Bradbury Building -- Steampunk or Cyberpunk?

All the Bladerunner references in the recent Jake von Slatt interview reminded me of this link I had tucked away for just such an occasion. The Bradbury Building in LA was the set for J.F. Sebastian's home in Bladerunner, and even though Bladerunner is seminal cyberpunk, there's some definite post-apocalyptic Victorian industrial style here.


The Bradbury (almost certainly, but not conclusively proven) designed by George H. Wyman, reputedly based on a science-fiction novel set in the year 2010, was built towards the end of the 19th century.


So what do you think? Steampunk or Cyberpunk?

Credits: Images and history from BRMovie.com. Found in a steampunk context on MovieGeekette. Jake von Slatt interview found via BrassGoggles.

Steampunk Urinal (really!)

Library in a staircase

We love libraries, don't we? Ben just pointed out this library in a stairwell from Apartment Therapy (with the comment "we should do this"). Not stylistically steampunk, but it has the library appeal and the secret spaces appeal, so I deemed it blog-worthy.

eBay find: drafting stool

eBay currently has a great maple and iron drafting stool listed.

Starting at $175, or buy it now for $225, its a bit more expensive than the CB2 version for $129, but this one has tons more style.

Thrifting Steampunk Style

I've had a couple of comments recently about budgets and the cost of many of the wonderful hand crafted items that show up on this blog.... While I don't think anyone wants me to stop featuring the wonderful, horrendously expensive works, I do want to make steampunk style available to the rest of us. I've not been adverse to featuring things from Ikea or Target, but the best source for steampunk goodies for the person with more time than money is your friendly neighborhood thrift shop. Although I know my born and bred cheapness doesn't always come through in my writing, I shop thrift stores on a weekly basis and have found a lot of wonderful furniture, accessories, and project materials


Above is a child's wrought iron table that I *didn't* get for the steampunklet and have been kicking myself for ever since. It was $20. Below is a Spanish Gothic looking table I spotted at a local Salvation Army store. The Edison Bar had one just like it tucked into a corner. I didn't need a table, so I passed, but it was a lot of style for just $165. (Looking again, I see that the table is extremely similar to the one in the Minimalist Steampunk post.)







To the left is a gear teal light holder -- my sister scored 8 of these for me for Christmas at a small town junk shop for $1/each. I'm working on converting them from a very chrome bicycle finish to a more brass steampunk finish.

The point to all this is to show that it can be done -- with persistence and a good eye you can find all sorts of neat things for your steampunk home, without blowing a budget.

Goodies for making things. Nothing was over $3. The box on the right became my mad scientist lamp.

p.s. While it would be fun to feature thrifted goodies that you, dear reader, have discovered, I think that might be a bit too frustrating to everyone else to see too many one of the kind, unreplicable finds. If you are interested, though, feel free to post them to the (new!) Steampunk Home flickr group.

Small ceiling fixture on eBay

Remember Gary and his Steampunk Sink Alcove? I just got an email from him showing off his newest creation, a ceiling lamp fixture, and letting me know he's selling a second one on eBay.



Brass, copper, wood, glass, crazy wiring -- it has a definite mad scientist appeal.

Drydock

A reader identified only as Introspect Services pointed this out to me today.


A house? A boat? The last remnants of a once powerful empire? Your guess is as good as mine.

It's from tredowski at CGSociety.com.