Men’s apartment decorating is tough for a lot of guys. In 2021, we are spending more time than ever at home, and we need to have our spaces looking good and feeling comfortable. We’ve assembled these top tips for men looking to decorate their apartments.
Men’s apartment decorating is tough for a lot of guys. In 2021, we are spending more time than ever at home, and we need to have our spaces looking good and feeling comfortable. We’ve assembled these top tips for men looking to decorate their apartments.
Even if you don’t spend a lot of time in front of the tv, a nice couch is a must. It makes the room, and you can plan the rest of the design around the couch style that you love. First, measure the living room space. Your couch shouldn’t take up more than a third of the room. If you want a sectional, make sure that it doesn’t obstruct your path from the living room to other parts of the house. Plan on spending time at at least three furniture stores, spending time sitting on every couch that you like.
A very popular, modern couch material option for men is leather. It adds sophistication to the room and is easier to clean than fabric. If you must have fabric, another easy to clean, durable material is microfiber. Investing in a high quality, soft couch will pay off in comfort over time. Drape a fuzzy blanket over one end for style and for staying warm on winter nights.
Ever wonder why the mood is so perfect in your favorite restaurants and bars? A big part of it is most likely the lighting. Consider putting a strip of LED lights in a strategic location such as: a line running the perimeter under your bed frame, behind the headboard, under cabinets, above art. This will add ambience that you can’t get any other way. LED strip lights (with remote controls!) are available to buy online and in many stores for under $30.
One thing that a lot of guys overlook is getting good storage furniture. This is key to making your place feel mature, clean, and put together. Look at places where your stuff naturally seems to pile up. If your shoes are always stacked up by the front door, get a wicker basket to toss them in. If you have mail and papers scattered on the kitchen table or counter, get a nice looking (not plastic!) organizer to keep it all sorted and accessible. If your clothes are always tossed beside your bed, move your laundry hamper out of the closet and near the spot where you need it. Invest in a wicker or other upscale laundry hamper if yours are all unsightly plastic baskets. Hide your odds n’ ends and you’ll see how it transforms your space instantly.
Another often neglected design element is area rugs. The right area rug will help a room feel finished, it can separate a certain area from the rest of the space, and can add coziness to bare wood or tile floors. Some places to think about throwing down a rug: under the edge of your bed, under your sofa and coffee table, and under your dining table (this one is controversial, we recommend a stain resistant material if you are going to put rugs where you’re eating). Look for rugs that have a neutral base plus one or two colors that coordinate with other furniture or decor in the room.
If you want your space to feel masculine, a lot of men like to go for darker and natural colors. Blacks, browns, and navy blue are all good options. Add in some contrasting accents such as grey, dark green, muted orange, or muted yellow throw pillows on a couch. Slate grey walls are a classic choice that enhance the mood better than bare white. Which brings us to...
If you are fortunate enough to live in a place that allows painting, painting some or all of your rooms can be a game changer. For living rooms, do a Google Image search of couch + your couch color, ie. “black leather couch.” Browse through the couch images and notice the paint colors used to see what would look best in your space. You can use the same trick to pick a bedroom paint color. Say you have army green bed sheets and comforter, search “army green bed comforter” in Google Images. Find a bedroom layout that you like and copy the paint colors to mimic the look. You can show the image at a local paint store for help with color matching.
Deciding on the right art for your apartment can be tough. Look for pieces that speak to you, and don’t forget to keep the scale correct for your room. If you want to hang art above a console table, headboard, or couch, try to hang a piece or collection of pieces that make up around three quarters of the width of the furniture below. Hang all art on your walls so that the center of the frame is at your eye level.
Adding some greenery on an unused area of a bookshelf, hanging from the ceiling in a corner, or to a countertop near a window, will add warmth and vitality to your space. The textures and colors of houseplants add visual interest to any home, and having house plants has been shown to lower stress levels. Some easy to grow houseplant varieties for beginners are: snake plant, english ivy, and air plants.
Wood and fur are classic masculine decor touches for a male apartment. Look for a rustic wood coffee table, or use unfinished wood frames to display art or family photos. This will create contrast with the sleek modern look of a leather couch or a metal dining table. Similarly, hanging a sheepskin fur (inexpensive and available at Ikea) over a side chair will add an eye-catching element while bringing a little bit of the outdoors to mind for you and your guests. Various textures are the name of the game and natural elements achieve texture in the easiest and most pleasing way. Give it a try in your apartment for quick sophistication and good vibes.
Many apartments will already have blinds on the windows, which is great for allowing light in while also maintaining some privacy. But to really enhance the space, try adding curtains (blackout curtains if you like it extra dark). A classic masculine drapery style is to add a heavy dark colored curtain in a muted similar color to the rest of your decor. If your apartment does not have blinds already, hang a double curtain rod. This allows you to place sheer curtains underneath and thicker, darkening curtains on top. Use the sheer curtains to have privacy while letting light in during the day, and then close the outer curtains to darken the room as needed.
If you are in a studio or open concept apartment, dividing up your spaces can have a big impact on the feel of your home. Use room dividers, a shelf, a couch, a console table, or a rug to delineate each new space. Adding shelves as dividers, between the dining and living room for example, can help with privacy in an area, or even just help with storage. Room dividers can act as a wall when required and then be folded up and moved out of the way as needed for convenience.
Most men know they need a couch and a coffee table in the living room. If you have the space, adding a side chair can complete the room. In an empty dining room, a neatly stocked bar cart or a buffet table can add storage space and can make the room feel more polished. The iconic Eames chair is a classic choice that will fit into the decor of many men’s apartments.
We hope you have found these ideas useful for your male space decorating. Apartment decor and style used to be an afterthought for many men, but more and more men are discovering that putting some time, money, and energy into customizing your home can help you feel more comfortable and happy in your space.
