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You’ve seen it before: one woman telling another about a boyfriend.
Bubbling with excitement, she raves on and on about her kind, handsome and bright new
beau. When her friend asks about his apartment, however, the mood and smile fade.
“It’s a typical bachelor pad,” she whispers. Mr. Wonderful has a blemish, and it
resembles a big, brown easy chair in harsh lighting.
Some guys are real pros when it comes to interior design, but ask the
average male about conversation areas and throw rugs and he’ll squirm. Blame
it on that strong left brain, a tendency toward color-blindness or lack of
interest, but the fact remains that many men could use some help getting in
touch with their decorating side. Just like dating or baseball, your immediate
goal is to get to “first base,” which is done by understanding some simple basics
about your taste and your home.
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Supple leather and cherry accents combine to provide the casual elegance of a gentleman's club.
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Walls and Windows
Start by taking a look at your wardrobe. The clothes you buy are often the colors you like
best so keep them in mind when choosing paint, wallpaper and draperies. Walls painted in a
color you’d never wear can lead to those dreaded words “we have to talk,” and we know where things
go from there. Take a trip to your hardware store — the source of all life’s answers — and
pick up every paint chip that catches your eye.
After you’ve decided on wall colors, attack what women and decorators casually refer to
as “window treatments.” For most guys, this term refers to when a woman begins to change clothes
in front of the window and then pulls the shade, as in “she gave me the window treatment.” For
the rest of the world, it means draperies and blinds. They may sound frilly, but draperies can
be classic, simple shapes that are more gender neutral than girly, especially if you use
geometric patterns and rich colors. The same pinstripes, houndstooth, corduroys
and argyles you love to wear are also perfect on walls and windows.
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Furniture
Moving to “second base” involves furniture. As men continue to practice “why do today
what I could put off until tomorrow,” they continue to exist in sparse cave-like spaces
with no more than a patio chair and really big TV. Furniture is a way of expressing who you are,
and for many men, that’s intimidating. Sam, a technology analyst, took 10 years to buy a sofa.
“One of my friends pointed out that I would have the sofa until I was 40, and that paralyzed me.
How could I choose a sofa that the 40-year-old me would still like? So I waited until I was 39
to buy a sofa. Now I’m afraid the 50-year-old me will hate it.”
Other men worry about investing in nice furniture their
future spouse may not like, so they wait. As the average age for marriage
continues to rise, however, men are finding themselves with high discretionary
income levels (words like orthodontist and tuition aren’t on their radars yet)
and craving spaces that are homey, personal and acceptable for entertaining
friends or girlfriends. And there’s a bonus to this trend. A recent survey
claims home supply stores are the hottest place for single men and women to
meet, crediting how easy it is to start a conversation with a stranger in this
situation. So put on your favorite khakis and peruse the aisles of wallpaper
and lighting fixtures. “What’s your flexible gasket width?” never sounded so
charming.
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Let there be dark. Men gravitate toward darker colors, but they don't have to sacrifice style to have them!
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Grand proportions and guy-friendly styling with enough storage for all his electronics and media.
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For married men, the issue isn’t where to start, but how to
stop. Their wives, that is. Yesterday’s man may not have cared if his home was
pink and green, but today’s man does, and he’s increasingly more involved in
furniture buying decisions.
Today’s popular furniture styles are direct and comfortable:
the two cornerstones of masculine style. Mixing in a few unexpected pieces,
such as a vintage-style mahogany desk or Chippendale chair, can set the tone of
a room. When most things are decidedly masculine, everything else — even a vase
of flowers — takes on a deeper tone. It’s like being in a conversation where
one person has an accent and suddenly everyone starts speaking that way. Don’t
feel you have to decorate entirely in dark woods and heavy furniture. In fact,
mixing a few floral, light colored or otherwise “feminine” items into your room
will lend contrast and make it more interesting. You want the look to be
masculine, not barbarian.
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Like many men, you may have a favorite chair. Perhaps you
inherited it when your Mom went “tropical” at home and Dad’s brown velveteen
wonder had to fly north. Or maybe you bought it at the coolest store in NYC’s
SoHo as a declaration of your adulthood and first real paycheck. However you
came by this remote-gobbling chum, it doesn’t have to be the focal point of
your room. Distract the eye with a mantel topped with photos of friends and
family, accent it with a curio cabinet filled with odds and ends from your
hobbies and accomplishments, or enhance it with a small recessed light in the
ceiling perfect for reading. And speaking of lighting, reserve the bright
lights for tying flies. Put dimmers on everything and banish the fixture
without a shade to the basement.
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His favorite chair—the new recliners have the comfort he wants and the great looks your home deserves.
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Every Guy’s Sofa
While there are many terrific black leather sofas on the market, this poster child of
testosterone isn’t the only choice for masculine style. Consider the following for
tough but luxurious designs.
- For a casual, rugged look choose a leather sofa in "bomber jacket" brown.
- Traditional types should look for upholstered pieces that resemble ties;
think pinstripes, paisley and silk.
- For a contemporary spin, consider distressed velvet that’s more masculine
than you’d expect, especially in mahogany or burgundy.
- If modern is more your style, look for sleek designs accented with chrome
legs.
- And don’t be afraid of country. Plaids and denims are true Old West rustics.
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Size Matters
Addressing other insecurities: when it comes to furniture, one size does not fit all.
No matter what style you choose, look for deep seats if you’re tall, wide seats if
you’re stocky (many chairs are growing toward chair-and-a-half size these days) and
durable fabrics if you tend to tackle more often than sit. An ottoman with an easy
chair is a comfortable way to put your feet up, and it can be used
for extra seating when needed.
Keep It Down
Rounding the “bases” to third, it’s time to pump up the volume. Inside your
handsome entertainment center, you’ll want a great stereo, which brings us to
the subject of sound. For best sound quality and fewest neighbor complaints,
consider acoustical wall and ceiling panels to absorb rather than reflect sound.
These panels are rated according to a noise reduction coefficient, or NRC, that tells
you how much sound they absorb. An NRC of 70 means the material absorbs 70 percent of
the sound that hits it. A good carpet, upholstered furniture and window treatments
will also help reduce the reverberation of sound.
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Rustic refinement: a contradiction of terms? Not with this classically—inspired dining set.
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Bold black metal in a surprisingly light-hearted design with metropolitan flair.
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Men’s Club
From tree houses to men’s clubs, most guys like having a place of their own with
“no girls allowed.” The leader of the old-boy-style wish list is currently the smoking
room — complete with a humidor and pool table, decorated in true throwback style with leather
chairs and mahogany paneling. It’s the coolest clubhouse ever. Just be sure to include
a good ventilation system and don’t be surprised if the ladies like it as well.
Whether you’re furnishing to impress your friends or your dates, the move to a
“grownup apartment” can be as exhilarating as driving your first car. You’ll only get better with
practice and your confidence is sure to grow with time. And when you come home to your welcoming
den of security and comfort, stand at the door and enjoy your field of dreams. GH
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