Z.Z

Yes I guess it would help will give it a go! The first pic will be a lounge area, the pic with 3 large velux Windows close together is kitchen (velux are over a kitchen island). To the right of the island is a dining table (next to the sliding doors (currently plywood!) and we have a little baby grand piano behind table in the corner. We are lucky to have a pantry and a utility room so don't need huge space in the kitchen for food. We only want drawer base units no wall units and have built in a space for an American ff.... So an open plan living space- we have a separate TVs room... Will try and do a floor plan soon!)

Sounds lovely - it should be stunning when finished! Have you already picked styles and colours for kitchens/worktops/tiles? That will probably guide how you handle the rest. If all the areas (kitchen/living/dining) are open plan and joined, I would probably keep the walls fairly simple and neutral, adding colours in different ways. I think your kitchen choices are key to how the rest goes. Introducing colours & textures through tiles, splashbacks and worktops is great to add interest - to echo some accent colours in your steels might also be interesting. Some industrial lamps above your island could also add a powerful feature

Look forward to seeing a plan or finding out more about your kitchen choices!

Flooring will eventually be engineered wood (underfloor heating), but as our budget won't stretch yet (I want the floor to run through entire ground floor!), so we are just going to paint the floor for the time being (light grey)..I would like a black Matt kitchen (only drawers, no wall units- not covering that brick!!). I like the idea of using stainless steel worktop on the brick wall run of units and wood on the kitchen island/ breakfast bar)...

I like it! So glad you are keeping that wonderful brick. The stainless would work well - possibly with a low stainless splashback running behind it. It would be great to get some way to light the brick wall to make it really pop!

Given the red hues in the brick, you might want to consider a wood such as cherry for the worktop in the island - it has a wonderful reddish hue and is perhaps the most gorgeous, tactile, lustrous of woods!

I would certainly consider adding some real feature tiles for more texture - see below if you are brave to really continue the gloss black theme!

A few other things to consider - of all the "colours", matte black will absorb the most light (gloss would reflect some), so walls I would keep white or just off, and I would think carefully about good lighting. Another option worth considering would be a dark grey (anthracite) gloss or matte, possibly handleless - they can be every bit as stunning as black, and can be easier to live with longer term.

Fully appreciate your wish not to cover that wonderful brick. You could, however, use a few shelves - simple or like those below - to add storage but still keep the brick!

Wrt colours - the brick is going to narrow your choice somewhat, but I'd still be a little bold, given the black/white/greys. Olive works well (if a bit safe) - I might be brave and add some restrained splashes of a dusky purple. It can work!

Love the hexagonal tiles! Lighting wise we have 3 directional spots to lights the brick wall and worktop, 3 pendants above the worktop and one above the table- a mix of wall lights and a lamp circuit around the room and have also run LED strips along the steel purlins on both sides to add a glow to the ceiling, so hopefully enough. I have to admit I like the idea of splashes of darker colour...olive maybe, but I did find some fabulous dark teal cotton velvet fabric of which I have enough to cover a sofa...I also ordered on a whim a wall mural of a subway elevator ...which I am considering for the lounge area wall ( there will eventually be a raised wood burning stove on that wall, but again, not in this budget!)... So I am kind of thinking maybe peacock feather colours...so the purple fits with that....Thanks so much for this it's great bouncing ideas with fresh eyes!....

3 pendants above the island that should read...

Teal would work really well too - I recall seeing a picture of an industrial loft apartment with lots of brick and beautifully painted ironwork (columns and girders) in teal - it looked stunning! Wish I could find the pic again. I like the idea of the peacock feather for inspiration - a few feature bowls/vases with bit of iridescence in peacock-inspired colours would be great!

Look forward to seeing a few pics in due course.

Thanks...hadn't thought of painting the steels in a colour...so much food for thought! One minute I think teal next I go all dark and moody colours and then get drawn to pale Scandinavia colours lol....need a bigger house lol!

Gosh you could do almost anything. You could go for olives or teals to bring out the brick or go for an analagous scheme where you group similar colours together (such as oranges, mustards, reds) which is quite sixties. Grey and mustard would be my choice.