I love that house! If given the chance, I'd move in today.
There is nothing 'Odd' about it, IMO.

It's not a Craftsman home, however.

Absolutely fascinating to see what he's done, it's one of a kind for sure.

I love that house! I don't find it odd at all. The exterior is gorgeous, very inviting.

I would move in today also!

"Odd" is defined as 'being out of the norm'. It does not necessarily have a connotation of being bad. It is odd. It still might be totally cool.

Who has ever seen a metal door with a lock wheel in a home? With a signal light that lights up on the wall over the door when opened. Odd. Maybe really it's really kewl, but it is odd.

Finding that old setback thermometer that really works and installing it was fantastic. Converting an old water heater tank to a water filtration system was genius. IMHO. The functional battleship wallphone was a great find. Converting a ship's binnacle to a media server seems a bit out of place inside a house even for Steampunk. And sticking a cash register on a kitchen counter wastes needed cooking space and looks out of place. Kitchens never did have cash registers in them. Storing a VCR or TIVO in a firebox seems jarring.

I was just curious as to what others think. I am surprised at the positive response since this board leans towards the conservative in decorating.

That mantel looks totally wrong to me. It looks like they added a wood mantel from some other house on top of the marble mantel they had in their house. While I like the idea of it, I think the execution is terrible. To me it's like looking at someone wearing two hats, one on top of the other. Not something that should be layered and it just looks wrong.

I think the word "odd" comes off as being negative. If someone were to describe me or my home as being "odd", you can bet it would offend me. lol

Now if a cash register was sitting on the counter in a home decorated modern, then I'd find that odd.

But I see the interior of the house to be fitting with the exterior. Unique is how I'd describe it. I think all the pieces fit together in that particular home.

I get you Dilly. Odd is different. Not good or bad.

I'm not digging that tv and mantel setup. I dislike a tv over a fireplace to start with, especially in a gorgeous old home.

Some of the other items you mentioned are pretty cool, but some aspects were a bit jarring. I agree about the cash register.

tina

Very ingenius and clever. I actually like the mantel turned entertainment center though I would probably never do something like that myself if I were fortunate enough to live in a Victorian. I would keep it as a fireplace.

If your read the accompanying article it says they bought the mantle from an architectural salvage place to make it into the entertainment center. It tells how he "stretched" the frame to fit the TV. I don't know where you are seeing a marble mantle in that set up. (?) The guy did not even put down tile on the floor in front of it nor make the thing blend into the wall trim to attempt to make it look like part of the house. It is an entertainment center looking like a hybrid of a bunch of "stuff". Weirdest looking entertainment center I have ever seen. I don't believe older homes should look like a museum with exact reproductions but some of what this guy did looks kooky to me. I guess I am in the minority on this one.

I like just about everything he/they did, EXCEPT for the added fireplace surround and TV. It reminds me of a movie set facade -- note how the fireplace surround and TV are angled, but the wall behind it is not. Note how the 'legs' of the fireplace surround are notched around the baseboard, rather than fitting into the baseboard. IMO, yuck.

I think the mantel set up probably looks pretty much as it did originally, although the proportions were altered. I have seen a number of these intact or in salvage yards and although all the different things going on look odd to us, its pretty much how it was done.

Where it *lacks verisimilitude is the missing marble hearth on the floor and the lack of apparent chimney behind the whole thing. The presence of those elements would have improved it.

I think the idea is ingeneous, but the execution stops short. I also am not one to hide TVs and technology to this degree: its James Bondian, its interesting, but I wouldn't go to such great lengths to hide it all.

The mantel works for me because the whole setup is lower to the ground than your typical TV on the mantel. Just looking at TV's on mantels makes my neck hurt and wonder if people actually watch their TV? lol. Plus, having a TV over a heat source...a big no no. And you lose the fun in decorating the mantel! But this one works for me.

Also, the cash register isn't taking up much space in the kitchen. There's a lot of workspace right next to it, and it seems to be in a dead zone, as far as countertop space goes.

I'm glad you did this topic, it's a fun house to look at!

Pal, I agree about not hiding electronics. They're a part of everyday life. Sometimes I wonder if people are ashamed to have a TV if they go to great lengths to hide it? lol

What a fabulously interesting home! Definitely not something you see everyday. I like the repurposed mantel. To me, it's not such a far cry from any other type of wall unit that specifically functions to house electronics.

(I am, however, rather weary of "hipster" terms like steampunk. ;-))

I'd have a blast in that house. If I had the means, I'd have a place like that actually. I'm so weird, and I love repurposing things...I LOVE the cabinet used for the dogs food.

And I'd put a cash register like that in my kitchen, I'd use it to store dog treats! Who knows, maybe they do too?

I agree they could have done better with that TV thing, but the idea is great. I'm supposed to be getting a pretty cool mantel/fireplace surround that I have absolutely no use for, but maybe I'll figure out a way to use it in some funky manner inspired by this one.

fun. I reminds me of Captain Nemo and 20,000 Leagues under the sea.

Aww Pal, we'll have to agree to disagree on this one. I am one who prefers to *hide* a tv. And no, Oakley, I'm not *ashamed* to have a tv, it's just that tv is such a low priority for us and the one in the great room does not see alot of use. I have several antique pieces in the room and a fireplace that I prefer to be a focal point. I find the tv to be a bit jarring with the decor. That's why we have an old armoire that fits in with the style of the room (we did the same thing in our bedroom), and much of the time when the tv is not in use, the doors are closed. Especially when we have guests - in that room - I prefer the tv to be invisible if not in use. TV in kitchen is in plain view.

tina