The term bachelor pad makes me think of a dark lair furnished with matching sets of sofas, tables and accessories, a lack of color (everything is always beige) and a well-outfitted bar.
Lucky for me, my client Mike isn’t interested in that everything-must-match look. He hired me to bring style to his living and dining areas, a blank canvas except for the 100-inch television. (I might be exaggerating slightly, but you get the picture—the thing is HUGE!) His needs include plenty of seating, some artwork on the walls, and a dining table and chairs. And Mike’s not afraid of second-hand furniture. Here’s what I came up with, all within his budget.
First up, the living room:
Mike’s thinking long term here, so I wanted a sofa that he wouldn’t get sick of. I love gray as a neutral. The color pairs well with nearly any other shade, including beige and won’t show every speck of dirt the way a lighter color might. I also like that this sofa has legs. Lifting a large piece off the ground makes the room feel bigger and airier. A combination of stripe pillows (these are from Etsy) and ones I’ll make–orange with charcoal piping (stay tuned for that post)–will grace the sofa.
Because we’re opting for a fabric sofa, the accent chair will be leather. I found this Barcelona chair knockoff on Craigslist! The camel color softens the hard lines and metal construction. A throw pillow makes it that much more inviting (this throw pillow is also from Etsy).
This teak coffee table nods at Asian influences. It was a good buy on Craigslist for $100. I’m keeping it natural for now because it’s in amazing condition, but Mike’s not so sure how he feels about mixing black (keep reading to find out what I’m painting) and wood in a space. I want Mike to live with it as is until after everything else is in the room. Nothing warms up a room like natural wood and color.
I’m enlisting Ikea’s Barometer floor lamp to shed some light in the dark corner where the camel chair is likely going to sit.
The vintage end table from Craigslist needs a fresh coat of paint. I’m thinking an earthy orange, like Valspar’s Fireside in a high-gloss finish.
Mike likes to entertain and wants plenty of seating options for guests. I want to tuck a padded bench under the windows. I found this one on Craigslist and plan to recover the seat With Kaufman Essex linen blend fabric in orange. It’s less than $7 a yard.
I love repurposing a buffet, sideboard, or other cabinet as a TV stand. In fact, my TV sits on a dresser. I found this vintage buffet on Craigslist.
I’m drawing inspiration from Dorothy Draper, my all-time favorite designer.
And modernizing the vintage buffet with lots of contrast. After painting the unit with Martha Stewart’s silhouette in a high-gloss finish, I’ll highlight the carved lines with a creamy white.
I went out on a limb with the artwork. Good news, Mike likes it. He majored in math and now works in banking, so I’m playing the numbers game with a photo of a letterpress and an image of dice (both from Etsy). The silver and orange faux antler art piece adds a bit of whimsy, something I think no space should be without. And the painted canvas is something I’m making myself. Nathan Thomas, winner of Bravo’s Top Design wowed me with his easy art.
Mike’s will be a combination of blues, oranges, grays and a pop of something bright, like yellow. Fret not, there will be a how-to blog post as soon as it’s done.
Stay tuned for the dining room design.
Posted by Wendy
