In an industrial-style apartment, self-assembled lamps, chairs, and shelves made of pipes look harmonious - the loft is open to the use of waste materials in the interior. Modern plastic pipes are quite lightweight and can be bent without special equipment. This increases the variety of design ideas and allows you to assemble unusual, beautiful and durable products for the home.
Loft style in the interior.
What can you make from pipes?
Metal and plastic pipes are a good material for making furniture frames. All parts are easy to connect even without using a welding machine.
When developing projects yourself, you will only have to take into account the load on the frame elements and not use plastic for products that require great strength (for example, a bed or a rack for storing heavy objects).
When making furniture in the loft style, you should not give up decorative elements. Products can be decorated using not only straight, but also curved pipes. By adding a socket with a lamp and a piece of wire to the layout of a shelf or table, you can simultaneously obtain convenient illumination of the work area and decor.
A special feature of the finishing of loft products is the minimal use of decorations. As a design, metal parts of the pipeline look harmonious: valves, flanges, fittings of unusual shape or size.
Lamp
Original lamps are an expressive detail of an interior in an industrial or urban style. Lampshades are rarely made for them. A cap from an old lamp, a heater reflector or a headlight reflector look interesting in this capacity. Designers also use unusual types of lighting design, enclosing the lamp in a box made of lattice or perforated fabric.
It’s quite easy to assemble a small table lamp-candlestick from pipeline elements with your own hands:
- Prepare a flange for the base, a piece of pipe, a cartridge and a wire with a cartridge, plug and switch. For decoration you will need a lamp with a bulb in the form of a flame, a faucet or other expressive element.
- Connect a short piece of pipe to the flange and install the tap. Its diameter should be selected so that the cartridge fits into the hole.
- Pass the electrical wiring inside the tube, mount the cartridge at the upper end and lower it into the tap hole. Place the lower end into the hole on the flange (on the side); if there is no standard one, drill it or make an outlet from below. In the latter case, to ensure the stability of the product, you will need to make legs by screwing bolts and nuts into the connecting holes of the flange. After installation, align these parts in height. Equip the wire with a plug and a switch.
- Insert the lamp into the socket and connect the product to the network. Check functionality.
To make a candlestick with several arms, different types of splitters are used: tees, crosses. By adding pieces of pipe to the details, the lamp is given the desired look and shape. The main requirement is the stability of the structure. You can make such a candlestick from steel, copper or plastic tubes.
Clothes hanger
Clothes hanger in loft style.
An urban clothes hanger will harmoniously complement the interior of a loft studio. The fashionable element is easy to assemble from parts of a plastic pipeline: they do not require threading on numerous short parts.
Tees and crosses will help connect parts of the structure, and for hooks it is convenient to use 90° and 45° angles.
If you can purchase metal hooks for lifting loads, the product can be given a spectacular industrial look. The hanger is attached to the wall with brackets made of a flange and a short pipe.
Before manufacturing, it is advisable to draw up your own drawing, taking into account the number of hooks and dimensions of the product. A simple hanger can be easily assembled from 1 flange, 1 tee, 2 corners and 2 plugs.
Connect the parts in series. It is advisable to supplement the bolts in the plugs with hooks for mini-loaders, but even without such parts they can already fulfill their purpose. Valves are suitable as a knob hanger (for example, for kitchen towels).
Chair, stool
The design of a high bar stool consists of 8 long and 5 short pieces of pipe (for the legs). All parts are connected by tees, placing their branches in 2 planes: 4 are placed vertically, and 2 are placed horizontally, connecting the legs. Attach flanges to the seat (thick plywood, board).
Unlike a stool, a chair must have a back. This part is easy to attach to 2 additional tees embedded in the back pair of stool legs. But craftsmen also assemble more complex structures from pipes, using different connecting elements. It is better to make chairs from metal structures: despite the heavy weight, the product will be strong enough to withstand the weight of an adult.
Shelf
The variety of shelves that can be made from pipes and fittings allows them to be used in different areas and rooms. Simple designs made from a zigzag pipeline are suitable for both the bathroom and the hallway (like a shoe rack). In a recreation area or a teenager’s room, this design is convenient for storing books or textbooks.
Shelf in loft style.
To do this, vertical and horizontal tubes are connected, forming a continuous curved pipeline. It is attached to the wall with flanges installed at the ends of the pipe.
The distance from the wall is such that the book, when installed, rests on the wall and a horizontal element. In the bathroom, it is convenient to hang a wet towel on the same structure or place a folded dry one.
Compact stands for flowers or souvenirs and other small items are made from 2 flanges, connecting them with an angle (90°). In this case, the vertical part is attached to the wall, and the horizontal part is supplemented with a plank, screwing it to the base.
Using your own imagination and using the ideas in the photo, it’s easy to make multi-tiered and combined products for the kitchen, bathroom, hallway and other rooms.
Rack
Racks can be wall-mounted or free-standing. When developing a project, you need to take into account that the frame elements bear the heaviest load. Racks and shelf bases are best made of metal.
