The Best Brutalist Interior Design Style in Singapore 2024
If you're a new homeowner in Singapore looking for design ideas or just a big fan of brutalist design for interiors, you've probably seen the word "brutalist" used with pictures of dark homes filled with natural, raw materials. What does a brutalist home look like? Why is it becoming more popular? To get a better sense of this style of home design keep reading!
Modern brutalist design ideas are often linked to rough, uneven surfaces that give the impression of unfinished design or willful neglect. Structures can have odd and modular shapes to make useful zones that are put together to make a whole. They look strong because they are mostly made of materials that look heavy. Brick, metal, stone, glass, and wood are also used, but not as much as concrete. As a result of their simple layout, minimalist brutalist interior designs for bedrooms put function over beauty, which is seen as harsh. This style is called "industrial," and it has rough forms and metallic colors.
These days, more and more people like this style of design. Its minimalist style gives it a natural freedom, and its canvas can be used in a variety of ways. Futuristic and modernist elements are now mixed together. Brutalist setup for HDB interior designs in Singapore homes can be done with a variety of styles, such as strong or simple furniture, curved elements, bright lighting, wood that stands out against other colors, and more.
Why Brutalist is Becoming Popular in Singapore 2024
If you're looking for ideas for your next home makeover, you've probably come across the term "brutalist" in relation to interior design. The popularity of this style has grown this year, and we are seeing more and more homes adopting the look. Even though it has a scary name, the brutalist style isn't actually as violent as it sounds. However, it has a history of being controversial. So, what is brutalist interior design?
Nonetheless, the Brutalist style, even the industrial brutalist interior design is more than just looking rough and unfinished. If you look deeper, you'll see that it's an interior style about making the room look simple, useful, and free of extras. We have some ideas for how to bring this style into your home if you like it:
This one-of-a-kind way of designing can help you make a place that is both stylish and up-to-date. But what does Brutalist interior design mean? What can you do with it at home? There are many reasons why someone might want to use the Brutalist style in their home decor.
The major reason is that it can be fun and unique, making your house stand out from others. In addition, even though it often looks harsh, it can be pretty comfortable and inviting. Last but not least, it can be fairly simple to do if you have the right furniture and extras.
Best Brutalist Design Ideas in 2024
1. Concrete for Every Surface
You should put concrete right in the middle of the brutalist design interior of your home because it's an important part of the brutalist style. One thing to keep in mind about cement screed is that it likes to chip and crack over time. It's also not good for wet areas like the kitchen and bathroom because it's porous.
Microcement could be added as it is the newer, flashier cousin of screed. The best thing about it over screed is that it can be used in wet places because it is seamless when it's applied correctly. It also has a nicer look, which is great if you want something that looks better. If you want to avoid all the trouble, there are a lot of concrete-effect tiles that look like concrete but don't need to be as well taken care of. Sintered stone or quartz, which looks like concrete, can be used instead of concrete for kitchen countertops or cabinets.
Another less common choice is limewash paint, which looks like chalk and is different from other options. We talked a lot about it here. For indoor use in homes, cement screed (a mixture of cement, water, and pebbles), new material microcement, or concrete-effect materials are all great ways to add concrete to your surfaces.
Concrete, steel, and exposed brick are just a few of the raw materials that are often used in modern Brutalist designs. People love these materials for how beautiful they are in their raw, rough state. For example, walls and floors made of concrete are often not cleaned, so their rough surfaces and flaws show. The focus on rough surfaces gives the design a sense of being real and honest.
2. Use Interesting Black Themed Design
Brutalist interior designs should mostly have a color plan that is simple. Please don't use bright flashes of color. Instead, stick to shades of grey (which is easy because of all the concrete) or other all-one-colour colours like black and white. This adds to the industrial feel of the room and gives it its famously bold, stark, and simple look. Take a look at this industrial interior design article for more inspiration.
Even though that's kind of the point, it can look a little cold and one-note. If you want to make it feel a little warmer and more interesting, you can always add different things. One more thing we're seeing this year is a softer take on brutalism. You can still keep the spirit of things, just add some coziness.
Stay true to the theme by using the same color scheme. To change the look of the concrete, add curved panels, walls that are textured to look like real stone, or even wired glass. You can also make focal points in your rooms by adding curves. Curves are a trendy way to decorate your home, and they can also help soften the harshness of brutalist-style building and make your room feel warmer and cozier.
