We’re about to talk about a very interesting, and rather Geordie, subject: how the gritty industrial past of Newcastle is influencing the interior design of the future. Not in some nostalgic way, but by taking those reclaimed, raw, and rugged parts of heritage and mixing them into contemporary homes. It’s as exciting as it sounds.
The Industrial Backbone
It seems churlish to ignore Newcastle’s industrial heritage – shipbuilding, coal mining – and the impact these industries have had on the economy and the soul of the city. As these industries dwindled and moved away, they left behind a legacy that’s being mined by local designers in ways that are nothing short of inspired.
Consider the old factories and warehouses on the Tyne, for example. The buildings aren’t just relics; they’re palettes for some of the most innovative designers in the field. High ceilings and exposed beams make the large spaces ideal for dramatic statements. And make statements they have.
Modern Meets Industrial
To enter a cafe or a flat that’s been given the industrial treatment is to step into a time piece. There is something beautiful in its raw, even uneven, roughness, about the old brickwork left entirely uncovered and in the spotlight, instead of being disguised behind plaster. Coupled with contemporary furniture and perhaps a splash of bright art, it’s a functional, usable space that is simultaneously immersed in narrative.
When I saw a flattened former warehouse transformed via a recent renovation – the original steel girders left plainly visible rather than disguised – I was equally impressed. The exposed beams weren’t hidden away as blemishes: they remained as a testament to New, perfectly juxtaposed with the clean minimalist furniture and futuristic lighting.
Sustainability and Style
It’s not just about beauty. There’s a sustainability angle to this as well. Repurposing these old industrial buildings is perhaps the best example of sustainable development we have: rather than tearing down and starting again, which is so wasteful of material and energy, designers are reusing existing structures. It’s an environmentally sound thing to do, and it feels like you’re saving a little part of Newcastle’s heart.
The personal touch of a local designer, the sense of enhancing something with a part of your city’s history, that is a bonus. The furnishings and fittings here, from lightbulbs to lampshades and fabrics, are all part of the story of Newcastle.
Challenges Along the Way
Of course, it’s not all roses. Marrying industrial elements to modern design has its pitfalls. There’s a fine line between stylish industrial and just plain old, um, industrial. Getting it right means that one needs to think about the original function and then think hard about what the new function will be. It’s about respect – respect for the past, respect for the original building, and respect for the people who are going to live or work in those spaces
And there is the planning dance – negotiating around conservation rules while trying to make things work for the 21st century is a nightmare, but when it works, when you see a family, or a business, operating in a place that was previously boarded up and ignored, it makes it all worthwhile.
When next you are traversing around Newcastle, stop and reflect on the industrial materialities that are so much a part of its interior landscape, from the Quayside to the Ouseburn. These are not mere remnants of an ancient past, relics of a site whose inscription and influence appears to have long since run its course. Instead, they are a vital part of the city’s contemporary story, reworked and re-energised by some of the most imaginative designers of our time.
In Newcastle, we don’t just preserve our past in museum collections; we live it. We drink coffee with it, work around it, and dance under it.
Historic Homes of Newcastle: A Peek Inside
Ever wonder what goes on behind the keyhole of some of Newcastle’s oldest houses? You’re not alone. There is something undeniably alluring about entering a home that’s that’s stood the test of time. It’s like walking into another time, but made contemporary. What makes these historic homes more than just archaic relics and what makes them important parts of our modern city?
Time Capsules with a Modern Twist
There are exquisite, charming Victorian terraces, Austen-era villas and semi-detached houses all filled with stories in the very fabric of the buildings. But what is perhaps most interesting is’s historic homes have accommodate the needs of the 21st century while still honouring their past.
A house in the centre of the city for example, has symmetry on the outside, iron railings; but inside, the old wood windows sit easy with modern art and tidy furniture as if everything has always been in the past, without living in a museum.
The Challenge of Preservation and Innovation
Renovating these historic homes is not always easy, however. There are conservation rules to follow, and with good reason: they are part of our cultural heritage. But with a light touch and a little ingenuity, it is possible to make the homes comfortable for today while retaining the beauty of the past.
I talked to a Newcastle interior designer who reworked a Victorian terrace on a leafy Jones Walk in the rapidly gentrifying suburb of Jesmond. The brief was to preserve its period feel while making it feel open and airy — no mean feat in houses of such ‘good bones’ that, by modern standards, can feel rather cramped. Her solution: skylights in telling spots, and reclaimed bricks to complement the original exterior. The effect, though hard to pin down, is timelessness. And that, I think, is the trick.
Sustainable and Sympathetic Updates
Sustainability too is a factor, with many homeowners keen to do their bit for the environment, refitting these and waste-saving measures that would have been beyond the imagination of their original owners: insulation that has been tucked out of sight behind period plasterwork, perhaps, or a ground-source heat pump buried under the garden.
He cover-installed solar panels on the part of the roof that from the street, and he can boast of a significantly reduced energy bill. That and other creative approaches are what it will take to secure the future of our historic houses as sure as their pasts.
The Heart of the Community
But what is truly affecting Newcastle’s heritage homes isn’t their architecture or even their interiors – which are indeed stunning. It is that those homes represent a kind of continuity of community. These places are part of the fabric simply private residences, but houses that are landmarks, whose stories are written every day by the families who live in them
These historic houses are celebrated at many community events and festivals, which inside and glimpse how history lives on in our midst. And indeed it does ours, one doesn’t merely learn about history from a book – one lives it.
The next time you drive past one historic house, consider the history that has played out in front of that hallowed facade. And most importantly, if you have the opportunity, step inside; you’re stepping into Newcastle’s living history. And you might also be inspired to bring a little bit of that history home with you. History in Newcastle isn’t just all around us; it’s where we live.
