Have you been asked to incorporate steampunk into a home’s design but weren’t quite sure how to include the elements of this theme?
Steampunk is a style that combines Victorian-era aesthetics with modern-day technology. It’s a popular look for both home decor and fashion and can be used to add a touch of whimsy or elegance to any design.
Here are seven ways to incorporate this style into your home designs.
- 1. Use steampunk-inspired furniture.
- 2. Incorporate steampunk-themed accessories.
- 3. Hang steampunk-inspired art.
- 4. Install steampunk-inspired lighting fixtures.
- 5. Dress up your windows with steampunk-inspired curtains or blinds.
- 6. Use steampunk-inspired wall coverings.
- 7. Add steampunk details to your floors.
1. Use steampunk-inspired furniture.
Pieces with intricate metal details and rich, dark woods are perfect for creating a steampunk-inspired look.
This particular theme is a mixture of elegance and raw, edgy designs that use machinery, antiques, and exposed elements to make up the motif.
According to Interiors Online, you can easily create this theme with second-hand furniture, vintage lamps and lanterns, and mixed metals.
2. Incorporate steampunk-themed accessories.
From clocks and lamps to vases and sculptures, there are plenty of steampunk-themed home accessories on the market.
The genre simultaneously touches on time travel, exploration, and all things vintage and futuristic elements.
Accessories can be found at many different online and physical stores. Such as Etsy, which is a marketplace for handmade and vintage items, Etsy has a large selection of steampunk accessories, including lamps, clocks, and furniture.
Globes play a big role in this decor. If you can’t locate a vintage globe, you can also search local shops for copper, wood, or mixed metal versions, all of which play into the steampunk characteristics.
3. Hang steampunk-inspired art.
Whether you opt for vintage-inspired steampunk posters or modern steampunk artwork, hanging steampunk-themed art on your walls is a great way to incorporate the style into your home.
The coloring of the paper, the vintage appearance, and the hint at travel are all key components of the style, and you can find older maps at antique shops or faux versions online.
4. Install steampunk-inspired lighting fixtures.
Chandeliers, sconces, and floor lamps with steampunk details will help to create a steampunk ambiance in a home.
Before the invention of the electric light bulb, steam and natural gas were kings! In came light bulbs, gas pipes, steam pipes, wire, switches, and creative thinking, and out came the Steampunk Lamp.
Mr. Willies Industrial Pipe and Lighting will custom-make a light fixture using your design.
Again, Etsy is a good source, but Amazon, too, has pages of light fixtures to choose from.
Just as important is the bulb. Use an antique-looking Edison original style bulb to complete the style. 1000Bulbs.com is one source for vintage LED bulbs that fit the style.
5. Dress up your windows with steampunk-inspired curtains or blinds.
Specifying the right window treatments is a great way to add a touch of steampunk style to a home.
According to Artsy Girl Connection, turn-of-the-century homes were big on pull drapes. Homes were drafty places then, forcing the need to pull drapes on windows and doors. This kept the cold from getting in, but they were pulled back and tied during the day.
Seek out very nice curtain rods that can be hung in front of doorways and windows that give the drapes an elegant brass or copper finish.
6. Use steampunk-inspired wall coverings.
Wallpaper is an easy way to incorporate steampunk into a design.
Homedit provides some great inspiration using clock gears, technical drawings, Victorian wallpaper patterns, sepia pictures, and exposed bricks to cover the walls.
Creating a vintage appearance, the coloring of the paper, and the hint at travel or architecture, are all key components of the style. Look for older maps at antique shops and thrift stores, or order faux versions online.
Exposed brick is the easiest way to accomplish many industrial themes and plays a big role in steampunk interiors. According to Hollywood Hills Rehab, adding brick veneer, or leaving existing brick exposed, incorporates textures and patterns into your home design.
7. Add steampunk details to your floors.
Incorporating steampunk-inspired rugs, floor tiles, or carpeting into your home design can help to pull the whole look together.
Deavita advises us to keep in mind the floor should be the darkest surface of a home. And you can use any standard flooring options – ceramic tiles, hardwood, parquet, or laminate.
The Decoist mentions that all these ideas simultaneously pull together the theme while also playing on the Victorian side of things, so they fit in easily with this decor scheme and add a touch of elegance and a heavy dose of vintage vibes.
According to All About Steampunk, the style is definitely gaining popularity by combining a functional and minimalistic design with raw materials. The spirit of invention and discovery from the Victorian era has inspired many artists and fans to develop some amazing interior design themes.
The Monday Minute is a weekly publication with written tips, events, and links to everything in the American Institute of Building Design, a nonprofit association of building design professionals specializing in residential design and construction.