Blending Industrial and Geometric Aesthetics

When considering my personal aesthetic, I wasn’t exactly sure what it was. I think my personal aesthetic is captured in my room. I took a closer look at my room’s aesthetic and realized it is a significant blend of a few, but some major ones stood out. Those blend a rustic industrial aesthetic with an asymmetric geometric aesthetic.

Starting with the rustic industrial aesthetic. I would describe this as a blend of wooden pieces and accents blended with concrete and typically black metal to give it a colder industrial feel. Rustic Industrial gives the feeling of an abandoned warehouse in a city being transformed into a living space.

[1] Exploring the Essence of Industrial Style in Interior Design

One of the standout pieces in my room is my desk, which captures this aesthetic. It features a wooden tabletop complemented by black pipe legs, giving it an industrial workbench feel. The integrated glass panel into the desk adds a modern feel while keeping the industrial theme. My bed frame also follows suit, using black metal framing with wooden panels to reinforce that raw, workshop-inspired design. (See [3] & [4])

Beyond the industrial elements, my room also leans heavily into asymmetry. The geometric mural behind my desk is a prime example, using a fragmented, non-uniform triangle pattern to create a dynamic focal point. The LED light woven into the mural further enhances the effect, introducing contrast and movement. Asymmetry continues throughout my space in more minor details. The black-and-white posters on my wall, the asymmetrical shelving beneath the TV, and the unbalanced arrangement of my shoe display all contribute to this aesthetic. Even the singlets displayed at the entrance align with this theme. Yet, despite the prominence of asymmetry, elements of symmetry also bring balance. For instance, the lamps positioned in each room corner, the symmetrical shelves and posters above the TV, and the framed drawings above the window create an intentional harmony amidst the asymmetrical design.

[2] Video of my room

[3] Desk Side shot

[3] Desk Front Shot

[5] Shoe display

The industrial rustic aesthetic plays with warm and cool tones, blending wood textures with sleek black metal and using warm lighting as an accent. My room embodies this balance, incorporating darker, neutral colors like the deep green of my chair and bedding, which ground the space in an earthy, muted palette. However, vibrant accents add energy and contrast, particularly in my shoe display and TV setup. The orange of the Nike boxes stands out against the black elements, while hints of purple in the poster and shoes introduce a subtle depth. Even the gold within the geometric mural complements the surrounding black and silver tones, creating a refined yet dynamic visual harmony. This thoughtful mix of colors and lighting ensures the space feels cohesive and expressive, blending industrial ruggedness with my personal flair.

I think my appeal to the industrial rustic aesthetic has come a lot from social media and many videos on TikTok of people’s rooms that utilize neutral, muted color palettes along with many asymmetries. [6] isn’t an all-encompassing example as it is more mid-century modern, but a good one with a more industrial feel, a loft with ample open space, giving it that warehouse feel. It utilizes symmetry and asymmetry in its decor, plants, and small lighting as accents, as well as in collages or more miniature shelf decorations.

[6] Tik tok inspiration

On the surface, my room feels like a reflection of a bunch of different decorations and aesthetics, but looking closer, you can see a lot of cohesiveness in my design, and I took a lot of unknown inspiration from interior design tik-toks. I think my final project will fall into my aesthetic because I’d like it to be something I put in my room, but that may change as I get more ideas.

Sources:

[1] Rowabi. (n.d.). Industrial style interior design. Rowabi. Retrieved February 26, 2025, from https://www.rowabi.com/blogs/lab-of-wabi-sabi-blogs/industrial-style-interior-design

[6] Ngai, E.(2025, February 26). [Video about industrial style interior design]. TikTok. https://www.tiktok.com/@edngai/video/7337342742411873582