Steampunk is a mix of modern and futuristic details and ornate Victorian elements. The phrase "future from the past" defines this style most accurately. And that's all there is to know about steampunk, because there are no special rules to follow, and the flight of fantasy is not limited by anything.

Steampunk in the interior - a mix of old and new

Originating as a literary movement in the 1980s, steampunk has developed over time into a style of its own, primarily related to fashion, but also used in interior design. Steampunk is especially suitable for interiors of bars and modern cafes. Dim lighting, mystical atmosphere ... A thrill even with a cup of coffee. And recently, even apartments have begun to be decorated in steampunk style.

Personalized steampunk design

Having asked yourself the idea to create a steampunk interior, try to imagine yourself in the place of people from the early 20th century. Surely you have a rough idea of \u200b\u200bwhat the interior of Victorian houses looked like. Now try to imagine how people who lived a century ago saw the future. What would things look like to them that have not yet been invented? What kind of computer would it have had if it had existed by that time? Combine these fantasies with furniture from the 19th and 20th centuries and the start for steampunk design is already in place!

You can create steampunk furniture with your own hands, just slightly changing the existing one

Steampunk style does not accept things modern look... Furniture, accessories and even gadgets and household appliances such as computers, stoves and ovens must certainly have a retro touch. A computer, for example, may have a keyboard that resembles a typewriter. A vintage frame is suitable for the monitor, and an old gas stove can be used instead of a modern stove.

Industrial accents

Like many other styles, steampunk comes in the smallest detail. This means that the equipment of the premises does not require large expenses. Gears that can be hung on walls instead of paintings or floor lamps on a metal pipe “leg” create the desired atmosphere. By the way, do not hide the pipes behind the walls in the bathroom, take them outside. Steampunk at its finest.

Materials and colors

In this style there is a certain list of "must have" -materials: brass, leather, wood - materials typical for the beginning of the twentieth century. They evoke a slight nostalgia for bygone times, which is the goal of steampunk design. As for the colors, natural shades - beige, brown and also black - are very characteristic of this unusual design. But bright "futuristic" accents will also find their application in the steampunk interior.

Steampunk living room

Steampunk interiors don't always require flashy accessories. If you are leaning towards a more subdued design, an example would be the living room decor in the photo above. Individual small elements can create the same mood as a lush set. A metal floor lamp stand, furniture on wheels, a rusty coating on an industrial staircase, and the air is filled with the romance of British factories of the era of Queen Victoria.

Steampunk in the bathroom

If you decide to decorate your apartment in the steampunk style, of course, you cannot limit yourself to just one room. The same goes for a bathroom with a toilet. However, there is no need to think long here: open brass pipes and a metal sink will create the right atmosphere. The marble top will add elegance and take care of the vintage, so perfectly matches the industrial accent.

Modern bedroom

This quirky bedroom is distinguished, among other things, by its light steampunk decor. Retro details are complemented by a gear-shaped wall decoration, an old battery and wooden doors in the style of shabby chic. Unplastered brickwork along with a gyroscope chandelier accentuate the room's steampunk design.

Submarine accessories

Details, as if taken from an old ship or submarine, perfectly fit our style. Valves, portholes and propellers as decorative elements can also add bright colors to the interior. color accents - just paint them in your favorite color. In addition, lighting can create any color scheme you like.

Gears on the wall

We've already talked about gears: this is the perfect accessory for a steampunk interior. The gear combination looks especially good different sizesoverlapping each other, as in the old mechanism. Can't find gears to decorate your wall? Not a problem, you can stop at wallpaper or wall art. This will add even more nostalgia to the interior.

Steampunk gray kitchen

You can imitate not only gears, but also metal. Moreover, this is true not only for the kitchen with an interesting retro refrigerator, which you see in the photo, but also for any other piece of furniture. Several rivets and grey colour, giving off a metallic sheen, truly works wonders! Don't forget the matching accessories - a vintage tap, for example.

Victorian and industrial

By the way, any landhouse kitchen can easily be infused with a steampunk vibe. Vintage household appliances, metal chairs, elements made of brass, and you are already close to your ideal!

Crazy design

The number of accessories used in the design of a room depends solely on your taste preferences, as well as on the amount of space available. However, don't overdo it. There can be a lot of steampunk details, but they still need to be skillfully distributed. The result will be crazy but still full of style.

