As we've mentioned in our article about top lighting trends for 2017, industrial style designs are one of the hottest trends this year and is predicted to stay for the years to come.
Steampunk has always been a popular sub-niche of the industrial genre and has also risen in popularity, such as displayed in the public interest for the very recent steampunk festival in Lincoln, England.
Steampunk as a creativity movement begins as a literary genre. In its core, it reimagined the world in a what-if scenario where modern appliances, vehicles, and technology are realized with the 19th-century steam machinery designs.
Once a subculture with cult followers, steampunk has broken into the mainstream public attention, and it inspired many things from fashion design, popular films, and interior design.
As an interior design theme, the design movement brought a unique nuance to the table, bringing an even more retro look to the industrial-themed interior design. In a steampunk-inspired design, old-school Edison bulbs are wildly popular, and so does metal fixtures with rustic finishes.
If you are interested in remodeling with a steampunk-inspired design, here are some ideas to help you begin.
Steampunk Inspired Decor Guides
Although any design should only be limited to your own imagination, here are a few guides to help you achieve the feats of steampunk-styled decorations:
21 cool tips of steampunk decorations by Homedit. From color choices to furniture choices to must-have gimmicks.
12 steampunk decor ideas by JustLuxe, mainly focusing on unique items and furniture choices.
A few tips from Simple Home Decor Ideas, and some very cool
For those who prefers a video inspiration, here is a very nice steampunk house covered by Mile High House
A comprehensive 3 part steampunk design tutorial from Steampunked Out. Here is part 2, 3 and 4.
For lighting choices, here are some of our product recommendations:
1. Unitary Brand Vintage Barn Metal Semi Flush Mount Light Max (300W)
The ceiling-mounted fixture is shaped like a retro-industrial ceiling fan and comes with not just one, but five Edison filament bulbs.
This product can be perfectly utilized as a centerpiece of your steampunk-themed room. Made of high-quality metal with black finish.
Here are some of the notable features of the product:
- 5 60 Watts E26 light bulbs (not included), can be bought here. (aff.) Metal material with black matte finish
- Product Dimensions:10.24" x 18.5" x 18.5"
- Two years warranty
- Only compatible with a 120-Volt electricity system
Available on on Amazon for $129.99 (aff.)
2. Steampunk Designer Iron Piping Desk Top Table Lamp
This table lamp of our collections came with a water pipe-styled fixture. Pipe material is an essential part of a steampunk design, and this product is perfect to accent any table of your steampunk-themed room.
Notable features of this products are:
- Heavy duty metal material with a rustic finish
- Compatible with any E26/E27 lamps of any type, easier replacement if necessary
- Product Dimension: 33cm height / 24cm wide
- 2-meter long power cable
- Compatible with both 120-Volt and 240-Volt (can be used anywhere worldwide)
3. Steampunk Victorian Pipe Cage Minimalist Desk Table Desk Lamp
Another table lamp of our collection came with similar vintage water pipe design , albeit in a different form. This product also features a cage-style fixture to add a vintage, steampunk look to the overall design.
Perfect to instantly adds a minimalist steampunk feel to any room you desire, check out our video featuring the product.
Here are a few notable features of the product:
- Product Dimension: 48cm height / 15cm wide
- Heavy duty industrial standard metal pipes with a rustic finish
- 100% handmade
- Can use any E26/E27 bulbs for your choice, easier replacement
- 1.5-meter long power cable
- Compatible with both 120-Volt and 240-Volt systems, can be used anywhere worldwide
Available in our store for only $59.99, you might also want to check our other similar products here.
4. Brightech Ambience Pro Outdoor Weatherproof Commercial String Lights with Hanging Sockets
This product is actually intended for an outdoor setting. However, it can easily be applied indoor to add more industrial, steampunk look for any room in your house.
The string fixtures are perfect for an industrial accent, especially paired with an exposed brick wall as mentioned in the guides we covered above.
Here are a few notable features of the product:
- Available in black, green, and white rustic finishes with rubber casing
- 48' length string
- S14 exposed-filament incandescent bulbs included
- Can withstand extreme weather conditions with its WeatherTite technology
- Easy installation and flexible design choices
- 3-year warranty
Available on Amazon for $67.99 (aff.)
Is It Time to Rock Out On A Steampunk-Style Decor?
The industrial theme trend for interior design is hot during 2016, and is expected to stay for the years to come, and steampunk is a perfect sub-niche of the industrial theme to stay ahead of the pack.
Lighting design will play a major part in a steampunk interior, as metal fixtures are highly important to achieve the overall worn-out feel of the steampunk concept.
You'll be surprised how simply adding a steampunk-themed lighting fixture can transform the overall feel of any room.
We also recommend reading The Steampunk Bible, the greatest book ever for punk rock victorian style attitude. There are plenty of photos and articles in this book to get your brains storming with steam punk decor ideas. (aff.)