I’d say that my personal aesthetic is natural industrialism. While some might say that naturalism and industrialism are somewhat opposites in aesthetics, when combined, you are left with a very unique aesthetic that I really enjoy. This aesthetic draws off of organic and earth art movements from the 20th century. In this aesthetic, there are features of brutalism, biophilic design, rustic, and minimalism aesthetics but I think natural industrialism best describes the aesthetic. An example of what this aesthetic might look like are shown below:
Natural industrial aesthetic example in a living room (1)
In this aesthetic, the features I enjoy the most include the use of plants, natural colors, and industrial features (bricks and exposed beams). I also really enjoy having natural light in spaces it provides another active dimension to a space. As the day passes by, shadows and color changes and this often brings more life to a room. Additionally, plants need light to survive so having rooms with a lot of natural light is important to this aesthetic. Another aspect of this aesthetic that is important to me is the use of wood. While industrial is often though of as more metal or concrete features, the natural part of my aesthetic brings in plants and woods. I really enjoy the natural colors and patterns in wood and believe they should always be a feature in a room. Below is an image of how natural light and wood come together in a room in a natural industrialism aesthetic.
Light and wood features in a living room (3)
I believe that I enjoy this kind of aesthetic because of the spaced that I grew up in. My grandpa was a very good woodworker so in my house we had wooded benches, tables and shelves all made by him. This has made me really enjoy wooden features in a house. Additionally, my parents house has tons of natural light coming from large windows and skylights. In this light they put many different plants and this showed me to how you can use plants to bring life to a space. Lastly, I began to enjoy the industrial aesthetic because of my job working as a handyman where I would see a more industrial but intriguing side of houses. While the house I am currently living in doesn’t have have much natural light and isn’t industrial, my room still highlights the natural aesthetic by incorporating a lot of plants including elephant ears, a birds of paradise and many pathos plants. Here are some of these below:
Elephant Ear (left), Pathos crawling on my wall (right)
For my main project, I plant to stay within my aesthetic as I want to take whatever I end up making into my future where I would most likely still have the same aesthetic. While I don’t have a specific idea in mind on what to make, I would like to do something with wood as I really enjoy woodworking and think I can create something very interesting and appealing.
Works Cited:
(1) https://www.pinterest.com/pin/895160863434983613/
(2) https://www.pinterest.com/pin/85920305384859668/
(3) https://www.pinterest.com/pin/84231455525168011/
3 Comments. Leave new
Hi Cole, Your blog about natural industrialism is really interesting! I love how you describe your unique style and blend of natural and industrial elements. The way you talk about using plants, natural light, and wood makes it easy to picture the kind of spaces you enjoy. I also think it’s great that you shared personal stories about your grandpa’s woodworking and your parents’ bright home. It helps readers connect with your love for this aesthetic. If you could add some tips on how others can bring natural industrialism into their own spaces, that would be really helpful. Maybe sharing simple ideas or examples could inspire even more.
Hi Cole,
I enjoyed reading about your personal aesthetic of natural industrialism and I’m also a big fan and I especially love working in cafes with this design. There are several in Denver that would fit the aesthetic. It’s especially meaningful how your aesthetic is shaped by personal experiences: your grandfather’s woodworking, your parents’ plant-filled home, and your own work as a handyman. Your passion for woodworking makes perfect sense within this aesthetic, and it’s exciting that your main project will incorporate these elements. I’m looking forward to seeing how you bring this vision to life!
I really like this aesthetic Cole! I think you are on the right track with fully defining the overall feel and look you want before jumping into the functionality. It is obvious that this aesthetic resonates with you deeply, and I don’t think you will have a problem making it come to life. Just an interesting idea: maybe you could make dynamic components that utilize sunlight energy. I’m thinking of those hula-girls that you mount on car dashboards and dance from solar energy. It would be cool if you integrated mini solar pannels to have certain components “come to life” with your aesthetic.