Visible from the surface only in the form of a rooftop Apollo statue, inside it is filled with eerie yellow (water-filtered) daylight. The story of this creepy-but-inspiring space is, however, one of fortunes made and lost, starting with extravagant scams and ending in cyanide suicide.

A 19th-Century British version of Bernie Madoff, Whitaker Wright made his fortune despite failing to refund those who financed him – ultimately leading him to flee to the United States, be subsequently extradited and suffer a self-inflicted demise following his final trial in the UK.

At his peak, he constructed an amazing mansion with a most unusual space: an entirely-underwater ballroom – part of a massive reconstruction project in which 600 workmen dug out four lakes and moved minor mountains to make his palatial paradise.

Still, this room stands out as secret and separate. Accessed via a door hidden in a tree at ground level, connected to spiral staircase and a teardrop-shaped tunnel, it is a weird subterranean wonder of iron and glass, surrounded by water (and fish) on all sides.

The death of its original owner left the rest of the grounds to fall victim to a fire and subsequent disrepair. Semi-miraculously, however, the underwater space survived and today is owned by an (on the level, this time) entrepreneur. (Via the DailyMail)

The post Secret Underwater Ballroom Tells a Century-Old Tale of Woe first appeared on Dornob.

The 20th-Century factory jack was as robust as they come, made of heavy sheet metal riding on four thick casters and built to withstand the day-to-day grind of intensive use. This repurposed scissor lift variant from Restoration Hardware has steampunk appeal coupled with a modest sense of blue-collar purpose and a natural-iron finish.

A giant wheel shifts the top up and down via a durable set of out-of-the-way central mechanisms, allowing it to serve as a coffee table, side table, bar cart or object stand at various heights True to form, it can support up to 150 pounds of weight on its surface, so if you insist on sitting on it (or riding it upward) it might well work for that, too.

It’s a beautiful piece that will undoubtedly appeal to those seeking a masculine industrial vibe for their space. It’s kinda too bad Restoration Hardware made the finish so uniform and flawless, however. This scissor lift table instantly reveals itself as a reproduction instead of pulling off the appearance of an antique repurposed as a new type of functional object. A little patina goes a long way.

More info from Restoration Hardware

“We’ve reproduced and repurposed an early 20th-century American factory jack as a bold, industrial table with uncommon functionality. Crafted of heavy sheet metal, it’s set on casters and powered by a big wheel to lift or lower. For video of function and to see the table in action click here. Made from sheet metal with a polished stainless steel finish Turning the wheel locks the table at the desired height Reproduced from a vintage American factory lift Functions as a distinctive coffee table, side table, bar cart or object stand.”

Fitted with industrial, non-locking casters

Weight limit is 150 lbs.

Dimensions: 41″L x 20″W (including handle) x 25″-44″H; top measures 32″ x 20″

The post Scissor Lift Table Raises with the Turn of its Wheel first appeared on Dornob.

Steampunk has become a stylized trend in many ways, making this kind of work is perfect for those of us who are fans of design that celebrates industrial machinery … but also that matches those elements with modern forms and contemporary function.

Tim Byrne not only reuses old factory machines to build these unique works, but makes them work within the new objects as well – antique wheels turning to raise or lower surface heights in a stable, sturdy and physically engaging way.

He lets the look of rough steel, cast iron, brushed aluminum and other half-raw (or semi-finished) materials speak for itself – with legs, frames, spokes and girders that are largely original – and adds only beautiful hardwoods, clean-cut sheets of glass and other accents as needed to transform them into desks or tables.

You can be that, in the end, these are as robust (and heavy) as can be – after all, the components survived for decades in intensive factory settings under regular industrial usage.

This one is the “industrial Crank Table with reclaimed pine,” says the designer.  “The salvaged cast iron base has been restored to original condition and been outfitted with a reclaimed pine beam that features hand cut plugs and recessed steel support rods. The crank wheel will adjust the table height from approximately  27″ – 37″.  Comes with reclaimed pine support beams or a steel stretcher can be added for maximum support. Table is shown with a 3/4″ thick, ten foot glass top.”

The best of so many worlds are combined here: craftsmanship, material quality, adaptive reuse, clean and simple aesthetics and modular multi-functionality. And each piece is, of course, custom – naturally unique thanks to his vintage explorations and retro finds. In addition to tables and benches, Byrne makes lighting, storage cabinets, curios and more.

You can bet these will be as beautiful to the next generation as they would have been in the times during which their oldest components were originally created – truly, these are timeless furniture designs (though one may still wish the bench were adjustable-height like the other pieces!).

The post Post-Steampunk: Timeless Industrial Furniture & Fixtures first appeared on Dornob.