How To Choose the Right Roller Shades for Windows in an Industrial-Chic Home

By: Brandon Albertson

Updated: 1/24/2023

Industrial-chic homes have been trending for the past couple of decades. Early in the 2000s, housing shortages inspired a new idea: convert old factories into open-style loft living spaces. From this concept emerged an entirely new interior design home style: Industrial chic.

Because of the open space commonly associated with industrial-chic interiors, lighting remains one of the most important factors in the design. In an open-concept space, light has the power to impact virtually every aspect — and every room. The large windows from the living room will undoubtedly be visible from other common areas, and sometimes even the bedrooms. In loft style apartments, the walls of bedrooms don’t touch the ceiling, allowing ambient light from other areas of the space to filter into the “separate” rooms.

Today, industrial-chic homes aren’t just found in lofts — they’re found in many single family homes. The cool, simple design goes hand in hand with the even trendier “minimalism” aspect of interior design. If you’re a homeowner who loves the industrial-chic style, you want lighting that not only compliments the space, but also embodies the traditional industrial elements you’re trying to embrace in your home.

Why Roller Shades Are Great for an Industrial-Chic Style

Industrial chic styles often include:

Repurposed material - Think railroad ties for hooks, or wooden beams from utility poles, or gears from machinery made into art or put on a beverage cart for the den.

Cool, neutral colors - Concrete gray, muted tan, dusty light blue, etc. These colors embrace subtleness and simplicity over bold statement colors, yet another element that reflects the minimalism of the design.

Exposed architecture and building elements - Ductwork and piping that would normally be covered, concrete flooring, brick, beams, etc.

The lighting of industrial chic homes is extremely important. While Edison bulbs and other clear light bulbs are common, even more crucial is the natural light in an industrial-chic space. Industrial interior design often embraces more open-concept spaces, and because of the neutral palette that can sometimes lean toward darker tones, natural light is extremely important.

Thankfully, most industrial spaces have an abundance of oversized windows.

This means finding the right window treatment is even more important.

Industrial window treatments reflect the other elements so common in industrial style:

Cool and neutral tones
Simplicity and minimalist design
Clean, straight lines

Roller shades are one of the best industrial window treatments available. They’re crafted from simple material that blends perfectly with the textures and minimalism of industrial interiors, available in an array of colors that reflect that cool, neutral color palette of industrial-chic home interiors. Roller shades also feature one of the smallest stack designs of any window treatments, and when in use, their clean lines go effortlessly in industrial spaces.

Choosing the Right Roller Shades for Your Windows

Roller shades are an industrial-chic interior lover’s dream, but there are still things you’ll need to consider when choosing your roller shade.

Focus on Natural Colors

As discussed above, industrial-chic palettes tend to lean cool and neutral. That means things like light tan, pale grays, and even subtly toned colors (such as brick and blue) go extremely well in industrial-chic homes.

If you prefer moodier spaces, you can even embrace the darker colors that are evident in the other elements of industrial design, such as dark wood (remember those utility poles?) or even black (like the iron railroad ties). However, make sure that if you DO go with a darker color, that keeping that natural light a focus might be more challenging, so consider carefully with your design consultant if you’re on the fence.

Match the Environment

Your roller shades need to have the right combination of color, texture, and design to complement an industrial interior. Consider what kind of furniture and decor you have in the space, so you can choose a texture and color that pairs well with existing elements.

If you already have lots of texture in your industrial space, maybe you need a flatter feel and look from your roller shades to keep the industrial feel of your space balanced. Or perhaps it’s the other way around, and the only texture you have is from added textiles. In that case, a subtle texture on your roller shades in the right color will go a long way.

No matter what you choose, make sure to consider the overall environment your roller shades will be in.

Preserve the Light

By now you realize that lighting is a key aspect of industrial-chic design. These days, industrial-chic isn’t quite as “cold” as some modern design styles, and home owners are embracing more comfortable elements to balance out the simple, cool feel of industrial design. That includes keeping natural light at the forefront of priorities.

When you choose your roller shade for your industrial style home, you’ll want to consider how much light-blocking you want. If you have larger windows, for example, maybe you’d rather have the ability to block them thoroughly, letting in only the smallest amount of light. Or perhaps you want to simply mitigate the intensity of the light, but still keep the space bright with natural light.

Consider what level of light blocking would be ideal for you. Good news on that front — you’re likely to find the perfect level with roller shades. Roller shades come with a variety of light blocking capabilities, from low-level light blocking to full on blackout. Additionally, solar shades that are crafted specifically for sunlight control can give you natural light while taking care of the undesired aspect of those large industrial windows such as the glare bouncing off those concrete floors, or the heat that comes from having large, oversized windows visible from 75% of your home.

Once you determine exactly what level of light filtration you want and need, roller shades are sure to deliver.

Find Your Industrial Window Treatments

Industrial chic home design is here to stay, and we’re not complaining. This unique interior design style is one we love, and we know you love it, too — now you just need to find the perfect industrial window treatment to match.

Roller shades are the perfect window treatment to pair with an industrial-chic home, and we’re confident we’ll be able to help you choose exactly the right roller to pull your space together.