Steampunk bathroom and toilet ideas

It is the bathroom that is ideal for using many metal elements in its equipment. However, please note that only stainless steel can be used, otherwise high humidity can destroy all efforts. The metal surface on the walls can be imitated with the appropriate tiles, as in the photo above. Looking a little rusty, it reflects light like real metal and looks very authentic.

Pendant lamps and "Ilyich's bulbs"

Lighting plays an important role in any style. The ideal atmosphere in steampunk design is created by "Ilyich bulbs" emitting warm light. You can screw them into pendant lights, create tube lamps, or DIY industrial style lampshades.

Lanterns

Another great idea is lanterns that create subdued ambient lighting. Hang them in a row, such as over a kitchen island, dining table, or bar counter. Here's another hint: the dark surface of the lanterns works well with brown leather.

Steampunk office interior

Antique desks are not only very beautiful in appearance, but are often more comfortable than modern ones. Add metal shelving and matching wall decorations to this. Rusty corrugated sheet steel replacing rough-plastered brick walls forms a gorgeous accent wall. Large gears can simply be hung on the wall, or you can make a clock out of them.

Unusual dining table

Such a table, which has a certain metal structure at the base, can be made to order. Old engines are ideal for this purpose. And so that the mechanism is clearly visible, a glass tabletop is placed on top. Cool metallic hues are softened by chairs upholstered in brown leather, as well as dark wood shelving and scores of books.

Steampunk computer

Modern technology doesn't quite match the atmosphere we're trying to recreate with steampunk, so they need some tweaks. In the photo you see interesting idea for computer. Monitors are housed in frames, speakers are housed in gramophone horns, and the keyboard resembles the keys of a typewriter. And all this is not on the desk, but inside a small organ.

Among the replicated fashionable interior images, you can still find truly original ideas... The steampunk style in the interior is not a very frequent guest in the design of our apartments. Meanwhile, this design is quite capable of giving a completely new, fresh and original perception of the living space. Don't be intimidated by an unfamiliar name. Steampunk is quite possible to arrange with your own hands, it belongs to decorative styles, its concept is used both as a base and as an integral part of retro, vintage and some other design images.

How to create a steampunk style: basic rules

Who first came up with the idea, which later took shape in the artistic direction of steampunk, is not known for certain. It happened between 1960 and 1980. Initially, steampunk was an informal hobby of some creative people who were fascinated by the romantic stories of Jules Verne, the images of scientific romanticism of the past, and the rapid industrial development of the 19th century. Then, life-changing novelties appeared almost monthly, and fundamental scientific discoveries poured in as if from a cornucopia. It was on the basis of artistic images of that time that the current steampunk style arose. It is an amalgamation of Victorian style and elements of the scientific and industrial revolution of the past. What are the main features of this style?

Its history is no more than half a century old, however, it is characterized by an orientation towards historical styles. In particular, it is easy to guess elements of Victorian design, retro, modern. This manifests itself in the range of colors, selection of materials, decors, furniture design, choice of textiles.

A steampunk space will never look new, just renovated. He will have to give the patina of time, the reflection of the years gone by. This is achieved by using matte paints and textures, colors that absorb color and natural finishing materials.

Steampunk can't happen without elements industrial style 19th century. Ancient globes, models of airships, geographical maps of that time, models of biplanes, various devices in wooden and copper cases. Some people use laboratory equipment with old fasteners, flasks of intricate shapes. Old models of telephones, typewriters, telescopes will also help create an image.

Steampunk interiors can be very detailed and have Victorian influences. However, steampunk is more organized, it can be called centered, with an obligatory logical core. You can't just saturate the space with ancient or pseudo-antique things and assume that the goal has been achieved. Steampunk requires a clear concept that defines the entire image of the room. The central idea of \u200b\u200bthe interior is usually associated with the stages of scientific or geographical discoveries... Voyages around the world, northern expeditions, the history of air exploration, the technological improvement of everyday life, chemical experiments or the powerful tread of physical geniuses, engineering ideas inspire designers to create original and romantic images.

Steampunk elements can be integrated into a retro or Victorian style, creating fresh accents for a modern or even trendy loft or industrial trend. However, this does not mean that steampunk does not have a face of its own. It is perfect for decorating offices, living rooms, it is willingly used for children's rooms. This style helps to develop and activate creativity while creating a very homey and even cozy atmosphere filled with beautiful stories and memories of the future.

