Hey everyone, was having some trouble and wondered if anyone would have some advice. Anyways, I'm moving into a new apartment at the end of the year, and probably gonna try to spend some money on this one to make it look good.. as the one I'm living in now is horrible.. couple things on my mind: 1. Paint/Colour/Wood It's like, 500 square feet, so I'm not really sure how to do this. I want to use dark colours even though light colour makes things look larger, cos I want a masculine kind of space that I'm comfortable in... been thinking about dark mahogany hardwood floors with some kind of lighter wood kind of laminate for the walls; black leather furniture. Not sure how to do the cupboards, etc. Thinking about black granite countertops. Any thoughts?... the floor/wall colours I'm aiming for is like the damier Louis Vuitton colours. 2. Furniture Placement How can I fit all my necessary stuff into this small kind of size? Normally it's not a problem (my current apartment is only about 50 feet bigger), but this new apartment has two of the walls taken up - one by a balcony door and the other by a entrance to bedroom. Not sure how I can fit: a. Work table (Home office) b. Sofa c. Piano Without making it cramped... it seems pretty bad to have a bachelor pad without a sofa.. haha. Or a home office without a table, for that matter. Here's a pic of the floorplan. Hope someone can help with some advice, cheers.
Pad...? Better be careful or it will be a bachelor cave, your going to make it that dark, lighten up...maybe try gold and some animal prints somewhere, and how about a futon or sofa sleeper to double up in a small space? seating/sleeping
It sounds like you have some good ideas going, though I have the same reservation that SusieQ voiced, that too much dark in such a small place will make it...well, just dark. One thing to ponder for a few moments is what you yourself really like to be surrounded with - are you drawn to the traditional European "masculine" palate, or would you be happier with something else? You are the one who will be living in it each and every day, so be sure to decorate for you. Wood is very pleasant and warm - I would be careful with the black countertops through, they show scratches and grit like anything, and some stones can soak up grease and become discolored so they aren't always the best choice for an entire countertop - you might do better with a wood/dark laminate surface and maybe add a stone cutting board or tile to bring in that element.
pics of macho loft Here's a few pics I found of a males loft laid out like yours, dark colors but some light also, and dark counter tops with black in it but not all black...notice bedroom is dark wood but one wall is sort of gold? and bedding is light..hope this helps you with some ideas, they were there I saw them??? oh well...
Don't worry about "masculine" colors. You aren't trying to impress your male friends. Trust me, they won't notice. Go with light colors. Make it airy and light. You want a comfortable place to "hang". Dungeons are decorated with dark colors and shadows for a reason. Pick furniture for comfort, not style. If you want to make sure the colors match, take a female friend. Trust me, you don't have a clue about color. It's genetic, get over it. :-D :-D If there's a lady you want to impress, take her. You'll be paying her a high compliment by trusting her decisions (pick out the furniture that you find comfortable and let her pick the colors, never argue with a lady on color), and you'll wind up with something that is pleasing to the eye and pleasing to the body. The dirty clothes in strange places and the contents of your 'fridge will make it a bachelor pad, not the colors of the walls and furniture.
Lots of light colors are masculine. I suggest going to a large retail store and look at the new colors of towels for this year. Very masculine colors, but not heavy and dark. There's some chocolate colors, golds, even a rusty/peachy color that is not at all feminine. How about sage green, or a dusty blue? Hope this helps as I am not really a decorator type.
