Interior Design

[KontanKarite]

Help. Okay, here's the problem.

White walls. BROWN floors. BROWN furniture.

Okay, this is not what I would consider "home" to me.

I need help. The idea is to go steam with my room, but even steampunk isn't entirely my thing. How would one, being that everything is brown/white, make a room look... steamgoth?

How can black and purples look decent with brown? Maybe it can't be done.

How does bronze and copper colors mix with black and blues?

One idea I have is to get some cardboard and cover the entire area of my window and cut out an intricate clock face design to then cover up with copper foil so that sunlight filters through to look like the inside of a clock.

What else can be done? I'll try to get some pics of my room up to see what you guys think I can do. I want to do black tapestries on the walls, but that might look weird with a brown hard wood floor.

[Vako]

This is one of my areas of interest. You can cover your wooden floor with a dark colored throw rug. Bronze and copper colors mix with blacks and blues just fine. I'd love to see a picture of your room so I can make suggestions. I'm also very curious about recommendations other people will make.

[eternalcrimson]

If you are feeling ambitious enough you could reupholster the furniture and it’s not that difficult to do and there are plenty of good websites that give great tips.

As for the floor you could stain it black and that’s relatively simple to do too.

[Clockwork]

Firstly, I commend you for setting out to make a... steamgothic room. Very nice. However I've yet to apply any of my creative skills to interior design, so I may not be the greatest help @_@

I think blacks and dull reds would look good with unsaturated browns and bronzes. I think a grandfather clock would fit both styles adequately, if you're willing to go out and get one. I'm just postulating...

You know what'd be cool? Candles placed in the hollow parts of cogs. Yeahhh.

[KontanKarite]

Staining and painting is out of the question. This is my apartment. I can't go off changing things that don't entirely belong to me.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i7...Picture183.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i7...Picture182.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i7...Picture181.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i7...Picture180.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i7...Picture179.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i7...Picture178.jpg

Here is some shots of my room.

Forgive the mess. First thing I want to do is replace the bedding of my bed. The sheets and the bed skirt has to go.

That white square on the wall is very interesting I think. I want to make a black backdrop and put some big copper looking gears on it.

A lot of this would involve cardboard and copper foil. I really hope that's not too tacky. The window of course will be covered by something that absorbs light but has the fancy intricate design of the face of a clock so that the light will cast in an interesting way. Same with the light fixtures on the ceiling.

What would you guys recommend? Also, yes, the floors are brown hardwood.

[Saddiction]

I think that brown hardwood floors are suiting for steampunk. Helps give it a more victorian feel. Browns, coppers, bronzes are very steam-esq in my opinion. Have a book shelf in the same color as your floor? If so great. If not, paint it up to match and fill it up with old books from the late 1800's/early 1900's. If you don't have any old books, go to a used book store. Hmm.. just trying to gather ideas by thinking of what my bf's room looks like.

[Splintered]

Just a tip on the copper cogs made out of cardboard and copper foil. I learned this the hard way when I was trying to make a sword out of tinfoil and cardboard for english class: Make sure it looks smooth. You notice how the blade of a sword and the edges of the cog don't have crinkles? If at possible, make as few crinkles as possible on them, so it will flow easier.

[mrs.wes straker]

White can be very interesting if done right. Except for the trap door you took a picture of, I like the white. (I'm not sure why you like the trap door)The closet door, the track lighting....you have good potential there to make yourself a crib like the one portrayed in American Psycho. That apartment was awesome.

As far as the colors you want, you need pillows to do it since painting is out. They're expensive but you can buy your fabric and stuffing. They are the easiest thing in the world to make. Rugs are needed and black or silver bars above the windows, (what are they called again?) with fabric loosely hung on them to coordinate w/ the rugs and or cushions.....

Maybe my ideas are too girly. I had a black pleather shower curtain once. That was cool and kind of cyberish. OH, and the cardboard and foil will be very hard to pull off without looking tacky. Post pictures.....

[Saddiction]

Originally Posted by mrs.wes straker

you have good potential there to make yourself a crib like the one portrayed in American Psycho. That apartment was awesome.

Patrick Bateman definately had a rad apartment (especially the bathroom), but I don't think it's what Kontan is looking for as far as steam is concerned.

I'd paint the walls in some kind of earth tone and then hang up steampunk-esq posters (wether it be clockwork or advertisements from the early 1900's)

[KontanKarite]

That's what I'm afraid of...

It's such a large room, really. The trap door is just there because it's there. I can't help that.

[mrs.wes straker]

Originally Posted by Saddiction

Patrick Bateman definately had a rad apartment (especially the bathroom), but I don't think it's what Kontan is looking for as far as steam is concerned.

