Industrial

Where it comes from

Converted factories and warehouses, where exposing the building was cheaper than covering it.

Industrial keeps the bones on show: brick, steel, concrete, services running openly across the ceiling. In a remodel it inverts the usual instinct — the work is deciding what not to cover, then finishing the exposed elements properly so they read as chosen.

Lighting

Metal shades and visible filaments, hung low over the surfaces that matter. Bare fittings suit the style; bare bulbs at ceiling height do not.

What breaks it

• Wall-to-wall carpet
• Fussy soft furnishings
• Painted-over brick in a room already short on warmth
• Matching furniture sets

Where to spend

The ceiling. Painted joists, exposed ductwork and surface conduit are what make a room read industrial, and a plasterboard ceiling ends the conversation.