In Bruce’s living room I found this mantle piece with a plasma TV installed in place of the mirror. The mantel was acquired from an architectural salvage company and then modified by adding a few inches to the mirror frame to accomodate the TV.

Below, a late 1800s fireplace insert from a coal fired train station heater in Kansas has been installed to contain the electronics and sub woofer for the sur- round sound installation. The insert has been re- stored – but Bruce was able to save the original faux marble paint that was part of the original design.

Bruce works from his home and the pièce de résis- tance of this steampunk house is the office in what were formerly the servant’s quarters on the third floor. This is the view from the doorway as you enter the room.

The wainscoting is galvanized tin (not wood) and was likely salvaged from a restaurant or government building. Bruce’s craftsman had to cut the wainscot- ing down about 10” inches the fit, and painted it with Benjamin Moore Bronze Metallic paint. He also used leftover outside porch balusters to make the separa- tors between the panels.

A ships binnacle guards the view from the window, the binnacle I’m told will eventually contain the household file and media server.

Above the binacle is an example of another of Bruce’s passions, a Puffin - this one steam-powered and on the wire!

Moving to the other side of the office we find the door to the file room. There is something about this door, every time I looked at it I heard the theme from MYST in my head and imagined that it lead down a long coridor to a machine room of some sort rather than to a file storage closet. The lock wheel is functional and the signal light over the door illuminates along with the interior lights when the door is opened.

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