Any shelving design contains vertical and horizontal elements. It is convenient to connect them with tees. If you install crosses instead of a tee at levels 1-2, then using a flange a free-standing structure can be attached to the wall for additional stability (if the rack is designed for a large load).
For wall shelves, fewer racks are used: they are often made only on the front or back side of the shelving structure. The rigid base can withstand the weight of dishes, toys, books or bath accessories. Shelving can be used in premises of any purpose.
Bottle rack
It is convenient to store a collection of alcohol on wine racks. The peculiarity of this rack is the inclined shelves on which wine bottles are placed neck down. For a loft-style room, it’s easy to make racks from pipes without a lot of parts. To work, you need to select squeegees, the diameter of one side of which will allow you to insert the neck of the bottle.
Bottle stand in loft style.
The base of the rack is assembled from several short pipes and tees. The outlet pipes of the latter are mounted in one direction perpendicular to the wall.
You need to attach the base through 2 corners and flanges at the upper and lower ends of the assembled pipeline.
To store wine, you need to screw a 90° corner to the nozzle of each tee, positioning it at an angle of 45° to the vertical. Install a squeegee with an extension in the corner, which will serve as a holder for containers.
The design can be simplified by immediately selecting the diameter of the components according to the size of the bottle neck.
Racks can be assembled from 2 tubes connected by an angle and attached to the wall through flanges, or from arcs mounted on a board. There are many options for simple designs, and you can use not only metal, but also plastic for their manufacture.
Flowerpots
A brutal flower stand is both a mini-shelf and a tabletop (floor-standing) structure, in which the parts and bends of the pipeline act as a support for the container. You can use a flange as a base, as for making a lamp (for a small stand). It is best to equip a suspended product with chains.
The role of the container is played by a piece of large diameter pipe or a tap body or fitting of a suitable size (at least 7-10 cm wide). To connect to thin pipes, adapters (spikes) are used from main networks to small-diameter distributions. The choice of plants can be anything, but succulents and cacti will look especially harmonious.
Candlestick
The candlestick is assembled in the same way as the table lamp. The only difference in design is the absence of electrical equipment. The candlestick needs to be assembled from the smallest water pipes (½-¾ inches). Standard candles will fit well into the fitting holes.
Loft style candlestick.
Tray
A portable tea table or tray can be easily assembled from a wooden board (you can also use a beautiful die-cut or lattice). On a flat part you will need to strengthen 4 identical arc-handles.
Each consists of 1 piece of pipe, 2 angles at its ends, 2 connecting pipes and 2 flanges (for fastening to the panel). 2 arcs are attached on the top side of the tray, and 2 on the bottom to form the legs of the tea table. If you need a simple tray, you can do without the legs.
Varieties
A furniture shelf is considered a primitive piece of furniture. But don't write her off. There is a classification of this functional furniture, reflecting the direction of its use in everyday life. The following varieties exist:
- according to the material of manufacture;
- position in the space of the room;
- location among furniture;
- design;
- functionality.
According to the material of manufacture:
- wooden;
- from glass;
- plastic;
- metal shelves.
Wooden
Metal
Plastic
Glass
Based on their location in the living space, the following types are distinguished:
- corner shelves;
- hanging shelves that are attached to the ceiling on chains;
- wall-mounted furniture secured with fasteners.
According to the location between the shelves, there are the following options:
- composition from a group of shelves;
- a single furniture shelf located separately on the wall.
There are a number of types of furniture in terms of design and design:
- combined shelves consisting of horizontal and vertical walls. They may have drawers;
- multi-tiered - have walls located horizontally;
- with the presence of rear walls;
- with an upper horizontal wall, which is a type of wall cabinets without doors;
- furniture shelf with side walls for support;
- console – a variant of shelves that have one horizontal plane.
Furniture is divided into several types according to its functions and purpose:
- universal shelving, photos of which are collected in a selection;
- to the bathroom;
- a narrow, pencil case-like kitchen shelf;
- to the hallway;
- bookshelves.
There are varieties of shelves based on the materials they are made from. Its choice depends on the functions, purpose, and location of the shelf.
Master class on making a shelf from water pipes in loft style
The simplest 2-3 tier shelf is assembled from the following parts:
- metal or plastic pipes 10 cm long - 20 pcs.;
- pipes 5 cm long (the same diameter as the long ones) - 8 pcs.;
- tees - 4 pcs.;
- corners - 4 pcs.;
- coupling fittings - 14 pcs;
- corners with fastening (ears) - 4 pcs.
Having divided all the parts equally, assemble 2 identical frames with a jumper in the middle of the height (middle tier of the shelf). At the same time, corners with fastenings are placed at the upper and lower ends of 1 side of the products: they are needed for installation on the wall. The front side of each frame is decorated with a 90° corner.
During fastening, it is important to install both frames at the same height, without distortion. To do this, first fix one of them, then select the installation height of the second supporting structure according to the level. The distance between the frames is chosen arbitrarily. The shelves will be 2-3 boards, which are laid on the horizontal parts of the frames. For reliability, you can secure the boards with clamps and screws.