Steampunk interior: colors, materials, furniture

What décor and furnishings will help create a true steampunk atmosphere? Let's start with the preferred color scheme.

The shades that will make it possible to create the necessary background are in the spectrum of warm natural tones. The predominant ones are brown, beige, and all their variations, from amber to bog oak.

In modern versions of the style, neutral tones are chosen for the background, which have only a hint of color. Especially popular are milky and bluish shades that create an authentic atmosphere.

You can and should use the rich colors of the natural palette. Lingonberry, dark green, sky blue, milky and vanilla will help create the right color mood. Saturated shades of brown, terracotta, azure, ultramarine will make the image brighter and deeper. For accents, use the colors of the antique bronze and brass from which the metal parts of the antique movements were made.

Delicate retro shades will help brighten the interior. Use creamy, mignonette, or pale blue to highlight specific items or areas in a room setting.

What materials are better for steampunk interior?

Certainly natural. We remember that the Victorian style became the basis for the formation of steampunk images, and it is based on natural wood, leather, linen. The metal parts are made of brass and bronze.

Therefore, choose a natural finish with preference for wood and leather, porcelain and linen. Metal and glass can and should be in the interior, but they are necessarily touched by the seal of the elapsed time. A light touch of retro is quite appropriate for steampunk, but it should not be excessive, striking in the eyes.

Variants of various masonry can be used for wall decoration. Metal elements will add stylistic authenticity. These can be shelves, lamps, hanging candelabra, forged items, engraved plates.

Steampunk is often complemented with textured elements. Unpolished wood, wild stone, metal that has not been descaled and rusty. All this should be just an accent on the main restrained background. An overabundance of such details will turn steampunk into an underground, and that's a completely different story.

Steampunk furniture

It is best to take one made from natural materials. Perfect fit wooden structures, leather or cotton and teak upholstery.

Dark wood looks noble, recently there has been a tendency to use lightened wood furniture in interiors. This gives the interior a cool, airy feel, and enhances the Scandinavian accent.

Traditional Victorian leather furniture fits perfectly into any steampunk look, giving it solidity. This choice is especially successful for the design of the office. A dark leather sofa, several models of vintage airplanes, an old geographical map on the wall will immediately create the desired look with just a few strokes.

Choose furniture that is proportional, solid and of good quality. Decorations and decors should not be too abundant. It is better to exclude carving, curls and other romantic elements altogether, they violate the integrity of the image. Metal corners, brass fittings or forged hinges are much more appropriate.

Suitable furniture accessories will be coffee table dark wood, a chest with copper corners, or a set of leather trekking boxes, on which geographic maps are extruded.

Storage areas can be closed or combined. Cabinets with glass doors or open book shelves are quite appropriate. Steampunk books are a must-have. They create an atmosphere, give a special flavor to the whole room.

Interior steampunk - photos, images, ideas

There are some of the most recognizable examples of this style that can be the starting point for your own interior fantasies.

One of the most popular, and at the same time available, images of this interior is engineering or machine steampunk. Various elements of mechanisms are actively used to create it.

The easiest way to achieve the desired effect is with several gears of different sizes, old watches and dials. In this image, simple, laconic forms of furniture, open storage areas, desk lamp with a metal shade, as well as an imitation of a workbench or an engineer's desk.

The effect of aged paint, brickwork or a roughly plastered wall looks good. All this only enhances the impression of a real mechanical genius in the room, who has no time to follow the situation too closely, because his head is busy inventing a new mechanism!

The image of the glorious explorers of unknown routes is very popular among romantics and travelers. Let there be no blank spots on the map now, but it is all the more pleasant to dream of those times when the curious had a real opportunity to make a discovery or to be convinced of the existence of terra incognita on their own experience.

The creation of such an image will be helped by old geographical maps, which can decorate a wall, be used as photo wallpaper, and be printed on fabric. This relies on an old, but reliable writing desk from natural wood, for which the great traveler can write travel notes. On the shelves are various ethnic, geographic and biological curiosities from travel.

A pair of leather suitcases with multi-colored tags, a solid chest with iron corners will organically complement the interior. Furniture can look antique, retro. The general background is chosen neutral or, on the contrary, mysterious, deep, dark. In the latter case, African masks and ebony figurines are suitable for decoration.

