Why It’s Time To Throw Out The New And Bring Back The Old

In case you hadn’t noticed the industrial theme has been taking Australia by storm in recent months with more and more cafés, bistros and restaurants beginning to embrace the industrial theme.

It’s a look that was first begun back in the 1930’s with the invention of the Tolix chair by French steelwork, Xavier Pauchard. It was designed to be a basic chair that was strong and robust and as a result not only was it used in the bars and night clubs of Paris but also became a common feature in hospitals and classrooms.

Today it’s seen a resurgence and is a look which is contemporary and chic, yet also provides a rustic feel which engages with customers. For a café owner looking to achieve this effect it’s all about getting the décor right. This means exposing brickwork on at least one wall and painting the other walls a plain strong colour, such as white or charcoal and using bare planks for your flooring. The brick work provides some interesting texture and the plain bold walls give a blank canvas to work with. To balance what could otherwise look quite dingy, you need to install glossy jet black counters and have an abundance of shiny stainless steel appliances on display.

It’s all about light

Finally it’s all about getting the lighting right or you could end up with a look that is drab and dark. Bright lights in your main areas using recessed spot lights in your ceiling will showcase your industrial theme but it’s nice to use warmer, softer light over the areas where customers are seated. Copper pendant lighting hanging down over individual tables will add a feeling of warmth plus a gentle glow to the dining areas. You could consider having dimmer switches on these lights so you can lower the lighting if necessary if you stay open in the evenings.

Here at Cafe Furniture we don’t sell lighting or appliances but we do have plenty of statement industrial furniture by way of our replica Tolix chairs and bar stools. Not only is this furniture aesthetically pleasing but it is strong and robust too. Offered in a wide range of colours from metallic sheens, to black and white, to vibrant fun colours, there’s plenty of scope to use your imagination and creativity when designing your setting. Some of our Tolix furniture has oiled timber seats and for others we can supply padded seat cushions.

Once you’ve chosen your chairs and/or tools you’ll need some strong, sturdy tables for customers to place their drinks and food on. We’d suggest choosing darker shades to match the industrial look such as our black Isotop tables which are low in maintenance and exceptionally practical too.

The industrial look is modern and edge and one which your customers will find both enticing and intriguing. Get the balance so it is warm and inviting and everything else will fall into place. Search our online store of visit our Brisbane showroom and see our industrial furniture for yourself so see what all the fuss is about.