DESIGN SOLUTIONS FOR A BACHELOR'S DINING ROOM

Call me a design snob, but the phrase "bachelor pad" has always brought to mind tasteless wall calendars and cheap leather furniture. In my dating years I spent most of my time outside of his apartment, for reasons extending beyond his lack of design aesthetic, and thought of what I would do if he every asked for my design help.

For example, I find that most men do not use their formal dining room. Instead this area becomes a catchall space consisting of furniture from their college days, outdated media equipment, and sports paraphernalia. If your guy ever solicits your help in cleaning up his act, here are a few alternatives to make this "spare" room more conducive to his lifestyle.

photographer: joe schmelzer

Make his telecommute both functional and comfortable by creating a handsome home office space. Be sure to assess his needs regarding storage solutions so everything has its place. Here, he will be more focused and efficient while working. This equates to less overtime and more time to spend with you later!

design: kate hume

Is your guy a high achiever or a great athlete? Does he have an impressive art collection? If so, put his accomplishments on display. Create a museum of sorts displaying all of his accomplishments, trophies, photos, etc. It takes little furniture to create this space. After the installation, just add a bench or accent chair as seen in the photo above and you're done!

photographer: joe schmelzer

Score points with his family by creating a guest room. When his parents or sibs come to visit, they have a comfortable alternative to his cheap leather sofa. Again, it doesn't take much to complete the space. A bed or respectable air mattress along with a lamp and side table will do the trick. If the dining room is open to the entry, use a futon or sofa bed in lieu of a bed.

photographer: manny rodriguez

If your guys is set in his ways and rejects Options 1-3, then proceed to Option 4: Show Him How It's Done. Show him ways to add a healthy dose of testosterone by using pinstriped fabrics to recover chairs or as drapery fabric. This isn't his grandmother's dining room (no offense, Granny). The chrome chairs, rich wood tones in the table, and the rustic antler chandelier (as seen above) will make any man proud to have a proper place to wine and dine you his guests.

design: brian patrick flynn

So there, I've given you the plan of attack! Just make sure you have "creative license" before you start moving things around in his place. Hopefully the transformation will encourage him to do something about the rest of the place.

What is your biggest pet peeve regarding your guy's place? Which room needs the most help?

VIDEO: HANDSOME HOME OFFICES

This quote by Richard Mishaan speaks my truth! I literally work EVERYWHERE. Case in point, I've been dealing with a serious bout of writer's block and decided to change my scenery. I spend yesterday afternoon tapping away on my keyboard at Atlanta Bread Company. The only downfall was my inability to resist those damn cookies. You win some, you lose some...

"The office is no longer defined by where your desk is...the office can follow you around by simply having your technology with you. Clearly, the boundaries of home and office are blurred. What we think of as the traditional office is no longer going to ever be the same. The office will appear when you are ready to work." - Richard Mishaan

Check out the video if you have a moment. It's a real treat!

FASHIONABLE SPACES INSPIRED BY MENSWEAR

Using your wardrobe to communicate your personality and style in your living space.

The idea of a man's place needing a woman's touch is soon to be an antiquated expression. Whether an individual is male or female has nothing to do with their innate ability to decorate a space. Interior decoration has everything to do with one having inspiration and direction.

Inspiration is everywhere we look; and at times, having too many options is intimidating for anyone. This article provides design direction and helps to narrow the focus by looking toward the wardrobe for cues. When discovering your personal style, anything goes in interior design just as in fashion. Your home's decor is an expression of you and is subject to your personal taste which never is wrong. Your favorite suits, blazers, trousers and accessories provide ideas for color palettes and materials to use in creating a home for a stylish male. Take a look at how it's done.

 Lisa Adams, LA Closet Design

Start in your closet when gathering inspiration for your home. This room just may be the key to helping you to translate your personality and style into your living space.

Kerrie L. Kelly

Just as you would dress up a pair of dark washed denim for a relaxed yet sophisticated look, this dining room delivers a timeless feel with its navy walls, neatly-tucked white chairs, and a red leather for a touch of panache.

Webber + Studio, Architects

Just as a unique belt can add the right flair to a pair of tailored trousers, this room features a hide-upholstered accent chair that also acts much like an attention-grabbing accessory.

Looking for more examples like these? Visit my latest article for Houzz for more inspiration and ideas.

