The Function of Steampunk Home Decor

It is important in steampunk interior design that objects have not only aesthetic value, but are functional as well. Bryn Pryor, the creator of the steampunk film Cowboys and Engines claims, “I define steampunk as Victorian adventure/sci-fi mashup with an eye towards the fact that aesthetics are as important as function . . . it’s important to me that I can believe everything really works” (Katie). The notion of function is especially important within steampunk home decor because, unlike steampunk cosplay outfits, for example, in which guns do not need to realistically shoot bullets or beams and one’s imagination provides the function and use of creations, the objects within a home need to be both aesthetically pleasing and useful. Household objects such as computers, furniture, and kitchen appliances such as ovens need to be practical and working within a home. If they are all purely aesthetic, the home becomes more of a museum in which a homeowner’s comfort is diminished.

 

In one steampunked New York apartment, pulleys not only cover walls for a visual appeal, but are used to open the washroom door.

Similarly, wrenches and old tools act as handles, and gears are not simply ‘glued on’ but transformed into functional lighting

The owner of this Victorian stove kept the exterior doors but completely transformed the inside from a wood burning stove to a conventional modern oven. On top, he has placed modern heating elements. 

Many elements in the kitchen are antiques that have been modernized and are completely functional. The island of the kitchen is a desk from an old printing press, an antique cash register acts as a dispenser of dog treats and old piping that’s been cleaned has been turned into a water tank for his dog. The owner claimed, “I think steampunk is an art movement; it’s about this marrying of time periods and repurposing to give new life to objects and creating functional art” (Home Strange Home).

For a complete online tour of Bruce and Melanie Rosenbaum's steampunk home (the kitchen featured above), including three-hundred and sixty degree views click here.