The next steampunk idea is directly related to scientific thought. The scientist's room, orderly, as befits an analyst's room, or, on the contrary, chaotic, like the lair of a mad genius. This look inspires many fans to create their own steampunk versions.

The chosen concept must meet all the requirements for comfort, because science takes time and effort. Nice furniture, convenient layout, enough space to relax, lots of storage - it looks like this modern room in the style of scientific steampunk.

Light colors are in trend now, although a few years ago this style was unthinkable without dark wood wall panels and leather furniture.

Details will provide the original image. It can be a blueprint for a new laboratory, a model of an airplane, a work table with laboratory glassware on it.

Retro style metal floor lamps look great in the interior. Light in steampunk rarely has one source. Several lamps of different geometry look authentic, they allow you to create the necessary accents, highlight the area of \u200b\u200bthe room.

Books adorn the interior very much, so a small library on open shelves is what you need to create a successful image.

Unexpected and practical solutions are one of the philosophical foundations of steampunk. An ordinary blackboard in this office has become an original and convenient element of daily work.

The steampunk style in the interior not only helps to return to the romance of scientific discoveries, great geographical travel and the rise of engineering, but also helps to logically and rationally organize living space. There are very few idle and redundant decorations in this style. Most of its elements are pragmatic, despite their retro look. Such interiors will not leave indifferent people with imagination, a romantic touch in character, and simply those who have not yet lost interest in learning about the world around them.

Modernity sets new rules for the arrangement of living spaces, which reflect the desire for manufacturability, practicality and functionality. At the same time, bygone eras continue to serve as sources of inspiration for designers. Thus, the industrialism of the times of Jules Verne became the basis for the steampunk interior, retaining a place for the current principles of interior design.

The main features of the style

It's hard to find a direction farther from living space than steampunk. It is based on the aesthetics of steam engines, gears and mechanisms, but not on comfortable furniture and ergonomic accessories. Nevertheless, it is the beauty of the technical means that attracts connoisseurs of this genre. Therefore, the main feature of the style is the visual effect. But also do not forget that the same machines work for the benefit of man. Therefore, the functionality and utility of the environment are also included in the list of steampunk features.

The style in old England was also focused on the splendor of textured elements. Beautiful fabrics, original surface finishes and expensive things - all this will complement the design favorably, but only if it visually matches the era. What will have to be abandoned, following this direction in home improvement? Perhaps shades of minimalism and naturalness will be superfluous. Naturalness is not a steampunk characteristic. His spirit is expressed in man-made, and nature fades into the background.

Color palette

In this style, color has a special place, and designers have to find subtle loopholes between neutrality and contrast. The calm tones hardly correspond to the tumultuous activity of factories and plants. But even bright shades will have no meaning in this context. Therefore, preference is given to brown, gray and blue flowers... And again, do not forget about the parallel life in luxurious halls and salons, where a noble and rich gamut prevailed - it also favorably emphasizes the steampunk style in the interior. The description of the most advantageous color scheme in this direction can be presented as follows: emerald, wine and gold surfaces with velvet fabrics and a gleam of metal structures. Such a combination will provide an unusual, but quite steampunk visual effect.

Decoration Materials

Although natural materials that hint at eco-style will seem superfluous in this direction, traces of their careful processing will correct the situation. You can use wood, stone, and glass with metals in wall decoration. The main thing is that the decorative surface creates an atmosphere of understatement and unreality. Such a feeling can be provided by a wood floor lined with massive logs or aged boards. Metal sheathing would also be a worthy option, and the fixing hardware should be deliberately left visible. It is advisable to use large rivets in this capacity, reminiscent of the skin of a submarine or a large steam boiler. The brick walls, which were once fashionable in our time, match the interior. This is not the best solution in terms of practicality, but aesthetically, it will be a win-win. On the other hand, it is not recommended to use cheap and strictly formatted materials for decoration in the form plastic panels or wallpaper.

Furniture furnishings

Victorian interiors are renowned for their luxurious armchairs, sofas and stately bookcases. Moreover, the emphasis is on the external design. Nowadays, it can be exquisite ornate carving, patterns on leather upholstery, metal plates and decorative items made from expensive fabrics. It is better to refuse built-in and modular headsets. Each piece of interior in the steampunk style is distinguished by its originality - it should be a piece work of art made by the hands of a master. As for the basic materials, the structures can be made of wood or metal - bronze, copper or brass. You should not completely abandon collapsible furniture, but in this case it will be necessary to emphasize the mechanics of the item.