If you install a tee instead of 1 lower coupling and perform simple electrical installation manipulations, you can easily get a shelf with area lighting: for working in the kitchen or at the table above which the structure hangs.
Application options in the hallway interior
The corridor will look neat and modern if you equip it with a wardrobe, inside of which there is space for almost everything. When this is not possible, you can use your imagination and fill the territory with the most necessary things.
An excellent example of a mini-hallway is a combination of all the necessary elements in one object. This is an open hanger with hooks for clothes, on top there is a shelf for hats, etc. Under the hanger there is a seat for changing shoes, and at the bottom there is a shoe stand.
Another option for a mini-hallway is a compact pencil case with a sliding door. Shelves for things, shoes and accessories are built inside.
It’s not often that you come across such an object as a rotating compact hallway. It has a round shape, combines all the necessary stands, hangers, etc. It is equipped with a rotating mechanism.
Another economical way to assemble furnishings in a single style is to use modular furniture. Manufacturers are developing a collection of cabinets, pencil cases, shelves in the same color and style. You can buy only what you need and assemble a suitable kit.
Do-it-yourself bookshelf made of pipes - step-by-step instructions
You can assemble a book shelf with minimal costs of materials and labor.
Required:
- 2 flanges;
- 2 pieces of ¾" pipe (length slightly longer than desired shelf depth);
- 2 decorative tips (corners, taps or pressure gauges, plugs, etc.);
- 1 board.
Bookshelf made of pipes.
The assembly of the supports and the entire structure occurs according to the following algorithm:
- Connect the pipe and flange. Install a plug, corner, etc. on the free end of the pipe. As in the previous version, you can install a socket with a lamp. Assemble a second such support.
- Determine the mounting locations for the brackets. To make the shelf level, when installing the supports, use a building level to determine the horizontalness of the product. Place a board on the brackets and, if desired, secure them at the bottom with clamps.
The advantage of the design is its brevity and versatility. Shelves of this type can be installed one above the other or arranged in steps along the wall, make several tiers of different lengths and come up with other installation options. For fastening, it is advisable to use dowels of at least 5 cm, since books weigh a lot. If necessary, you can place 1-2 more brackets under a long shelf.
You can decorate and complement the product by installing stops at the ends of the board. This is the same flange, pipe and plug design, but attached vertically to the shelf. The stop will prevent the end books from falling.
Necessary materials
When deciding how to make shelves in a pantry, you need to decide on the material from which the structure will be made. There are several options.
In addition to wooden materials, you can choose others, the main thing is durability and the possibility of self-assembly. In addition to the shelves, you should stock up on the fasteners on which the shelves will be installed, and the consumables necessary for the work.
In order to make wooden shelving for a pantry, you will not need a lot of materials and serious tools.
We make our own rack from pipes
A rack in a hallway or pantry with fastening to the wall is assembled from straight sections of pipes and tee connecting elements. The number of both depends on the number of tiers needed to store things.
The length of the vertical and horizontal parts is determined independently; they are equal to the distance between the shelves and the depth of the rack. The number of racks depends on the size of the product: the optimal step between the supports is 70-100 cm.
Each post is attached to the wall (or ceiling) and floor. Plumbing flanges are used for fastening. Their number depends on the number of levels plus 2 parts for the lower and upper parts of the vertical rack. To attach the top to the wall, you will need an additional 1 corner and 1 pipe for each rack.
The rack is assembled like this:
- all vertical parts are connected with tees, directing their pipes in one direction;
- horizontal sections of pipe are screwed into the nozzles;
- flanges are attached to their ends, as well as to the top and bottom of the vertical part;
- The stand is attached to the wall, ceiling and floor.
If the top also needs to be attached to the wall, it is equipped with a corner, a piece of pipe is placed and mounted using a flange.
Assemble the required number of racks and strengthen them at a distance of no more than 1 m from each other, aligning them vertically. The shelf boards are placed on horizontal supports. Such a rack made of ¾-inch metal pipes can support the weight of jars of pickles, spare parts and hardware (for example, in a garage or workshop).
How to make a simple shelf?
To create the claimed product, you should purchase or prepare some tools and materials in advance. As connecting elements, you can use whatever suits you best. But the most popular are ordinary screws, brackets and dowels.
Note!
For example, let's take a photo of the shelves with our own hands, which is presented below. It shows a product with the following parameters: width 250 mm, height 300 mm, length 1100 mm. For convenience, the manufacturing process will be divided into stages.
Decoration
Interior decor in the loft style requires restraint. Most often, the decoration is a striking structural detail or part of the pipeline: a pressure gauge, valve, etc. These parts are often highlighted additionally, painted in a color contrasting with the pipeline.
When using plastic pipes, decoration means making them look like metal pipes. Products can be painted with bitumen or simply dark varnish, black paint, or coated with metallic effect sprays. Copper pipes are decorative in themselves: they are polished to a shine and coated with transparent varnish.
Old water pipes will help support the idea of the loft style: the use of industrial buildings for apartments. Old pipes are covered with layers of rust and old paint. After painting in the desired shade, you can scratch the fresh layer with fine sandpaper, exposing the bulges and giving the pipes a worn look.
