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.

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Sculptor Dale Dunning has been casting the same genderless face in all different kinds of materials for over a decade – placing it on its side, cutting it into ribbons and surrounding it with leaves. Among the most recent incarnations is a series of masks and heads made of movable type and thousands of tiny bits of hardware.

Each tiny little piece is painstakingly put in place to follow the contours of this face, sometimes sanded, the contrasting rough and smooth textures giving it even more dimension. Other heads consist of tiny bolt and washers, each welded to the other.

“The head that has been featured in my work for the last 13 years is a generic, simplified form not specific to gender, devoid of detail, resembling an egg. The head is universally recognized, easy to identify with. We live in our heads, see, feel, and experience the world in our head. It serves as the foundation upon which I can develop various paths to explore.”

See lots more of Dunning’s work at his blog.

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Some candy shops are so colorful and chaotic, you’re not sure where to look. That kind of wild Willy Wonka-esque environment can certainly be fun, but sometimes, simplicity is what it takes to make the truly important element stand out: the candy itself. RED Design Group gets sketchy with a black-and-white store for Candy Room in Melbourne, Australia.

Sweet Enough, a wholesale importer of sugar-free candy products, wanted to break into the retail market with a store that would be “a destination and an experience.” RED Design Group captured a childlike spirit with hand-drawn details like a kitchen, stools and books on stark white surfaces.

“Being strongly influenced by the idea of designing a playful, simple and somewhat illusional space for the Candy Room, the exaggeration of a ‘room’ idea was formulated,” say the designers. “The application was to use line artwork on white space to represent a room.”

They extended the same theme to the store’s branding and packaging, with labels and signage casually hand-written. Walking into the store, visitors are immediately greeted by the bright coloring of the canned packaging, eyes drawn to lollipops, chocolate bars, caramels and much more.

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So ubiquitous they almost escape notice, the stuff of everyday streetscapes follows certain laws of man and nature alike. Pointing out the obvious, in this case, is far more unusual and surprising than noting more atypical or rare species.

Consider the behavior of benches, with their seasonal advertisements but otherwise relatively low-maintenance requirements versus the level of attention demanded by a “No Parking” or “Stop” sign.

Fire hydrants and mailboxes also have unique care instructions, conveying levals of authority but also communicating rhythms and patterns of certain kinds of traffic (postal or fire and rescue vehicles at regular or erratic intervals).

“Carmichael Collective is an ongoing project from Carmichael Lynch, a creative company based in Minneapolis, MN. Everything you see here is just creativity for creativity’s sake. If you like it, share it. And if you want to see more, follow it. Or, don’t. It’s totally up to you. After all, art is in the eye of the beholder.”

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Even for native New Yorkers who are rarely surprised by the secrets offered up by their fascinating home, the hidden NYC that Alex MacLean captured might be something completely new. And if you have never lived in New York, you are sure to be blown away. The architect turned pilot turned photographer took to the skies in a helicopter to capture a world that very few ever get to see: the rooftop outdoor spaces that bring some urban dwellers right into suburbia.

(image via: Princeton Architectural Press)

Flipping through the pages of MacLean’s Up On the Roof (a copy of which was provided to WebUrbanist by the publisher), all of the trappings of suburban life are evident. The barbecues, picnic tables, gardens and swimming pools call to mind neighborhood backyard parties – only these are no backyards. These are the tops of tall buildings right in the middle of one of the most vibrant cities in the world.

(image via: Princeton Architectural Press)

MacLean became aware of this secret world almost by chance. An intriguing image he saw on Google Earth inspired the pilot to take a swing over Manhattan while out on a photography assignment. The initial reason for the detour was quickly forgotten when MacLean began to notice an entirely unexpected layer to the city far above the sidewalks. From then on, he began documenting those amazing rooftop spaces.

(image via: Princeton Architectural Press)

Just like suburban backyards, the roof spaces run the range from sparse and minimal to flawlessly manicured to absolutely chaotic. It is wonderfully mesmerizing to examine each page, leaning in close so as not to miss a single detail. These high-up spaces have been used for everything from playgrounds to restaurants to art exhibits to fully-functional urban farms and even golf courses. In one bizarre case, a replica of a World War I British fighter plane sits on a rooftop runway.

(image via: Princeton Architectural Press)

While many of the older buildings sport retro-fit rooftop spaces – added on many years after the buildings were constructed – some new buildings have rooftop living and recreational spaces built in. MacLean notes a particular new building in Williamsburg on which the roof space is segmented into many individual outdoor areas, to be sold later at a premium to residents.

(image via: Princeton Architectural Press)

The nearly 200 rooftops detailed in MacLean’s book are perfect examples of urban adaptivity. Even urbanites who wouldn’t dream of leaving the city crave an outdoor space in which to relax. Since rooftops account for one third of all impermeable surfaces in New York City, it only makes sense to put all of that space to use.

(image via: NY Mag)

It is interesting to note that, since rooftops have typically been used to house industrial objects like water towers, compressors, and ducts, these things now have to coexist with the rooftop living spaces. In some cases the solutions are remarkably elegant, such as enclosures that camouflage all of the mechanical things. In others, the spaces meant for people simply wind their way around the inconvenient objects.

(image via: NY Mag)

MacLean’s engrossing book can be enjoyed simply for its beautiful photography and glimpses into ordinarily-inaccessible places. But for urban enthusiasts, it also inspires a sort of giddy excitement over future possibilities. As more and more of the world’s population settles in densely-populated urban areas, more cities will start to resemble New York…and more urbanites will head to the roof for their daily dose of nature.

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