I've recently read about a email based home design service called Design By Photo. You send them some pictures of a room in your house, and they send you back a CAD-based redecoration. Since I've been stuck on my bedroom for years now, I thought I'd give it a try and see what happened.
They send you a 13 questions survey about how you use the room and what sort of style you want. I'll leave most of that out, but I thought you might be interested in how I described the steampunk style to someone whom I assume isn't familar with it.
8. Tell us here if you have any ideas of our own you would like incorporated into the redesign of your space. Feel free, for example, to discuss colors you like or a wish list you may have for the room.
OK. Here's where things are going to get wierd. (This is the internet, right? Full of wierdos.) What I want for this room is a style called "steampunk." What is steampunk? From a decor point of view, I'd call it "Neo-Victorianism" or "Victorian Science Fiction" You can scan this wikipedia entry for a more general introduction: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steampunk If you saw the movies Wild Wild West, the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen or Serenity (or the TV show Firefly), that's also steampunk.
But since you are on a short time budget, let me give you the highlights of what it means to me, and what I'd like the room to feel like:
victorian
brass
old west
the "used future" -- not too pretty, definitely not frilly, a bit salvaged
So think old west/victorian, but strip it down a bit and make it bit more "scientific"
Since pictures are worth a thousand words, here are some of my favorites for conjouring the "feel" of steampunk:
http://www.brassgoggles.co.uk/bg-forum/index.php?topic=1744.0
http://www.brassgoggles.co.uk/bg-forum/index.php?topic=104.0
http://www.kaboodle.com/saracarl/steampunk-home-exteriors.html
Lynn, my designer, said "Great style, I can't wait to attempt it" so I am looking forward to what she does!
The design should come in about a week, so I will be sure to share it and the "before" picture with you.
Update: Here's the results.
This sounds fantastic and it also sounds like your designer is enthusiastic to try it out! That makes for a great combinatioan... can't wait to see the results!
ReplyDeleteI too will be most interested to see what they come up with! Must be a change for them from the usual "Magnolia please, with some brushed aluminium."
ReplyDeleteOh, that will be interesting!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like amazing stuff, did they ever get back to you with a design?
ReplyDeleteI'd love to attempt something like this for my room.
Hi Duncan, the result is here:
ReplyDeletehttp://thesteampunkhome.blogspot.com/2007/06/results-ofthe-challenge.html
I'm going to update this post, too, to point to the results.