Custom Library with Balcony

This one's from Business Week -- wouldn't it be wonderful to have a balcony around your library?

Books into Bookshelves

Artist Jim Rosenau uses books as lumber to make, well, bookshelves.


Many are built for pure aesthetic appeal, but some of the best combine books on a theme -- here, a bookshelf for "makers".



Second Editions Bookshelves by Jim Rosenau.

Brown and Gold Library

A wonderfully masculine library with leather chairs with brass nailhead trim, a butler's tray on a stand, a small folding Moroccan side table, and lots of books in dark wood bookcases.

Book Autopsies

Is it obscene to cut up a book to turn it into a work of art? What if the art reflected and expanded on the meaning of the book?


Just a small sample of Brian Dettmer's Book Autopsies.

More examples at the galleries that represent him: Packer Schopf Gallery, MiTO, and Toomey Tourell.

More coverage at Centripetal Notion. Found via Coilhouse.

Help Maeve Design Her Steampunk Apartment

Maeve needs our help!

I'm renting a basement apartment, which used to be the maid's quarters, in a gigantic old Victorian. I have a good idea what I want to do with the bedroom and living rooms (the two rooms with the tiled floors), but I'm a little at a loss what to do with the rather boring kitchen to make it more interesting, steampunk etc. I can't figure out what to do that will go with the black and orange tile. I'm thinking of switching out the cabinet hardware, and maybe taking down some of the doors for open storage, but I'm not sure. Painting is also a very limited option (everything has to get approved by the landlady first) so anything too crazy can't be permanent. I'm thinking of doing some vinyl wall decals in the living room and bedroom, in addition to some giant bookcases, but all the wall decals I've found have been rather flowery or cartoonish.

Since I'll be moving across country with no furniture to move into this apartment, I'll be starting with a completely fresh slate, and any suggestions you or your readers might have for any of the rooms pictured, I'd greatly appreciate it. My boyfriend introduced me to your blog a couple of months ago and I'm absolutely in love. (editor's note: Thank you!)

Any suggestions for temporary, steampunk changes to this apartment? It's got a great setting, and good "bones." The shutters are nice, and I love the checkerboard tile and would embrace it! I have a number of ideas, but wanted to let the Steampunk Home Readers weigh in with their ideas first. I'll pull the best suggestions from the comments and do a follow up post, and then we'll make sure Maeve sends us her "after" pictures.

Red Velvet Library

I have a weakness for red velvet, and for libraries. This ad from Western Interiors March 2008 -- for Sotheby's real estate -- twinged my heart strings. Wall to ceiling books, red velvet curtains, oriental carpets, and heavy wood furniture: lovely, timeless, elegant, dramatic and comfortable.

Eric Freitas' New Blog

If you enjoyed my earlier post on Eric Freitas' clocks, I wanted to point out that he has a new blog where he talks about how he creates the clocks and includes us in the process of building his 6th mechanical clock. If you're of the decidedly amateur maker category I find myself in, you'll enjoy looking over a master's shoulder as he works.

Eric's INCESSANT RAMBLINGS blog.

Thanks to Alrededor del Mundo for sending me to Eric's new website.