Try using different materials, like boucle (which is very in style right now) or wood to make the concrete stand out. Stick to dark tones if you choose wood to keep the brutalist look. Adding metallic details can also make the whole look better.
3. Apply blocky, monolithic buildings with sharp lines and geometric shapes
Brutalist spaces are usually very big and solid, with sharp corners and geometric forms that can make them feel very important. To bring that into the room, you might want to pick big, strong structures and furniture that stand out and can be used on their own. Particularly striking are ones made from a single piece of material, like a solid eating table made from concrete. Pick shapes with simple lines that are artistic.
Obviously, you'll need to balance things out a bit so that the room doesn't feel too crowded. To do this, you could either reduce the amount of furniture in the room or use eating chairs with pencil-thin legs to contrast a big dining table. When decorating your home with a brutalist theme, it's important to think about how the furniture looks, but it's also important to think about how it works when choosing the pieces. After all, this style did come from a focus on usefulness.
4. Blend Brutalist Designs with Minimalism
They go together like peanut butter and jelly. Getting rid of junk is a big part of getting the modern brutalist look. Choose furniture and decorations that are useful, have clean lines, and don't have any extra decorations on them. The roughness of concrete looks great with simple pieces in neutral colors like gray, black, and white, making an environment that is harmonious and well-balanced. It's not just the materials that make up modern brutalism; it's also the texture and the small details.
Use different textures, like rough concrete, smooth glass, or shiny metal, to add depth and interest. You could break up big concrete surfaces and give your space more personality by adding architectural features like built-in shelves, alcoves, or niche walls. Even though minimalism is a big part of brutalist design, that doesn't mean you can't have any art in your room. Use artwork that goes well with the brutalist style. Think about sculptures, drawings, or photos that are abstract. They can be focal points and give the room personality. Concrete can be harsh, but artwork can soften it up while still staying true to the general design idea.
For a rundown of the top brutalist interior design characteristics check out the brutalist interior design from these renovation services in Singapore.
5. Pay Attention To Space, Furniture And Details
Iconic modernist furniture pieces are often used in modern brutalist interior design. People like these pieces because they have simple forms, clean lines, and are well-designed to work. Furniture like chairs and tables by Le Corbusier, Mies van der Rohe, or Marcel Breuer could be used as examples. The simple and elegant design of these pieces of furniture goes well with the brutalist style.
It's not just the materials that make up modern brutalism; it's also the texture and the small details. Use different textures, like rough concrete, smooth glass, or shiny metal, to add depth and interest. You could break up big concrete surfaces and give your space more personality by adding architectural features like built-in shelves, alcoves, or niche walls.
In modern Brutalist designs, the architecture and space of a room are given a lot of attention. In other words, the design draws attention to the structural parts, like beams, columns, and walls that hold weight. These parts of the building are often left uncovered and praised because they show how strong and solid the building is. Adding depth and layers to a design can make it more dramatic and draw people in.
If you’re interested in modern interior design, check out this article.
6. Embrace Natural Elements and Artworks
Even though concrete is the main material in brutalism, adding natural elements can make it less harsh. To add warmth and contrast, use wooden furniture, indoor plants, and fabrics in dark tones. Adding wooden details can be a beautiful way to balance out the cold, industrial feel of concrete, and adding plants can bring the space to life.
If you really want to go for the brutalist look, you might want to use industrial tools and fixtures. Choose metal elements that are left out in the open, like windows with steel frames, door handles made of iron, and taps made of brushed stainless steel. These little features not only make the design seem more real, but they also help give the room an overall industrial vibe. To keep the minimalist look, look for elements with straight lines and a matte or brushed finish.
Even though minimalism is a big part of brutalist interior design, that doesn't mean you can't have any art in your room. Use artwork that goes well with the brutalist style. Think about sculptures, drawings, or photos that are abstract. They can be focal points and give the room personality. Concrete can be harsh, but artwork can soften it up while still staying true to the general design idea.
Conclusion
Modern brutalist interior design is a one-of-a-kind mix of rough industrial style and simple beauty. You can successfully bring this bold style into your home by using natural materials, getting rid of clutter, focusing on lighting, and paying close attention to texture and detail. Modern brutalism can turn your living space into a beautiful and useful work of art, whether you go all out with bare concrete walls or choose a more understated look with concrete accents.
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About Swiss Interior
Swiss Interior is a leading interior design company in Singapore since 2012. Led by founders Jason and Ronnie, the Swiss team serves customers from all walks of life, delivering bespoke and dream interior design and renovation services to all homeowners in Singapore.
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