Borrowing stylistic details from urban warehouse lofts and rustic rural cabins, this 200-square-foot home manages to look weathered and sophisticated at the same time.

Reclaimed pine and cedar, a gabled roof and various recycled materials make the exterior of this abode look well-worn but welcoming.

Inside, the so-called Earth and Sky Palace feels surprisingly spacious, complete with a queen bed at one end, bathroom at the other and combination living and dining area in between (as well as small loft above).

While metal, glass and wood detailing help the place feel more upscale (while somehow still minimal), small touches like a large bathroom mirror also help the interior feel larger.

Expensive fixtures and finishes help give an impression of something like a mountain resort lodge, dark but rich in detail right down to the fancy shower heads and butcher-block counter tops.

And it isn’t just about the looks: LED track lighting hooked up to dimmers gives users fine-grained control over the atmosphere, as does an app-controlled air conditioning and surround-sound system. Not bad for $74,000.

Spark plugs, kitchen strainers, springs and other random metal parts come together into a ‘steampunk flea’ that looks like it could jump away at any second in this mechanical insect sculpture by Dimitry Valchev. The Bulgarian artist uses scrap metal to create a series of sculptures mimicking mosquitoes and other insects as well as flowers, birds and the Loch Ness monster.

Valchev uses all sorts of metal components in ways you wouldn’t expect to create representations of various creatures. One bird has spoons as feathers, while the ‘flower of time’ is full of working gears.

These creations are just a few examples of steampunk animal sculptures, which range from abstract wind-powered beasts to a realistic 36-foot-tall elephant that’s actually a vehicle.

Adventuring under the sea has a dangerous and classic appeal. These images of incredible submarine-themed rooms and decor are the perfect inspiration for a crazy decorating adventure in one’s own home.

(Images via smarthomearchitecture)

The most intriguing designs with submarine inspirations tend to have a ton of steampunk elements, that add to the old-style naval design. This particular apartment has integrated LED controls that allow the apartment owner to manipulate nearly any aspect of the lighting.

(Images via lessthanperfectlifeofbliss, abc)

This is an example of an Extreme Makeover episode that hit right on the money. Inspired by 20,000 leagues under the sea, the portholes add a fantastic effect and make it seem like the room is entombed at the ocean floor.

(Images via intheboatshed, ourconceptartbook)

These exceptional models of antique diving suit designs look like they could also serve in space. The image on the left is  of a wild suit found in the Paris Musée de la Marine that appears it could handle almost anything thrown at it. One wonders if it served as inspiration for the videogame Bioshock.

(Images via sentientonline)

The idea of having a submarine / jungle theme for a movie room is an intriguing one. How did the submarine get there? The atmosphere of this room is definitely unique, and the comfortable furniture is a great contrast to the worn and rugged steel ribs of the submarine.

(Images via thebolditalic, babble)

A child’s room should never be boring. Take these oceanic themed bedrooms as the perfect example of a room that can wow everyone who enters it. Artist Jay Nelson created the perfect nautically themed bed, totally encased in what looks to be the perfect exploration craft into the world of dreams. Kuhl design build created the much more involved bedroom featured in the bottom image, with an entire ship anchored to the wall.

(Images via geekologie, uberreview, lovelylisting, geekologie)

Estonian artist Mati Karmin has created a fantastic set of furniture built out of the decommissioned hulks of old naval mines. The bed, desk, and fireplace all seem comfortable enough, but it’s hard to imagine anyone actually being comfortable in that chair.

(Images via dec0r, steampunkxlove, ideasforroom, dornob)

Anyone who has the funds to create a home movie theater also has enough money to embellish it a little. The fixtures in the red Nautilus themed room showcase a cozy and elegant design that matches well with the descriptions from the original science fiction tale. The room with the white submarine doors is much more authentic and rough, which is likely favored by true naval aficcionados.

(Images via whokilledbambi, technabob, etsy, hometone)

For a quick addition to any nautical theme, an exploratory tentacle can be just the right touch. ArtAkimbo’s etsy shop has an incredible variety of tentacles to match any color scheme.

At the winding of a handle and the flick of a switch, gears begin to move inside a mysterious faceted wooden object. Then, as the panels are opened to reveal what’s inside, a solitary figure can be seen, hunched inside a spinning circle. This is the work of sculptor Levi van Veluw, demonstrating the strange beauty of Automata.

The Amsterdam-based artist is known for photography, sculpture and installations that explore the human form. In a series called Veneer, the artist created three interior spaces inspired by his childhood bedroom and covered them with over 30,000 wooden blocks, balls and slats. Other projects have seen live human models covered in moss and human hair.

“The images that I make consist of often unlogical combinations of materials, patterns, colours, forms, with my head as the only constant factor,” says van Veluw in his artist statement. “Each element is consciously chosen so as to affect a pre-determined transformation. By playing with the value of the each material and by using them for a purpose that was not originally intended for them, I construct within the image, in a very small way, a different perspective on the world.”

“In most cases it is my head that is the carrier of these transformations and combinations. The expressionless, and almost universal face, allows the viewer to project himself onto the work. Because the works have really existed and have not been digitally manipulated, each image contains a short history of a performance.”

Architects working with robots, firefighters equipped with artificial wings, electric learning machines and airships for everyone: this is the year 2000 – as imagined in 1910 – and it’s a vision of mechanical wonder decked out in Edwardian finery. French artist Villemard produced these illustrations predicting what life would be like at the dawn of the 21st century, and while some are hilarious, others are surprisingly accurate.

Firmly entrenched in the Industrial Age, the forward-thinking minds of the early 20th century were sure about one thing: machines would play an increasingly vital role in daily life well into the future. Reaching 90 years into the future, Villemard correctly anticipated technological advances like teleconferencing, radio news broadcasts and motorized roller-skates.

We may not have motorized hair-brushing machines, robot tailors or headsets that enable us to learn by osmosis, but we certainly rely on technology to perform more of our basic tasks than ever before. Villemard’s idea to use radium as a heat source would have proved disastrous, of course, but he wasn’t too far off – nuclear power was right around the corner.

When these images were created, suspended monorails, electric trains, blimps and bi-planes were state-of-the-art technology, seeming like the height of innovation. So it seemed only natural that, by the new millennium, we’d all be navigating the skies in personal aircraft, chased by police officers that resemble flying squirrels. And while floating airships are now largely a thing of the past, we’re still waiting on the flying cars we were promised by futurists so many decades ago.