TACKLING DESIGN

Dallas-based Interior Designer Abbe Feninore takes us on a tour of a modern bachelor loft and offers tips on designing for dudes. photography Melanie Johnson for StudioTen25

Men. Football. Interior Design...

A series words you generally don't find in the same article. Unless, of course, you happen to be interviewing Abbe Fenimore about her latest venture with Dallas Cowboys Tight End, Martellus Bennett.  Martellus wanted this downtown loft to be a complete 180 from his current condo just outside of Dallas. He wanted a fun loft where he could record music, hang out with his friends and be in the center of the Dallas scene. Since this was the second home she designed for Martellus, she knew exactly what to expect. When they walked into the empty industrial space his only request were:

1. Purple and gray color palette.

2. Large, comfortable, and affordable furniture pieces that would be easy to clean and quick to delivery.

3. A few fun must have pieces like the pool table, arcade games and a place for his recording "studio".

...and she had about three weeks to pull it all together!

ERIKA WARD: Which item was the jumping off point for the living room design? The rug, art, or neither.

ABBE FENIMORE: It's never that cut and dry with Martellus. He is full of ideas so it's my job to find most important items on the wish list and go from there. I actually started with the sofa. I found a 96" long piece from Room and Board that he could lay down on without his feet hanging off! Everything else just fell into place after that.

How would you describe the style of this home? What makes it a bachelor space?

This space was the cliche contemporary/modern downtown loft complete with floor to ceiling windows, exposed ceilings and concrete from head to toe. I wanted to bring in his personality with color, texture and unique elements. It would have been boring if we would have created the standard loft apartment. It's the perfect bachelor pad! The pool table takes the place of a dining table, the master closet is a mini recording studio and the pacman arcade game took the place of a washer/dryer.

This loft has a modern, playful vibe. How did you manage to keep a youthful look while maintaining a sense of maturity in the space?

I started by selecting furniture pieces that could be used in other space once he moved out of the loft. The sofa has a classic modern shape but the fabric was very masculine and pulled together. Adding color is the key to being playful, but using muted and warm tones give the apartment a mature feel.  Layering the rooms with fun accessories was the only way to bring in Martellus' personality. I didn't want the place to feel cluttered and junky so each accessory was well thought out.

 

Tell me a little about the Warhol-esque picture above the bed.

This was actually a piece that I surprised Martellus with. He is an artist at heart and spends his free time painting and drawing. I knew he loved Eva Mendes and when I found this purple pop art piece, I snagged it right away. He loved it!

What advice do you give for creating a cohesive look in a open concept plan?

• Start with a color palette that you love and use a little pop of those colors in each room. Use pillows, art and patterned rugs to keep things interesting.

• Grounding the rooms with neutral pieces like the accent chairs and sofa will be the key to get the most out of the space. Invest in good quality pieces that can be relocated easily and updated with a few pillows.

• Use spaces where your limited on space and configuration to your advantage. Dual purpose pieces can be more interesting in the long run.

• Keep it simple. Use ottomans or garden stool as a coffee table and them easily move them around for extra seating when you have guests over. 

What do you like most about designing spaces for men?

Simplicity simplicity simplicity. Most most don't care about the details.

I stick with basic questions and get the more important answers the first time around. I let them handle the electronic and always offer to have everything installed for them.

Let's go shopping for a bachelor's pad! Where to?

Room and Board, Crate and Barrel, Zgallerie and West Elm are my go to places.

All of these retailers have stylish furniture and accessories that usually wipe down well. Guys don't like to wait 6-8 weeks for something to arrive and most of these places deliver in two weeks or less.

Art.Com is a great resource for pieces that you can purchase framed or create a custom piece by selecting your mats and frame. It's simple and every guy can relate to that.

Bed Bath & Beyond can overwhelm a bachelor but if you take them directly to the towels for example...you can usually get the job done. My advice, get their preferences, purchase a second option if your not sure and return the rest!

  

RESOURCES

Sofa: Room & Board

Rug: CB2

Floor Lamp: CB2

Accent Chairs: Ikea

Koi Art above sofa: Client purchase at charity event

Pillows: CB2 & West Elm

Master Bed: West Elm

Bedding: Ikea  and West Elm

Pillows: Custom

Rug: West Elm

Dresser: West Elm

Lamps: TJ Maxx Homegoods

VIDEO: HIS NEEDS, HER NEEDS

Decorating ideas for masculine and feminine spaces.

