If you like the industrial look, you’ll simply love our variation on this popular theme. We’ve named it “Soft Industrial” and it works brilliantly well in bathrooms. Read on to find out how to “Get the Look” in your own home.
Industrial style interior design has fast become a firm favourite with homeowners in recent years. If you head to any home furniture store or browse Instagram and Pinterest, you’ll see hundreds, if not thousands, of industrially-inspired items, from desks to table lamps. And, of course, the industrial style also extends to the rest of your home décor.
Whilst the mainstays of the industrial style have included such elements as exposed brickwork, weathered surfaces, repurposed furniture and carefully chosen accessories, many homeowners and interior designers have found the overall look to be a little too industrial for what is, after all, a home! The result is a variation on the style, which we're calling "Soft Industrial".
This softer more sympathetic look is perfect for bathrooms and we’ve come up with a whole range of beautiful Soft Industrial bathroom ideas to inspire you.
What is Soft Industrial style?
The industrial look took off in a big way thanks to former industrial buildings being converted to more domestic settings. This prompted many homeowners to make a feature of some of the original features of their homes, including bare brick walls, lighting and heating, to produce an industrial look.
The Soft Industrial style is all about taking the edge off the harsh industrial look, and what better way to do this than by adding more rounded shapes into the mix and introducing softer, more tactile materials, to make the whole look and feel cosier and more comfortable.
Whilst materials like wood, copper piping and concrete remain firm favourites, they are now supplemented by limestone and a brighter colour palette. Check out our room set below for more Soft Industrial bathroom ideas.
How does the Soft Industrial style work in my bathroom?
One of the best ways to visualise how different elements will interact within your bathroom is to create a mood board. To help get you started, I’ve designed one of my own, containing products, colours, textures and materials that I feel work well.
Now you get the general idea, I’ve picked out the following bathroom products which perfectly illustrate how you can achieve the Soft Industrial look.
Bath and tap
The mainstay of any contemporary bathroom, the thin edged Ellis freestanding tub from Mode Bathrooms complements the Soft Industrial look perfectly. It isn’t overbearing, whilst the gently curved edges bring a softer touch to proceedings.
To add a more gritty, industrial appearance, we’ve complemented with a black freestanding bath filler from the Spencer collection. As you’ll see, black accents is a key trend which ties in with this look and there are plenty of additional ways to work this into your overall design.
Washstand with countertop basin
Not quite a vanity unit but incredibly stylish nonetheless, the Bergne washstand from Mode Bathrooms is the perfect choice for any Soft Industrial bathroom, thanks to the thin black frames and grey concrete effect wooden finish. One thing industrial pieces have in common is that they are usually highly functional and, with handy open storage areas and a concealed cupboard, this is no exception.
Again, to round off the look and give it a softer appearance, this comes complete with a round countertop basin and beautiful black high rise mixer tap. And, if your Soft Industrial bathroom is bound to get busy on those hectic weekday mornings, 2 vanity units with simple oval-shaped mirrors will help avoid arguments about spending too long at the sink.
Shower and enclosure
To bring darker elements into the equation, look out for a black framed shower enclosure or, in this case, sliding shower door and add clean white brick style tiles to the interior walls of your enclosure. This will provide the perfect contrast.
And (you’ll probably have noticed a theme emerging here!) to give this area a softer appearance, we’ve included a round shower head, plus a concealed wall valve with round controls.
Walls and floors
You’ll notice 2 distinct looks when it comes to the walls and floors in our Soft Industrial bathroom. Firstly, we’ve created a beautiful feature floor using Victorian style motif patterned tiles, harking back to the heyday of the industrial age. And, in select areas, we’ve created concrete effect walls (more of which, we’ll speak about later).
On its own, all this grey and white could be a little austere, so, to bring a warmer, softer look, we’ve introduced a warm wood effect to the walls and shower enclosure floor. Whilst we’ve opted for vertical tiles around the basin area, we’ve gone a step further, bringing a more tactile approach to the main wall.
Instead of a shower tray, we’ve created level access in the shower enclosure by fitting a wet room tray instead and laying wood-effect flooring over the top of this.
Soft industrial in an average-sized bathroom
To demonstrate this look to its maximum potential, we used a large room set. However, to show how this style translates into an average-sized bathroom, take a look at the images below.
We’ve used a different freestanding bath, which has allowed us to position it next to the far wall. There’s even room for a twin countertop basin installation, perfect for you and your partner.
Careful choice of wall coverings and accessories, including the radiator, mirrors and light fittings, have allowed us to easily replicate the theme in a smaller space.
Do you have any tips on achieving the soft industrial look?
Walls, floors and surfaces are the key to unlocking this style. Take a look at our short video on how to create a concrete effect painted wall:
Tip 2
If exposing your brickwork and stripping off plaster is out of your budget, there is a much more cost-effective alternative. Simply use brick effect wallpaper. It's a fraction of the cost, really easy to put up and will still achieve the desired effect. What's more, as it is washable, it's perfect for your bathroom.
Tip 3
For all those little accessories, why not spend a Sunday strolling round some antique shops or bric-a-brac stores? You may just stumble upon some little gems. Or failing that, why not introduce new metallic finishes through taps and accessories.
Tip 4
Soften the overall appearance of your bathroom by choosing a toilet, bath and basin suite with gentle curves instead of precise corners.
Tip 5
Cushions or an upholstered chair will help to introduce a more tactile texture to your bathroom.
Tip 6
Use reclaimed materials such as wood or stone to create elements in your bathroom, like additional storage.
Your Soft Industrial style
We love seeing what you do with your own bathrooms, so here are just a few pics we've been sent by our customers. We think they really hit the mark when it comes to a Soft Industrial style!
Why not share your Soft Industrial bathroom with us by using the hashtag #VPShareYourStyle on Instagram or Twitter?
Shop the Soft Industrial look
To help make the Soft Industrial look work for you, we’ve carefully selected a range of beautiful bathroom products which complement this popular theme to perfection. Simply click on the image below to begin browsing.
Get the Look with our bathroom style guides
If you’ve enjoyed these Soft Industrial bathroom ideas but don’t think it’s quite right for you, why not head to our “Get the Look” page? There, you’ll find a variety of different interior styles and accompanying style guides like this, giving you all the inspiration you need to create your perfect on-trend bathroom. Simply click on the image below.