What should be the lighting?

The streams of light that will transform a slightly gloomy and gloomy interior should have a special character. It is desirable that they also have a hint of industrialism, the time of transition to new technologies. But this does not mean that you should use popular lED bulbs... Their even artificial light will hardly match the setting. It is worth giving preference either to traditional incandescent lamps or gas-discharge devices, the operation of which is accompanied by buzzing and flickering. These are the optimal effects for a steampunk interior. The design of shades and lampshades, if possible, should be selected specifically for the Victorian era. Otherwise, it is worth turning to the massive structures of the lamps, also made with the use of metal. It is desirable to refuse from plastic cases.

Requirements for household appliances

Not every style provides for the use, for example, of kitchen appliances and devices as an independent interior object. At the very least, household appliances play a neutral role. In this case, the situation is reversed. The current generation of home appliances, in varying degrees, but derives from machines and appliances from the industrialist era. Another thing is that the principles of operation and characteristics of materials have changed significantly. But the external design of household appliances may well emphasize the steampunk interior, regardless of its purpose. You can stylize any object - from hob to a TV with a computer. For example, housings washing machine or a refrigerator should initially be chosen with a gray or brown color scheme. The imitation of woody structure also fits into this genre.

Decorative elements

Accessories are the easiest and most fun way to create an authentic steampunk atmosphere. To find original decorative elements with a touch of antiquity, you can go to the flea market. You should also use your own stylized photos to decorate your living room or bedroom. A separate topic is small devices and mechanisms that can perform their main functions, except for interior decoration in the steampunk style. This type of decor can be represented by barometers, compasses, clocks, telephones, etc. Walls are recommended to be decorated with large maps, paintings by 19th century artists, as well as illustrations for novels of the same time.

Installations and structures for the interior

For a more complete approximation to industrialism, it will not be superfluous to decorate the house with large-scale installations. In essence, this is the same decor, but of a different caliber - of course, it creates a completely different quality of the steampunk style in the interior. Examples of such installations can be as follows:

  • A panel on which locksmith tools, pipes, valves, taps and other elements that previously had a certain functional purpose are placed.
  • Basement with purposely open engineering communications on the ceiling. This option is suitable if the room will be used frequently (for example, as a home theater). The same plumbing pipes will create a special atmosphere, and the open brickwork in the walls will complement it.
  • The installation does not have to be devoid of functionality. For example, in the bathroom, you can completely stylize communications - the same pipes with valves, a washbasin and the bath itself. The main thing is to choose the right metal (cast iron, copper or brass), abandon the abundance of plastic and, in a similar style, perform wall and ceiling cladding.

Conclusion

It is not easy to implement this direction of interior furnishing, but if successful, the effect will be truly original. This is a very vivid and expressive genre in which many will recognize the mesmerizing atmosphere of the works of art of the 19th century. But how practical and convenient is everyday life maybe a steampunk interior? For whom, in principle, is it suitable? Of course, someone who does not like the Victorian era is unlikely to invest in transforming their homes with such means. And connoisseurs of this style will have to sacrifice few. This flexible direction and almost any task of providing comfort and functionality can be combined with the requirements for a visual and decorative background. Another thing is that the technical implementation of some ideas may require significant physical and financial costs.

Not everyone will dare to create a steampunk interior, only a brave person with a lion's share of imagination. After all, an ordinary person is immediately struck by the shocking of the room. Industrial paintings are present in huge valves and levers, pronounced metal structures, massive factory pipes.

The predominance of smog and sepia in the interior creates an ominous feeling. But with the right selection color palette and the scenery of the urban "landscape" you can recreate a retro-futuristic setting with elements of Victorian romance.

History of origin

Steampunk, as an interior style, gained popularity in the 60-80s of the last century. The protest style became an organic addition to the beloved sci-fi works of Jules Verne and HG Wells.

The concept of a literary style is based on an alternative reality, within which the world develops with the help of apparatus powered by steam engines. That is why the second unofficial name of the style is paropunk. In the interior, steampunk is represented by an abundance of elements associated with the science of those times: airships, balloons.

