It’s often said that all homes need ‘a woman’s touch’ – but this idea is outdated and presents a pigeonholed view of home living. This article presents some helpful tips on how to design your bachelor pad to reflect your ideals, ambitions and personality without looking cluttered or uncoordinated. The key to success is organization, and this applies to all aspects of life.
Establish Your Style Beforehand
This key to establishing your style is through using clear, directed thought patterns in your home. You need to determine color patterns which reflect your sense of identity and living habits, as well as textures, furniture arrangement and key pieces you envision when you imagine your ideal home. This need not be an essay of ideas, but a rough conceptualization of what you want can prevent floundering.
Create an Audio Set-up
Music is key in establishing atmosphere and ambience in every home, but it is especially important in a bachelor pad not to be using your iPhone speakers to entertain guests, or even yourself. Use reputable brands such as Bang and Olufsen that deliver high quality sound and combine practicality with great aesthetic design. These items can be found in a range of styles from SSENSE and can really elevate your home standards beyond what is simply visible and make the space a truly enjoyable living experience.
Obtain a Conversation Piece
This can be anything that speaks to you as an individual and sparks joy in your home. These are often large, bold, or incongruous pieces which stand out among otherwise perfectly matched interior design. This will almost always spark conversation and interest, so choose something that you truly enjoy looking at, whether it be a statement rug, a piece of wall-hanging art, a sculpture or even a vintage guitar. The piece should speak to your style and identity, and make your home truly different from all others.
Use Plants as Texture
Plants are an essential aspect of all homes. Without some form of plant-life, homes look dull, lacking in vitality, energy and vibrancy. These elements are needed for you to enjoy their aspects and take them on in your daily life. They make a more habitual atmosphere and soften dominating furniture so that it is present but not obnoxious. Choosing easy to maintain plants are sensible if you are not knowledgeable around horticulture, but make sure you clear away any dead plants and replace them to avoid looking sloppy. Plants come in so many different shapes and sizes they can be used in virtually any space, from draping ivy to large statement pieces.
Separate Your Spaces
This can be done in even open plan homes, by using furniture such as bookcases to segment areas. It is very important to differentiate the function of your rooms to ensure an undistracted feel to your design as a whole. Study desks should not be kept in bedrooms, TVs do not belong in work rooms, and food should not be consumed in areas that they are not designed for. This creates a structured home for you to accomplish your goals with a clear head.
Keep Your Bachelor Pad Well-Stocked
This is especially obvious if you regularly entertain company, but keeping your drinks cabinet full and diverse and your fridge stocked marks you as someone in control of their life.
Use Lighting
This depends on personality, but usually you want to organize your rooms so that as much natural light can enter as possible. Keeping windows clean and using curtains instead of blinds in large areas will achieve this. For bedrooms, if you want dimmer lighting to aid sleep, keep the bed in the corner furthest from the window and use blinds to shut out the light for a sleek and comfortable look. Strong, warm lighting from bulbs in the evening creates a welcoming and relaxed air, and using a variety of light sources can create a sophisticated room design.
Keep It Clean
A messy home indicates lack of discipline and an unfocused attitude, and the cycle of personal and habitual shortcomings can become cyclical in nature and thus hard to break out from. The simple solution is to maintain a high standard in your home, which will bleed out into other areas of your life. Studies have shown that organized and clean spaces have a positive impact on mental health and productivity, so there are benefits beyond the aesthetics in this case.
This advice will ensure your bachelor pad is not merely a space to eat and sleep, but an area which is dominated by your personality and will impress peers and dates alike. Impressions are formed subconsciously by those who are privy to your space, so it is important that your home reflects who you are and what you want out of life.