Why Brutalist Interior Design Is Perfect for You? 12 Breathtaking Designs to Copy

Indeed, houses built in the Brutalist interior design style may not look as grand as their monumental forebears, but their designs are often just as reminiscent of the era in which they were built. Simple yet distinctive, Brutalist interior design is characterized by the consistent use of angular forms and raw materials like concrete.

Our comprehensive guide to this unique aesthetic, along with 12 eye-catching examples of its application, ranges from rooms packed with equally formidable furniture to those filled with juxtaposing arched fixtures.

©ReHouz.info

What is Brutalist Interior Design?

After World War II, the United Kingdom became home to a new architectural style known as Brutalism. Rather than focusing on extravagant or decorative details, brutalism architecture emphasizes the structural aspects and materials of a building.

Although Brutalism emerged as a distinctive architectural style, it has now found widespread application among interior design trends. After all, it’s more of a way of thinking than a strict set of guidelines for construction: the goal is to create environments that are as authentic, genuine, and well-suited to their intended use, the people who will be living in them, and the surrounding environment as possible.

For those drawn to it, the opportunity to build a sanctuary from the outside world is what makes brutalist interior design so appealing. These serene areas are perfect for unwinding after a long haunting day.

Also Read: 17 Interior Design Tricks for a Heavenly Sanctuary in 2023

©Eignamiðlun

Without a doubt, we could devote an entire post to discussing how to incorporate brutalist interior design elements into your home’s decor cause by no way would it fit here. Hence, using significant focal points and little accents is recommended when you first think about brutalist interior design.

You might begin with a vast, textured base like a chunky piece of geometric reclaimed wood or a concrete kitchen island to highlight the importance of using natural materials and surface texture. Pick a metallic lamp to serve as the room’s focal point, then sprinkle in other little brutalist objects in the same finish to tie the room together.

Brutalist Interior Design Characteristics

No other interior design style can be compared to brutalist interior design, so it’s vital to understand the rules and history behind it before analyzing it. This one-of-a-kind style is characterized by the following:

• Commonplace construction materials, including glass, metal, and concrete
• Achieving a sense of depth in structure and setting by maximizing space
• Significant focal points, sparse and small accents
• Mostly grey and white color schemes with pops of brighter hues for emphasis.

©Igor Sirotov Architects

12 of the Best Brutalist Interior Design Examples

Here are 12 of the most well-known brutalist designs:

1) Red Hill House / Mathieson Architects

©Romello Pereira

The interiors of Red Hill House by Mathieson Architects are distinguished by a conservative mixture of limestone, American Oak, dark stained wood, black granite, and polished limestone walls, which further emphasizes the building’s restrained but opulent appearance.

2) Kasai Road / ipli Architects

©Studio Periphery

Below ground, the brutalist interior design of this stunning home is defined by a single material: concrete or cement. With the help of some board markings, off-form concrete is used to build the walls and the columns. The concrete brilliantly captures the flaws and textures of the timber formwork.

3) Salmon Avenue / FGR Architects

©Peter Bennets

In the middle ring district of Essendon in Melbourne, where red brick traditional residences predominate, this concrete home stands out like a sore thumb. FGR Architects ensured the house was sturdy and welcoming to families while providing plenty of quiet spaces for adults to relax.

Misconceptions about concrete’s icy temperament are dispelled here. The house’s concrete exterior may give off a chilly vibe, but the interior is surprisingly cozy, thanks to the abundance of windows, wood, and plush furnishings.

4) Balmain Rock / Benn+Penna

©Tom Ferguson

Balmain Rock by Benn+Penna features a courtyard and sandstone house visible from the dining room and kitchen. An angular gap in the concrete ceiling, echoing the kitchen island and obsidian pavers, provides natural light to the Brutalist interior. There is also a source of light coming in from the rear garden stairs, which washes the slightly crooked brick walls.

5) Concrete Box House / Robertson Design

©Jack Thompson

Beyond the unassuming exterior of the Concrete Box residence is a large, multi-level dwelling. The first floor is a brutalist concrete space with a unique homey vibe due to luxurious soft furnishings, elegant wood-clad features, and a practical kitchen in the center of the house. The surrounding private courtyards and a vast garden keep the concrete house’s brutalist interior design comfortably cool.

6) Riverside Tower Apartment / Studio Okami Architects

©Olmo Peeters

An apartment in Antwerp’s Riverside Tower had its walls taken down by the studio so the building’s framework could be appreciated in all its glory. The home has a modern vibe because of the bright colors, such as the turquoise table, baby blue winding staircase, and quirky, sculptural light. Outstandingly well-exemplified Brutalist interior design.

7) Mono House / Patio Estudio

©Gonzalo Viramonte

8) Casa de Alisa / Stu/D/O Architects

©DOF Sky|Ground

The structure’s exterior is rough concrete in keeping with the project’s brutalist aesthetic, while the interior is finished off with sleek wooden fixtures. Large panes of glass rip the grey cube in two, revealing the semi-public first floor, where simple living areas develop in plain sight among the bare concrete of the house’s brutalist interior design.