The essence of steampunk is characterized by a time span "wandering" between the past and the future. The mechanic rules the steampunk world.

Color spectrum

The steampunk palette of shades is restrained and simple. It is better to leave variegated paints for the interior in the modern or boho style. In addition to the classic nuance range (including brown tones, sepia and terracotta tones), shades of metal (mainly brass, bronze, copper, steel) and black graphite are widely used.

To prevent the color background of the interior from looking so gloomy and ominous, it is recommended to combine tones characteristic of steampunk with smoky interspersed with muted blue, "mountainbatten", green and red colors.

Steampunk is often used to create a special atmosphere in the kitchen, where classic combination black and red gives the interior a mystery.

Industrial shades of the interior should be softened with moderately warm diffused lighting.

An appropriate solution would be to use gas discharge lamps.

You can create wall lights yourself from pipes and a metal wire cage frame.

Steampunk ceiling

Steampunk favors high ceilings with asymmetrical lines. Much attention is paid to decorative elements. Cold metal strips combined with rivets and screws different sizes create a feeling of brutality.

The wood elements work surprisingly well with the fabrics.

Floor

Steampunk is unforgiving. Only natural materials are used in the design. The perfect solution - oak wood floor, varnished. But for the embodiment of ideas from the world of fantasy, both laminate and parquet are suitable.

In the bathroom and in the kitchen, you can use decorative tiles that imitate stone.

Wall decoration

As you already know, steampunk interiors do not tolerate synthetic materials. The walls of the room should be an unobtrusive continuation of the Victorian style.

Wall decoration involves the use of natural bulky materials: dark vintage wood, stone. But not everyone can decorate the walls of the house with expensive elements. Cheaper, but high-quality analogues look no worse. If you wish, you can leave concrete walls in its original form.

The wallpaper on the walls in the English grunge style is organically combined with the general atmosphere of the room.

Do not forget that steampunk is associated with the past. Therefore, on the masonry, you need to create the effect of attrition and antiquity, or use plaster with a large fraction.

Steampunk maps and atlases on the walls look unusual in the interior. You can give them an aged look by soaking them in diluted black tea.

In the bathroom, stone-like wall tiles look perfect.

Interior walls can complement the simplicity metal doorsmore associated with the entrance to the cabin of the captain of the submarine ship.

Furniture appearance

The main requirement for furniture is massiveness. Of the materials, preference is given to leather, upholstery made of rough fabrics. The most popular fabric for upholstered furniture is brocade.

Cabinets and cabinets can be made not only of wood, but also of metal or have metal fittings.

Wanting to focus on dark solid wood furniture, ceilings should be decorated in light soothing colors.

Tables resembling large ancient suitcases look unusual and slightly avant-garde.

Key decor elements

Decorative elements play a key role in the recreation of the era of retro technical progress. True, their task is only to set off the "incrustation" and organically blend into the atmosphere of the interior. Otherwise, there is a possibility of getting museum archaism instead of extravagant chic.

Antique clocks with rusty gears bring fantasy lovers back to the 19th century. They are associated with the period of the industrial revolution.

The stylization of modern devices and peripherals for the Victorian era looks authentic.

An original solution can be a fireplace with a metal finish.

Bathroom

Openness and urban motives are encouraged in steampunk. Pipes act not only as a decorative element. And the airships on the wallpaper allow you to achieve authentic stylization of the 19th century.

The bathtub must be massive and aged. Artistic forging adds special sophistication to it.

Kitchen

The interior of the kitchen should be simpler than in other rooms. The use of bulky bar counters and natural wood countertops is encouraged. In addition to lamps with diffused light, additional illumination will not hurt in the kitchen.

Bedroom

To decorate the bedroom, all the same gears, an abundance of metal and natural "decorations" are used.

The steampunk interior is a protest against boring traditional solutions imposed on society. Fantastic elements of steampunk look ominously aggressive, but when interacting with illumination of an unusual look and calm tones of natural shades, a feeling of romance and paradoxical simplicity is created.

Steampunk is a new word in interior decoration. This is an original style in which the past and the future, brutality and romanticism, the feeling of "museum" and boundless comfort are intertwined in an amazing way. However, steampunk amazes not so much with unusual combinations, but with warmth and harmony, which, in spite of everything, are present in rooms made in this style.