While men and women are complex individuals, there is no reason why decorating for them should be a daunting task. It's true that designing for the sexes is an art form in and of itself, but help is here! In this video you will learn how to define masculine/feminine spaces using color, decor, and lighting.



Be sure to return tomorrow for a tour of a modern bachelor's loft in the heart of Dallas' social scene.

FASHION FRIDAY: ZAC POSEN EXPLORES CONDO DESIGN

This week fashion designer, Zac Posen, revealed his "staged" duplex model unit at 16 West 21st Street in New York's Ladies' Mile historic district of Manhattan.  This collaboration between a fashion designer and an architect is the first since the real estate slump (previous collabos include PeterSom at 485 Fifth Avenue at Armani/Casa at 20 Pine).

Warning: This is not your typical staging assignment...

The developer, F and T Group, is hoping to attract the "creative class" of high-end buyers that Posen epitomizes.

Posen designed this kitchen (above) as he would his own. Boasting a porcelain sink and free standing island, this space would be considered his "dream kitchen."

The bedrooms are dark and moody...two words you would not generally use to describe model home decor.

all photos by Will Femia

You can see the complete slideshow of this condo on NY Curbed real estate blog. I love Zac Posen's runway style, but his taste in decor is a bit too goth for my liking. What I am loving is the marriage of fashion, interior design, architecture, and real estate! It's going to be interesting to see how the market responds to this venture.

Which fashion designer would you love to see try their hand at interior design? My pick...Tory Burch. As a bonus, here's a video of Tory discussing the the marvelous connection between fashion and interior design (watch it, it's only 2mins)...

DESIGNING FOR THE SEXES

I recently read an interview interior designer, Kyle Schuneman gave to Dwell Magazine where he was asked if men and women approach design differently. His answers were interesting and in a way comical.  He stated that men "have a need to claim their space...men want their place to function right, but they want it to be known as "theirs" with no apologies."

 photography / powers and crews

Women on the other hand are more collaborative in their method. He explains that we consult magazines, friends, and television shows to assist us in making our design decisions.

 photography / manny rodriguez

Schuneman makes a really great point...I don't ever recall my husband sharing decor magazine clippings with his buddies or discussing the new neutrals (not that anything is wrong with that). I have persuaded him to watch a design show or two with me. He was more likely to do so if they were discussing a basement design or some sort of man space.

I just found this observation to be food for thought and a great opportunity for discussion...

How involved is your mate in making decisions on decorating, etc.? Do you have similar tastes or is it more like the battle of the sexes? 

ORGANIZING HIS CLOSET...AND YOURS, TOO!

I'm not picking on the men, I swear...But I'm back again today, this time talking about their closet.  According to my husband, my "credible" resource men want their closets to be organized, but they just don't know where to start.  Lucky for me we don't share closet space because his closet is atrocious.  He forbade me from showing you a photo of his closet so I obliged especially after his sweet Mother's Day post.  And in case you're wondering, he is the reason for the male directed posts this week. I hope you don't mind.

So here's what I'm doing to assist Chris' closet conundrum...



1.CLEAR THE FLOOR
The first thing I have to do is remove everything from the floor and place it outside of the closet.  This will obviously help me to move around within the space, but will also help me mentally to know there is an end in sight.

2.SORT
I have bins handy that will allow me to make three separate piles: keep, donate, dispose. The benefit of organizing his closet while he is away is that I'm able to get rid of all the stuff I hate. I know it sounds mean, but it's true. I will replace old pieces with a few new ones that we both love. Hopefully I won't have to buy back his old stuff from the Salvation Army.

3.  RE-HANG
Here is where things could get ugly.

I hate to see a closet full of wire hangers.  i will replace wire hangers with one of the appropriate options listed below. Valet Magazine has an awesome visual and description of the different kinds of hangers and why you should use them.  Instead of throwing wire hangers in the trash, be eco-conscious and return them to the dry cleaners on your next visit.

4. FOLD REMAINING ITEMS
Fold remaining items and stack them using shelf dividers. Think of these dividers as bookends for his clothes.

5. BE EVALUATED
I'll let him try out his new and improved closet for a week and conduct a follow up visit and assess his needs once again. Did the closet remain clean? Does he need more hangers, storage, etc. Take time to adjust the organization plan if needed.

This was a simple cleanup exercise to see if he would appreciate a more expensive solution before actually calling in the professionals. This only cost me about 3 hours of my time, but he will think of me fondly each time he steps into his newly organized space!  

This is worth about 100 points in the Love Bank, don't you think?