A Modern Industrial Look That is Timeless

Retirement was quickly approaching and he was itching for a coastal escape—one that would accommodate his love for golf. Living in Wisconsin, Keith wanted to retire in a place where he wouldn’t have to bother about being cold or shoveling winter snow. Florida was the ideal solution because the Sunshine State averages zero inches of snow a year. On average, Florida’s weather is warm year round. Summers are long, warm, and humid. Winters are short, dry, and mild. Florida is an exciting haven for outdoor enthusiasts, and the outdoor fun opportunities are almost endless. After retirement, Keith had no plans of sitting still; golf will play a major role in his retirement years. With having sun throughout the year, Florida is one of the best places to golf and golf season lasts essentially 12 months a year. However it does get a little chilly in the winter months.

There is a community in Port Charlotte that gives you the feeling that you just drove on the set of “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.” No McMansions. No zero lot lines. There’s just a wonderful mix of houses and condos which set back comfortably from the street. One of these condos is a sophisticated residence, conveniently located close to hospitals and just minutes away from the Port Charlotte Town Center Mall. The community, of course, is picturesque Riverwood. The eclectic mix of houses, condos, villas, and landscape lushness has earned this neighborhood the best place to retire.

Certain that he found the retirement destination of his dreams, Keith purchased a move-in-ready condominium in Riverwood. After a long and fruitful career, Keith sold his Wisconsin home, retired, and moved to Port Charlotte. Any concerns Keith had about adjusting to life in Florida vanished as soon as he joined Riverwood Golf course.

So, let’s get back to the condo Keith purchased. The 1,487 square foot, 2-bedroom, 2-bath condo had a den, living room, dining room, breakfast nook, and a screened-in lanai porch. Keith fell in love with the condo even though it had dated carpet and neutral beige color palette. While the location and home were a dream, he knew the condo needed some cosmetic updates. This is where I came into the picture. Keith wasn’t sure where to start, and wanted to have a guide. He wanted to incorporate a new style into the new-to-him condo.

I asked Keith what style he was looking for. He said he wanted to create a modern industrial look that would be timeless. He told me he wasn’t afraid to mix styles. He was looking for personality and style, and that’s just what I set out to do.

Before we go on, let’s talk about modern industrial. Modern industrial interior design style has made a comeback in recent years and employs a minimalist style by incorporating the use of metal, wood, exposed brick, raw metal, and concrete. You don’t have to choose every single one of those elements in your space. The list is simply a guide. Think of lofts created inside of warehouses with exposed bricks, ducts, and pipes. Those materials in lofts produce a raw and unfinished aesthetic. Although Keith’s condo didn’t have any exposed bricks or pipes, it did have high ceilings.

Colors that are typically seen in modern industrial decors are: white, black, grey, and browns. The wonderful thing about grey is that it comes in so many varieties and with a range of undertones: brown, blue, green, yellow, and pink. Keith knew he wanted all the walls painted gray. He asked me to help him pick the perfect shade of grey. But because he planned to replace the carpet, I told him we needed to pick the flooring first.

Keith wanted to replace the outdated and unfashionable carpet with LVT flooring. I shared pictures of a friend’s condo with stylish COREtec Ivory Coast laminate flooring. The wide wood-look planks feature an attached cork bottom for a quieter and warmer floor. Keith said, “I like the brown and gray tones in the flooring and there’s not too much of either.” Check that box—flooring decided. It was time to start focusing on other elements. Next up was choosing the perfect paint color.

One way to choose the perfect gray paint color is to choose a neutral color that complements the rest of your home décor. Consider a soft gray or a warmer “greige” that falls somewhere between gray and beige. It doesn’t have to be drastically darker or lighter than the shade used on your walls. Sometimes just one or two squares up or down on the paint color swatch are enough to visually please without overwhelming the eye. I recommended Sherwin Williams Skyline Steel SW1015. Check—paint was a “go.” On to planning the next step: baseboard and trim, the often-forgotten zone.

I proposed we replace the existing slim baseboards with modern baseboards. I invited Keith to Just Counters beautiful showroom. I wanted him to see what owner Mark Kemeny did to the newly remodeled showroom. Instead of just nailing a flat wooden plank—basic builders’ grade baseboard—to the walls, Mark routed the basic baseboards to feature horizontal grooves (or ridges). Completely flat baseboards are just the accent needed between the wall and floor in a modern industrial or other simply designed home. Check—baseboards decided and planned. Next up: cabinetry.

Keith didn’t want to do a complete overhaul in the 2 bathrooms. He simply wanted to replace the cabinets, countertops, faucets, lights, mirrors, and shower door.

I recommended Aspect Cabinetry, with a Shaker-style door, using Maple wood painted a darker gray called Dorian Gray. To make gray really come alive, we planned to mix in other neutrals like black and white. Check that decision off, too. Next up: countertops.

No question about it: both granite and quartz are premium, high-dollar countertop materials. Keith was aiming to stay on a budget. So, instead of spending an excess amount of money on quartz countertops, Keith opted for solid surface. LG Hausys solid surface is non porous (he will never need to seal it) and it is repairable. The countertop will be easy to maintain. Color selected: Terrazzo Moderna. Following the countertop install, two rectangular undermount porcelain sinks were installed.

To incorporate the industrial aesthetic into Keith’s bathroom designs, we replaced the light fixtures, faucets, plumbing fixtures, cabinet hardware, and decorative accents with black metal finish. We chose wall-mount widespread faucets for the master en suite. This neat feature furthers the modern industrial style.

Before the renovations, the lanai ceiling was an empty canvas and basically had no character. So Keith had the ceiling covered with wood planks. The planks were finished with a clear sealant. The wide-planked wood ceiling wraps the lanai in coziness and offers a contrast to the bright natural light that streams in from the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Keith decided to keep the existing cabinets in the galley kitchen. We swapped the laminate countertops with the same solid surface material as the bathrooms: LG Hausys Terrazzo Moderna. We replaced the fluorescent ceiling light fixture with can lights.

Keith also switched out the ceiling light fixtures, ceiling fans, and door hardware with black matte finishes throughout the home.

Many people hesitate to commit to the industrial style because they fear it will feel cold and uninviting. However, there are many ways to soften the look. For starters, add natural elements, such as living plants, wood accents, or artwork that incorporates warmth and nature. One of my favorite things about Keith’s living room was the area rug. It not only anchors the space, but the rug also brings in a playful element to the space. With the eclectic furnishings and artwork, Keith created the right balance between industrial and modern.

A big shout-out to everyone on our team as well as all the professional tradesmen that helped bring this project to life: Cindy Kohls-Brophy, Tommy McCaffrey, and Aaron Shaffer from Just Counters & other stuff, inc. and Color Tile CarpetsPlus.