
Have you ever felt like no matter how you style a shelf, surface, or cabinet, it never looks quite perfect?
The rule of three is an interior decorating staple that most designers and home stylists take advantage of at every corner. Objects typically look most attractive when arranged in groups of three, or failing that, groups of odd numbers.
You can also experiment with combining items of different heights together. This draws the eye and creates visual interest.
For instance, you could pair a tall vase with a bowl stacked on top of a recipe book laid flat. Or three jars of dried goods in descending size.
Also, make sure there is some space between your vignettes. This allows for some white space and breathing room so your eye can land on each arrangement individually.
5. Don't Forget About Art
Traditionally, kitchens were backrooms, separated from the main areas of the home, and not somewhere people would display art. With open-plan living, this has all changed.
If you want to add dimension, character, and taste to your kitchen space, don't hesitate to add art.
You can hang art on the walls, or you can prop art pieces on cabinet shelves for a layered look. This same technique can work for open-shelved cabinets in other rooms as well.
6. Curation Is Key
Whether you're styling an industrial cabinet or an open shelf, curation is key.
Reports reveal that curated decor in the kitchen is a strong trend, and it ties in perfectly with industrial design.
A lot of the most successful industrial designs incorporate curated decor elements with a strong sprinkling of vintage decor items and collectables.
Do you love collected vintage items with a weathered look? Some of these could be the perfect decor for an industrial cabinet, either in the kitchen or living areas.
At the same time, don't forget that "curated" doesn't just mean a collection of all and Sunday. If you're tempted to pack out everything on display, take a step back and choose the most select items that will work with your space.
7. Invest In Functional Items That Can Double as Decor
Another top tip for decorating those industrial storage cabinets is to invest in functional items that can do double duty as decor.
At its heart, industrial interior design is all about finding beauty in utilitarian, everyday things. Part of its stripped-back appeal is the lack of fussiness and ornamentation.
If you're struggling to figure out how to decorate your industrial cabinets, try to find attractive versions of items you use every day.
For instance, instead of plastic cooking utensils, look for a stainless steel set that you can display and cook with. If you're in need of new pots, you could also splash out on a snazzy copper set and display them out in the open.
According to recent statistics, 42.6% of people in the UK cook for their families every day. If your kitchen is as much about function as it is about style, it's more than worthwhile to splurge on a few high-quality utensils that can do double duty as decor.
8. Consider a Glass-Fronted Industrial Cabinet
If styling open shelves isn't your forte, but you still want to have things on display, consider incorporating a glass-fronted cabinet.
A glass-fronted cabinet takes some of the pressure off of styling. Something about items being behind a glass pane softens the look.
If you want something even more forgiving, we'd opt for a fluted glass cabinet. Fluted glass is an iconic industrial detail, and it also obscures what's styled inside, while still giving you a glimpse of your items.
9. Add Plants for a Splash of Greenery
If you have industrial storage cabinets with open shelves, a great way to add freshness to your space is with some well-placed house plants in attractive pots.
Plants can help to liven up your decor, bring the outdoors in, and soften the feel of your space. If you don't have any open shelves in your industrial cabinets, you can also place them on top. Trailing species like pothos and string of hearts work exceptionally well for this.
Just remember that even the most shade-loving pot plants still need some light, so try not to place plants too high up towards the ceiling where it's dark and dusty as they won't thrive there.
10. Get Creative With an Industrial Bar Cabinet Area
If your home doesn't have much built-in cupboard space, you might want to consider a double-decker piece such as this industrial drinks cabinet of ours.
If you want to create your very own home bar moment for yourself, you can kit it out with everything you need to whip up cocktails and style the top with a vintage decanter tray set. Or, stock it with some great wine, display a few glasses, and call it a day.
Alternatively, you can also turn a piece like this into a coffee station and decorate the top with a tray containing everything you need to make the perfect cup of coffee.
Pick up the Perfect Industrial Cabinet at Vincent & Barn
Styling any kind of cabinet can be tricky, but now that you have a few tips up your sleeve you'll be more than armed to accessorise an industrial cabinet to perfection.
Are you on the hunt for a beautiful industrial-style cabinet? If so, you're in the right place.
Here at Vincent & Barn, our passion is creating high-quality industrial, rustic, and boho pieces that look the part and stand the test of time.
Each of our furniture items is handmade, unique, and full of character. Raw welds, distressed iron, reclaimed wood, and artisanship make our pieces one of a kind.
Browse our range of cabinets and cupboards to find the perfect piece.