I'd paint the walls in some kind of earth tone and then hang up steampunk-esq posters (wether it be clockwork or advertisements from the early 1900's)

He can't paint, which is the problem.....
I grew up in a house that was all white. It was very depressing. Sorry, Kontan, I want to be encouraging, and after saying that and comparing your apt. to Patrick Bateman's I don't think I'm doing a very good job. :-(

[Saddiction]

Originally Posted by mrs.wes straker

He can't paint, which is the problem.....
I grew up in a house that was all white. It was very depressing. Sorry, Kontan, I want to be encouraging, and after saying that and comparing your apt. to Patrick Bateman's I don't think I'm doing a very good job. :-(

It was only a suggestion. I think white would drive me insane after a while. I'm really excited to move into my new apt. Exposed brick walls and pipework with black polished concrete floors.

[mrs.wes straker]

Originally Posted by KontanKarite

That's what I'm afraid of...

It's such a large room, really. The trap door is just there because it's there. I can't help that.

Try some things out, but you might find that it looks best as just part of the wall. I'm a catalogue-look lover, anyhow. Not very daring. I'll show you:
http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u...ROMKITCHEN.jpg

Not very exciting, now, is it?

[Saddiction]

Originally Posted by mrs.wes straker

Try some things out, but you might find that it looks best as just part of the wall. I'm a catalogue-look lover, anyhow. Not very daring. I'll show you:
http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u...ROMKITCHEN.jpg

Not very exciting, now, is it?

It's simple. Simple is refreshing and easy to keep clean.

[KontanKarite]

This is what I plan on doing...

The window... I'm gonna steampunk the window and that weird square above my bed. Think clock stuff.

The bed... I'm going to find wine red bed skirts and put black sheets on it.

The walls... I'm hanging wine red drapes on the walls.

The ceiling lights, 2 of them will have black lights installed while the other two I plan on covering with very intricate designs to let the light cast interesting shadow designs around the room.

The floor, I will try to find a black or wine red floor rug. It would be awesome to find a black and wine red spiderweb rug. But that would be wishful thinking.

I think a color scheme of black, wine red, copper, silver, and white would make for a very interesting steamgoth aesthetic.

I'm hoping I can pull this off. It should look very interesting when I'm done with it. But it's going to take quite a while to pull it all off.

[mrs.wes straker]

I like it, acutally. Especially the color scheme.

[eternalcrimson]

Yep, that color scheme would work really well.

[Saddiction]

Originally Posted by KontanKarite

The ceiling lights, 2 of them will have black lights installed while the other two I plan on covering with very intricate designs to let the light cast interesting shadow designs around the room.

I know painting may be out of the question, but have you thought about uv reactive paints that are invisible on white walls in normal light? That would be kinda neat to have a feature wall that you can only see while the black lights are on. I know it's not really 'steam' but it's still pretty neat ;D

[mrs.wes straker]

Originally Posted by Saddiction

I know painting may be out of the question, but have you thought about uv reactive paints that are invisible on white walls in normal light? That would be kinda neat to have a feature wall that you can only see while the black lights are on. I know it's not really 'steam' but it's still pretty neat ;D

That does actually sound cool....

[KontanKarite]

Well, so far, I'm going to try to stick to the color scheme and drapes. After My floor, walls, and bed have the color scheme, that's when I will go and steam it up a bit.

[Saphyra Runa]

I'm not sure how large your room is but from what pictures you have taken it looks like it would lend well to the design you are going for.

For the walls I have done this and I know someone mentioned it on another thread here...I think it was here anyway...

Fabric and liquid starch, then cover your walls like wallpaper. When you move or change your mind peel it off and wash down the walls.

Ohhh....I went a hunting! This is F***N awesome.
http://www.becausewecan.org/Office_i...h_custom_desks
You could pull some of this off as trim around the wall with cardboard for architecture detail or with brown craft paper and spray adhesive. Oh, even on the wall for a headbooard for your bed if you didn't want to go hog wild.

As for that black and red wine spiderweb rug, how about painting a floor cloth? I have used remnant vinyl flooring to make some. Comes fairly cheap and sometimes you can find a decent size. Gesso the back side to prime it and then use acrylic or housepaints to paint your pattern. Top it off with 3 coats of water based polyurethane and VIOLA! Side note: fold over the sides and miter your corners and then just duct tape it all down. No one sees the bottom anyway.

A cool idea for your window. Contact paper. It does come in brushed metals including copper, if you can find it in your area. If not clear contact works also. For the clear, paint it copper after it is dry draw the pattern you want and cut out the bits. if your very ambitious and have a good friend you can get the whole piece onto the window. If not, cut the pieces out and piece them together on the window. When you go, some Goo Gone and winder cleaner. *winder cleaner? My country girl is showing. hehe.*

Ok...I will leave off. My mind is whirling with all kinds of ideas.

[KontanKarite]

Holy jesus, that is awesome.

[Saphyra Runa]

Why thank you I know I am. HA! Just kidding.

I know it's for the site for Because We Can. They did a conference table for Cosmic Debris that puts out Emily the Strange that is very cool.

[KontanKarite]

Well, so far I've gotten my black satin sheets for my bed. Ooh, they look so comfy. The next thing I'll need to get is the bed skirt. From there, I plan on moving on to my walls.

[mrs.wes straker]

Post pics!