The next Industrial Revolution
By Susan Pantaleo -- Furniture Today, April 5, 2010
The industrial trend is emerging as a perfect blend of today's most appreciated values — care and consideration of the environment, fine craftsmanship and connecting to our past.
Chris Baily, head designer and owner of Industrial Chic, saw the birth of this trend in 1997 when he began building and installing furniture for dot-com companies in San Francisco.
“There were suddenly all of these creative start-up tech companies moving into loft and warehouse spaces,” said Baily. “Industrial furniture was a perfect fit for these innovative thinkers.” He sees this as a trend with longevity since most people are just discovering the style.
The Industrial Revolution in the 19th century was a period of enormous change and growth that affected every aspect of daily life, including furniture design. Over the years, furniture for the industrial environments was created to satisfy functional needs, using honest materials in a structural style. Steel and iron were used to help furniture withstand the harsh factory conditions.
Carts and wheels, cabinetry, tables with mechanisms for adjustable heights and manager's desks were commonly used with little regard for their appearance. Today, these vintage pieces in all their worn and distressed glory are the basis for creatively refurbished pieces.
We are currently going through another important cultural shift as we rebound from the economic issues of recent years. We are more likely now to respect the authenticity and functional focus that went into the design of these pieces.
Jeff Day, managing director of TLS by Design, is spotting industrial as a recurring trend at furniture markets. “Factory finds remind us of more simple times, clean lines and honest design,” he said.
Merging successfully with our increased sensitivity to environmental responsibility and our ongoing desire for fine craftsmanship, the industrial trend is resulting in well-designed furniture using reclaimed materials and the reuse of factory finds. Day puts the trend in perspective.
“The whole appreciation for things green, and the idea of reusing instead of discarding, plays a role in driving the interest in using items from the factory in home décor.”
“People are becoming more interested in owning furniture that has a history or tells a story,” added Baily. “Re-purposing industrial artifacts into functional works of art tells a great story.”
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