Steampunk, a blend of vintage, Victorian style and today’s technology, has found its way into the interior design world. Wonderfully bizarre and alluring, the style is best known for oddly beautiful objects, art and rooms. If you were throwing a dinner party and Steampunk was a guest, it would be the person telling interesting, somewhat unbelievable stories.

Though you may be unfamiliar with the term, you’ve probably seen the look. Movies like Hugo and The Golden Compass draw on this design sense. Think science fiction meets the Industrial Revolution.

The concept has been around since the 1980’s, but it’s recently become one of the hot, new trends for 2012. By taking elements from the Victorian era and mixing them with current technology, Steampunk can be described as pure fantasy.

Incorporating this look into your home is fairly simply. Start by looking for items using machines, wood, cogs, polished metals, rivets and leather straps in unique ways.

Steampunk spaces reflect a mix of old and new…machine and steam. An example of a new “classic” is this crystal chandelier within the metal sphere. This piece would be absolutely stunning in any space.

Here’s a second example using metal steins.

No matter how you decide to use it in your home you can be assured the result will be visually stunning and unexpected, which quite frankly, is how we’d like to be described.