Spatial and Textural Delights: Small Industrial Kitchens with Exposed Brick Finishes

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If you are a regular on Decoist, then you will know already that we are big fans of modern-industrial style and all the different version that it delivers with each passing year. It is a style that has been largely revitalized by the adaptive reuse of old industrial buildings in the last few years. With homeowners and architects turning to forgotten structures in order to save both resources and the planet, the last decade has seen a significant spurt in modern-industrial homes across the world. Some are expansive with double-height interiors and loft spaces while others are far more modest and rely on space-savvy design. Today we take a look at the latter as we step into the brilliant world of small industrial kitchens.

Modern-industrial island that is creative and filled with ample light

There is absolutely no shortage of industrial kitchen ideas and we have already shared with our readers many of those. But what about small industrial kitchens with an exposed brick wall section? They just seem that much more beautiful; authentic even! The exposed brick wall gives the industrial space a more distinctive appeal even while ushering in textural contrast. From those that just have a backdrop of brick wall to ones that use exposed brick in a creative fashion, this is a look at the best small industrial kitchens –

Exposed Brick Wall Sections

Exposed brick walls were considered ‘ungainly and visually poor’ for a very long time and homeowners and architects alike wanted to cover them up quickly in every room of the house. But times and trends have changed and a revitalized modern industrial style has seen a celebration of exposed brick at its beautiful best. If there is a brick wall hiding under all those layers of plaster in the small kitchen, then now is the time to bring it out and let it shine. With the industrial style, you will have no issues in integrating it with the larger narrative. Even in the tiny kitchen, this makes an impressive statement!

Bringing the exposed brick wall to the small industrial eat-in kitchen with urbane appeal [From: Phoenix Building Renewal]

Corner space comes in mighty handy in the small industrial kitchen with exposed brick wall backdrop

Kitchen island in reclaimed wood along with sparkling copper pendants used in the small industrial kitchen

Apartment kitchen with blue cabinets and exposed brick wall section along with dashing pendant lights

Beautiful modern industrial kitchen of Barcelona home with an exposed brick wall and walls in white and porcelain backsplash [From: Homesearch Barcelona]

Bright neon lights steal the spotlight in this tiny industrial kitchen with whitewashed brick wall backdrop

Combining Brick with Other Finishes

A small industrial kitchen might not seem like a place to try out too many finishes. Yet, you would be surprised at how easily you can mix two or three different finishes in these tiny areas and everything looks just organic. You already would have a certain metallic element in the kitchen and with large windows that feature a black metallic frame, and exposed duct pipes, there would be no shortage of metal in here. Wooden cabinets and floors add another material to the small kitchen with polished modern finishes filling in the gaps. Nothing looks overdone in here despite these multitude of textures!

Custom kitchen island that is perfect for small kitchens is draped in brick and features a white countertop [From: Kamila Kovalevskaya]

Different finishes and textures still find pace next to one another in this small modern-industrial kitchen

Pendants create a lovely interface between light and shadows in this brilliant industrial-eclectic kitchen [From: unicum project]

Polished gray finishes combined with exposed brick wall in the small modern-industrial kitchen [From: martin mailleux]

Turning the exposed brick wall in the kitchen into the focal point with smart shelving and the right use of cabinets [From: Nina Williams Interiors]

Balanced use of both modern and industrial styles in the modest kitchen with exposed brick wall [From: Patti Wilson Design]

Creating that Spacious Ambiance

We always tend to harp on about how essential it is to have the right lighting in small rooms and for good reason. Lighting in the industrial kitchen generally is not an issue during daytime because you tend to have large windows to rely on. But for those who do not have this comfort and after sunset, you need an even layer of recessed lights to drive away any sense of dullness. Remember that all those different finishes along with the brick wall generally tend to take away from the ‘illumination’ of the room as they are not really the most reflective of surfaces. Couple this with the usual grays, whites and beige used in these kitchens and you realize why bright lighting is such a key.