An Industrial-Style Dream Home: Flooring and Cladding

From New York City Lofts to Industrial-Style Porcelain Stoneware for Your Home

Before deciding which of our industrial-style cladding solutions to choose for your home, here’s a bit of history about this style.

The idea of adapting elements and spaces of old factories for domestic environments first emerged in the early 1950s in New York City. It was here, in fact, that the industrial fervour which had affected entire neighbourhoods began to transform into a need for housing. This demand urgently required new spaces to be made available, preferably at low cost.

It was thus that then-disused industrial spaces started being occupied by young tenants who took advantage of these stripped-down and expansive environments, turning them into residential open-space lofts. In doing so, these creative minds sought to preserve the original style and atmosphere of these environments. Minimalist architecture and clean lines, exposed cement and bricks, and visible beams, pillars, and cables became decorative elements, chosen to convey a specific kind of lifestyle.

Over time, these spontaneous trends also began to influence the world of interior design, which eventually began to “contaminate” them in turn. In particular, it was the addition of softer and warmer colours that managed to temper the harsher aspects and create a more inclusive and inviting, though still visually striking, design.

It is this particular evolution, also known as industrial chic, that inspired Panaria’s porcelain stoneware collections: industrial-style tiles that perfectly recreate the appearance of cement and natural stone, reproduced in “warmer” tones and enhanced with technological features that only porcelain stoneware can provide.

How to Choose Tiles for an Industrial-Style Floor

As mentioned earlier, cement floors have been a defining element of industrial-style residential spaces from the very beginning.

Today, however, using this material for home flooring means sacrificing the comfort and desires of those who wish to create a welcoming environment that represents their emotions. Especially when cutting-edge porcelain stoneware solutions now make it possible to recreate a desired style without compromising on performance.

So, which industrial-style flooring option is most appropriate?

To ensure that the project is 100% aesthetically authentic, the only logical choice is ceramic flooring, with a minimalist look that is devoid of superfluous details. The ideal solution is to opt for cement-look porcelain stoneware tiles, like those in the Urbanature collection..

We recommend favouring warmer tones that make residents of the home, as well as their guests, feel at ease. Grey cement-look stoneware, for example in the colours Lime and Cement, takes advantage of neutral colouring to pair with dark furnishings, perhaps featuring painted metal.

Meanwhile, those who prefer a more sophisticated atmosphere can go with a darker floor. Here, the various shades available recreate the textures of coarse and authentic materials, reminiscent of a vintage industrial style. This is the case for the colour Portland, which offers shades that tend towards taupe and brown.

An intense colour for the floor will complement less polished walls, like brick, which is typical of industrial-style interior design.

Creating an Industrial-Style Kitchen: Character and Functionality

The heart and soul of the home, this space is a hub where domestic life comes alive, blending function with everyday moments. The kitchen offers endless possibilities for experimenting with every nuance of industrial style.

When it comes to both flooring and wall cladding, alongside the aforementioned cement-look stoneware products, another excellent solution are tiles that mimic natural stone surfaces. Perfectly minimalist and simple without distracting and excessive decorations, stone-look porcelain stoneware conveys a connection to the natural world.

As in the Stone Trace collection, inspired by the alluring aesthetic of slate, the Glade variation offers a bright and elegant option that livens up the entire kitchen.

This can be replaced or even paired with darker stone to create a clear contrast that adds a dynamic touch to the environment. Islands, dining tables, or free-standing counters, reminiscent of typical work surfaces in industrial spaces, are enhanced by a dark industrial kitchen cladding, for example Abyss.

Paired with industrial-style kitchen tiles, fundamental elements include open shelving, exposed steel appliances, and tables and chairs with metal frames and rustic finishes in untreated wood or synthetic leather.

Finally, given that industrial projects often have an open space that includes both the kitchen and living room, it is essential to create an inviting atmosphere despite the size of the environment. To achieve this, it is useful to choose the same flooring for the entire space, thus conveying the desired sense of fluidity and hospitality. An excellent choice could be, for example, a taupe-coloured stone-look stoneware floor (such as Crest), which brightens the space and gives it a natural look.

Interior Design Ideas for a Modern or Vintage Industrial-Style Home

We’ve seen how a key element in modern industrial-style homes is the use of untreated and rustic materials like metal, wood, cement, and glass. Used together, these materials create a look that is simple, yet elegant, and, in a home, inviting. Porcelain stoneware tiles create surfaces that are perfectly in harmony with this description. That’s why they are often chosen to serve as a "foundation" for other elements within the environment.

Here, the dominant colours are undoubtedly neutral tones: shades of grey, beige, and brown. Minimalist and perfect as a backdrop for staging an industrial-style dream home which is not only a pleasure to design, but also to live in.

To add colour to this interior design style, one can simply play with brighter tones. For example in textiles, in soft furniture like sofas, in wall decorations, and even in the walls themselves, which can be painted with pastel colours.

Meanwhile, for a more understated and vintage-type style, the use of metal can make all the difference in industrial décor. Starting with the flooring and cladding which, thanks to the potential of stoneware, faithfully reproduces the sheen of metallic surfaces, like our Blade collection, available in multiple shades. A tribute to modern style and urban life, that can be enhanced with elements like doorknobs, handles, and hooks, accentuating the gritty and functional aspect.

Finally, the right lighting is also important for an industrial style. For example, to achieve a warm and retro effect, one can choose tungsten filament bulbs, while recessed spotlights can be a dramatic way to illuminate parts of the kitchen like worktops or the sink area.