9) Ortho Residence / APOLLO Architects & Associates

©Masao Nishikawa

Situated in a tranquil suburban area in the very populated Kanto region is this spacious 410-square-meter home. This highly detailed Japanese residence is encased in a blank, contemporary, brutalist façade. The open living /dining room area is decorated in a modern ranch style, and a glass wall encloses the kitchen for a perfect brutalist interior design presentation.

10) Mermaid Beach Residence / B.E. Architecture

©Andy McPherson

The Mermaid Beach House, with its brutalist exterior and minimalist interior, is just how a brutalist interior design must look like. Everything is sharp and practical, yet the unexpected touches provide a touch of finesse and sophistication. B.E. Architecture specifically requested that the building be constructed using off-form concrete due to its ability to withstand the ravages of time and the harsh coastal environment conditions while maintaining its pristine appearance.

11) House of Concrete Experiments / Samira Rathod Design Atelier

©Niveditaa Gupta

In keeping with its moniker, House of Concrete Experiments is surrounded by concrete shaped into sculptures to showcase brutalist interior design perfectly. The wood accents soften the grey tones, while the black stones inlaid into the concrete floor add visual appeal. In addition to the natural light let in by the windows, the geometric skylights make the room pop.

12) Beton Brut Residence / The Grid Architects

©Photographix

This stunning home design is a spectacular fusion of contemporary architectural concepts with traditional Indian typologies, featuring a stark brutalist design with gentler Indian interior details. The spacious site, about 12,000 square feet, was carefully planned to accommodate a modest but practical dwelling. To set off the elaborate Indian furnishings and artwork, the Brutalist interior was designed with a simple material palette consisting of concrete, natural stone, and teakwood.

Will Brutalist Interior Design Come Back in Style?

The Brutalist style, which first appeared in the 1950s, is one of the most well-known in contemporary history due to its rough materials, unfinished walls, neutral tones, and geometric forms. Even though the style has been called “rigid” and “scratchy,” it has remained popular.

There has been something of a rebirth in the interior design fad recently, and it’s getting much attention on social media. So, be ready to incorporate (or maybe copy one of the abovementioned examples) in your living space.

What Makes Brutalist Design “All-American?”

It’s hard to deny the global impact of Brutalist architecture, whether you appreciate it or not. For some people, “Brutalism” can evoke memories of the period immediately following World War II. Some people go about their day by strolling around university campuses on their route to class, passing by concrete structures that look like strongholds to protect the purity of the classroom. The Brutalist movement may have originated in Europe, but its architectural styles have left an indelible mark on the United States that no one can deny.

©University of California San Diego

The Pioneers of Brutalist Interior Design

Here are three of the founding figures of brutalist interior design:

1) Le Corbusier

In the late 1940s, long before the term “Brutalism” was coined, Le Corbusier established the aesthetic that would come to be known by that name. His most famous buildings include the Palace of the Assembly in Chandigarh, India, a piloti-supported concrete structure with line segments and a soaring roof.

Palace of the Assembly. ©Fernanda Antonio

2) Carlo Scarpa

The Italian architect was a master of minimalism, and his signature designs often featured revolving square, step, and vesica piscis (two interconnected rounds) patterns. Both the Olivetti emporium in Venice and the Brion Cemetery in San Vito d’Altivole, Italy, are examples of his excellent work.

Olivetti Showroom. ©Orch_chemollo

Olivetti Showroom. ©Orch_chemollo

3) Marcel Breuer

His signature rough board-formed concrete was a hallmark of the Modernist architect’s style. The former Whitney Museum of American Art building (currently the Met Breuer) is widely regarded as his finest Brutalist design.

Whitney Museum of American Art building ©Andre Salvador

The Key Brutalist Artisans

1) C. Jeré

This designer is famous for his combined wirework and collages, which are whimsical and delicate. Among his most recognizable pieces are the antique brass Raindrops wall art installation, consisting of stacked round discs and the jagged urchin wall décor.

“Raindrops” Wall Sculpture ©Mattew Rachman Gallery

2) Paul Evans

Paul Evans, who is most known for his sculptures made of metal and his patchwork metalwork, developed some distinctive styles that can be seen in his work. They include verdigris, waves, perforations, hammering, geometry, and the increasingly common fish-scale pattern. His most renowned works are a set of sculpted steel cabinets and a subsequent “Cityscape” series of polished brass and mirrored chrome.

©Modern Hill Furniture Warehouse

Paul Evans Brutalist Welded Steel Candlestick. ©Showplace

3) Tom Greene

Tom Greene is most known for his work with the Feldman Lighting Co. and Monteverdi & Young, where he designed and crafted torch-cut chandeliers, scruffy luminaries, and polished Cubist fixtures. His multi-tiered chandeliers with stalactite points are an easily recognizable example of his art.

Multi-tiered chandeliers by Tom Greene. ©Grand Central Inc

To sum it up, Brutalist interior design is a great way to bring an era of history into your home. Its raw materials and angular forms create an exciting and distinct look. Our guide and examples should have given you some great ideas for incorporating this style into your interior design. Whether you opt for a Brutalist room packed with equally formidable pieces or decide to mix and match with arched fixtures, you are sure to create a unique and eye-catching design.