Steampunk: history of appearance, concept and features

Steampunk is not just an interior style, but a social and cultural movement

Steampunk, or steampunk, is not just an interior style, but a socio-cultural movement, which also found its reflection in painting, literature and architecture. Disputes about the time of its appearance are still ongoing. Some argue that steampunk originated in the 60s and 80s of the last century, others - that long before that, but during this period it simply was reborn and received its official name. But, be that as it may, it exists today and every year it is only gaining popularity.

The concept of steampunk is interesting. In fact, it is an alternative to modern reality with its scientific and technological progress and nanotechnology, but it makes it possible to see the world without them. Thus, on the one hand, the steampunk interior is a kind of retro picture of the past, and on the other hand, it is a dream of a probable future. That is why the style itself is considered retro-futuristic and at the same time reflects the characteristics of the Victorian era and fantasizes about the development of steam engines.

Designers who work on the creation of such interiors often combine incongruous in their projects, which gives the finished premises a zest. They try to capture the thoughts of the people of the 19th century, who sincerely believed in the success of the development of mechanics, and not electronics, and display them in separate details and whole pictures. This is how well-forgotten things and objects appear, used in new roles - tables and clocks made of gears, panels made of metal, and so on.

You can recognize steampunk by its characteristic features, namely:

  • Harmony of the past and the future - in the interior, it most often manifests itself in the stylization of modern semi-antique objects, for example, by repainting them in copper color or by enclosure in a wooden case;
  • Naturalness and naturalness - the style does not accept artificial materials either in decoration or in room decoration.
  • Originality, bordering on unreality - items that will become a successful accent of the finished interior appearance which indicates their fantastic origins. For example, treasure cards, ancient chests decorated with gears, compasses, pendulum clocks, pirate paraphernalia. Designers take ideas for their creation from steampunk literature dedicated to travel in time and space.
  • The presence of elements of steam engines - they can represent real interior details or be guessed from the outlines in paintings and wallpaper. The main thing is that they support the created spirit of the era.
  • Originality of lighting - steampunk does not accept modern lamps and chandeliers, but, on the contrary, favors gas lamps. However, due to their impracticality, designers replace them in the interior with unusual sconces made in the Victorian style and decorated in antique style.
  • The presence of asymmetrical lines and curls throughout.
  • The presence of objects from the past - old telephones, typewriters, balloons, gramophones or iron dishes.

In interior design, there are two types of steampunk - historical and fantastic. The first requires the use of only real objects from the past in the decoration of premises, which, due to their prescription, have an antiquity imprint. The second one focuses on furniture and details of fantastic origin. However, in both cases, the design is developed taking into account the peculiarities of the development of Victorian England and the industrial revolution of the 19th century.

Colors and materials for finishing

The color scheme of the style is maintained mainly in warm, harmonious and restrained colors.

The color scheme of the style is maintained mainly in warm, harmonious and restrained colors - from soft beige to red-brown and charcoal black. Not only walls or ceilings can be painted with them, but also individual parts that imitate their ancient origins. In such rooms, it is customary to use metallic shades - copper, brass, bronze or gold. In turn, you can place accents and dilute the existing palette, making the room mysterious, with blue, green or red colors, so that the finished rooms create a feeling of smoke, soot, sepia.

Steampunk does not accept synthetic materials, but only natural ones. Therefore, interiors stylized for it should contain wood, metal, stone, glass, leather, tiles and fabrics - they all indicate a past era.

Thinking over the design of a steampunk room, you can:

  • Sheathe the walls with wood with the addition of riveted fabric or metal strips, which were very popular in the Victorian era. You can replace them with an aged one brickwork, wallpaper in a cage, striped or with the image of gears, springs and other details.
  • Make a vaulted ceiling with arches or wooden and metal ladders.
  • Lay out the floor with tiles or wood, opened with varnish. Fans of shocking and romanticism in the corridor can decorate it with a real street cobblestone. And for connoisseurs of luxury and comfort - parquet or laminate, stylized antique.

