Today is day 3 of filling our brains with design ideas with the boys in mind. If your home is full of bows, and ruffles, and…white!…this is for you! So pay attention!! And be sure to go check out yesterdays post for the fabulous tips that we already learned!!
A reminder of the 3 questions I asked the bloggers…
Question 1. When decorating with the boys in your home in mind what is one thing that you avoid as much as possible. Like colors, patterns, or textures?
Question 2. What is the quickest way to add manliness to a room?
Question 3. Is there a way to take the feminine accessories (like pillows, vases, pictures) and make them more masculine?
Let’s find out what Jacque from The DIY Village had to say…
1. I avoid Ruffles and flowers. While we do have a box pleat slip cover on our chair I put an ottoman in front of it to minimize the girly girl slip cover.
2. The quickest way to add manliness is to add leather. A nice leather chair or sofa in a room will bring the men running!
3. You can add new covers to the pillows. A clear vase can be filled with rocks and sticks/driftwood, wrap them with twine, rope, or even sticks and my favorite- paint them with mercury glass spray paint.
Love the dog!! Alright, let’s take score of how I’m doing with her tips. No ruffles and bows, and add leather. Easily change out pillow covers and use accessories!
Heather from Setting for Four…what fabulous words of wisdom do you have for me??
1. When decorating with the boys in your home in mind what is one thing that you avoid as much as possible. Like colors, patterns, or textures?
I avoid light colors (staining!), pastels (too feminine – except I have some light pink in my office but that’s mama’s space!!) and any frilly patterns/textures(too feminine again).2. What is the quickest way to add manliness to a room?
Manly fabrics – such as plaids, tweeds, flannels (grey flannel looks wonderful!) and burlap (check out the burlap hurricane covers I made here: http://settingforfour.blogspot.ca/2011/10/burlap-hurricane-sleeve.htmlPatterns such as stripes, graphic patterns and classic damasks are great too. I used an antique damask material to make easy to make, removeable Ballard inspired pillow covers for a caramel colored sofa we have here:http://settingforfour.blogspot.com/2012/02/diy-pillow.html
Use accent colors such as navy, caramels/mustard, dark greys….the last link shows some of these colors too! Update a space using a wood sidetable or coffee table stained with grey stain to add the wood look but in a more updated way.
3. Is there a way to take the feminine accessories (like pillows, vases, pictures) I already have and make them more masculine?
Pillows you could add trim to to make more masculine or recover (see my diy pillow cover post again!) Vases you could spray paint a masculine color or white to make it more neutral looking. Frames of pictures can be spray painted a masculine color(navy blue would look really nice!), or black or white or use silver or gold rub n buff!
Oh boy. I see a repeating problem here with colors and patterns. Do you see it??? Can you find the rules I’ve broke??
Maybe Jen from Four Marrs, One Venus will be kind and understanding and let me keep my pastels??
Colors I avoid: yellow and red, pink -imagine that
Patterns I avoid: flowers and swirls
Textures: I think all texture is fair game..if in the right pattern or color.2. Remote Controls? beer fridge? OK- Decorating.. I would say nice solid/textured throw pillows on a couch. Leather is a good choice when coming to men! Their magazines in a nice basket, less shit – cut the clutter. pops of color with dark.. does that make sense?
3. sure- I think masculine comes out with rough/dark stuff..so instead of “white” everything..pop some dark stuff in there.
4. I think my dining area is a nice example of a man space..in a home kind of.. I like the dark wood with the white clean walls. Not too much crap hanging around..looks to be a nice relaxing spot to have an ice cold beer. yep.
Jen??!!??? I was counting on you. Leather, dark, no white, avoid flowers and swirls? Girl…are you out to get me?? Not even showing a picture of my space. We all know it’s going to be a big ol’ giant fail.
FAIL!
Jenny…Jenny?? Help a girl out here. Jenny from Birds and Soap is going to make things right for me…
1. When decorating with the boys in your home in mind what is one thing that you avoid as much as possible. Like colors, patterns, or textures?
I avoid prints…large floral, or overly colorful and busy. I think a neutral, soothing palette is best. Throw them on a pillow or something in small doses, but not covering all the furniture.
Here is another one: red. I did the red room once and as much as my husband doesn’t care about my decor- it drove him nuts. I’m sticking with calm serene colors, like shades of green and blue that are muddied up. I can’t take anymore “we live in a barn” jokes. Plus my husband is a little high-strung. Isn’t red an intense color? A power color? Thanks, but no thanks. I can’t handle him stressed out.2. What is the quickest way to add manliness to a room?
Leather! It just has a rugged charm. It’s rich, manly, and it wipes easily. God was definitely planning for the future when he made cows. He knew all the remote-wielding, beer guzzling men of the world would need somewhere to rest their pretty heads.
My second vote would be tacky black lacquer furniture with gold accents from the ’80′s. Nothing says “bachelor pad” like black TV stands and black leather couches. barf. Both things are easily available on craigslist.
And speakers…Giant speakers. You know, huge subwoofers that make it practically impossible to decorate around (I speak from experience, hubby’s birthday was yesterday and last week Polk Audio came knocking at the door).
Also, add a fishtank and some empty pizza boxes and garbage. Yup.
3. Is there a way to take the feminine accessories (like pillows, vases, pictures) I already have and make them more masculine?
Hmm. Always. Even the manliest of men would love a warm, fuzzy throw to curl up in for a nap. He doesn’t mind what the pillow looks like as long as his head sinks in softly. What guy is going to say no to an ornate picture frame that holds an image of his children? I think the key on this one is quantity. As long as the room is not overwhelmed with femininity, then they will be none the wiser.
I don’t think you need to necessarily “do” something to your girly accessories, just display less of them.
And nix the pink!
I do know that pink is like a sounding alarm for girliness…even the most unassuming man will notice pink. No pink pillows allowed in my house! But I have been known to move a vase of peonies around a room. Who doesn’t like flowers? Instant softness in my book.
Bahahaha!!! Love these! Kinda. Once again I hear about avoiding prints. Gah! And adding leather. Double Gah!!. But this new idea of speakers and fishtanks and garbage…I like this!!!
Let’s imagine what it could do for me…
What do you think?? Does it help? Darn. It’s all I’ve got up my sleeve.
Did you all learn some good tips and tricks?? I surely did!! And I’m putting them into play RIGHT NOW!! Well, not right now (cause I’m writing this), right now. But…I’ll be showing you my update spaces very soon! Stay tuned!
In the mean time check out a space I did recently that is manly and feminine all smooshed into one!!
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