Furniture

Steampunk prefers successful compositions of voluminous pieces of furniture from the Victorian era and individual futuristic details

Meaning the combination of the incongruous, steampunk prefers successful compositions of voluminous pieces of furniture from the Victorian era and individual futuristic details that imitate ready-made steam engines or their parts. Therefore, organizing the space, you can:

  • put huge sofas covered with dark leather or fabrics;
  • to focus on a heavy writing desk with elaborate handles, stylized as an old massive oak;
  • decorate cabinets and cabinets with metal inserts or paint them in the desired shades;
  • decorate the room with small pieces of furniture, which are inherent in the features of heavy Victorian and futuristic styles. Thus, an ordinary coffee table can be made with a real clockwork on the table top or with an original metal leg, with all its appearance resembling a gear. And the shelves are made of cut pipes or parts that have never been used in a similar role before;
  • to bring original and unusual products to the interior - wrought iron chairs, beds and headsets with a steel top or wicker chairs.

When decorating a room in steampunk style, you need to remember that the most elaborate details should be exactly those that are less functional. This will avoid obvious inconvenience and even injury.

Lighting in a steampunk space should be soft, diffuse and dim.

Lighting in a steampunk space should be soft, diffused and muted, and the light sources themselves should be unusual, fantastic and brutal. Victorian-style chandeliers and sconces or antique-stylized metal lamps fit well into the interior.

When organizing the space in the room, you need to ensure that there are no voids or piles in it that would complicate the process of moving or communicating between the owners. The highlight of steampunk is freedom and a place for creativity, which inspires and attracts to it.

Equipment

In order to harmoniously fit modern technology into the interior, it is necessary to stylize it in antique style

Steampunk is no stranger to modern household appliances in the form of laptops, toasters, microwave ovens, dishwashers, coffee makers and plasma TVs, rather - its real appearance. That is why it is possible to successfully fit it into the interior thanks to the decoration with natural materials. These can be frames made of them or ready-made metal cases, stylized in antique style and decorated with levers, buttons and taps, each of which performs a specific function. Recently, ready-made steampunk devices, which can rightfully be considered real masterpieces, are made and sold by folk craftsmen.

Placement of accents

Interior decoration with the help of peculiar accents is the most crucial stage of its design. It is important here to put the maximum of useful and unusual items without overdoing it. Old things can help in this, thanks to which unexpected interior solutions are created - cameras, sewing and typewriters, disk telephones, old radios and pendulum clocks. At the same time, it is not at all necessary to repair them and bring them into working order. Steampunk loves the museum-like feeling they create.

In addition, you can add:

  • aged maps, telescopes, binoculars, a compass and more - they all preserve the spirit of travel and bring it into the interior;
  • suits, air tanks or real attributes of 19th century scuba divers;
  • valves, antique lamps and levers that may have been present in Captain Nemo's Nautilus;
  • original panels of gears, metal pipes and records;
  • decorative elements that repeat the shape of the airship - ceiling structures, lamps, pieces of furniture;
  • clocks - floor, wall and table, large and small, with pendulums and unexpected design elements - they only emphasize the spirit of a bygone era and add sophistication to the interior.

Small details allow to emphasize the created atmosphere:

  • aged globes;
  • retro telephones;
  • false windows in the form of portholes;
  • door handles imitating valves;
  • riveted chests;
  • voluminous vintage refrigerators;
  • miniature railways;
  • photographs in sepia;
  • suitcases;
  • paintings, old books, barometers, diagrams, aircraft models, vases, ashtrays and other decorative elements with metal or wood inserts.

Gallery of design solutions

Steampunk is called a masculine direction in design, but nevertheless it is used in the design of interiors of different rooms. Style fans are bribed by originality and surprise design solutions, as well as a sense of peace and harmony that are present in the finished premises.

Steampunk combines the features of many styles, but at the same time is significantly different from them. A striking example of this is steampunk-style interiors: living rooms, bedrooms, nurseries, baths, offices and kitchens. Vintage pieces of furniture and decor fit into the latter especially harmoniously.

Bright accents - the highlight of steampunk interiors Steampunk spaces amaze with their functionality, pretentiousness and originality The secret of steampunk success is that it never gets boring

Video: creating a steampunk brooch with your own hands

The author of the master class tells how to choose and connect the parts correctly to get a real masterpiece. Meanwhile, a brooch is not the only thing that can be created thanks to his story. By the same principle, you can decorate finished pieces of furniture and interiors or develop new ones.

Video: Steampunk guitar stylization workshop

Steampunk is not just a direction in design or art, but a lifestyle, a whole philosophy. You can verify this by plunging into its atmosphere. Therefore, do not be afraid to let something new into your life, experiment, inspire yourself and your family, and be happy!


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