Man Up: Modern Vintage with a Masculine Edge

For many college students, it’s time to head back to campus.  They pile crap into dorms or share rooms or rent off-campus.  Between classes, they rarely take the time to recognize the need for a little aesthetic order to their mayhem.  Males are the worst offenders.  Back in college I saw more beer bottles used as home decor accessories than I care to remember.  One kid had his grandma’s China and treated it like Chinet, but if you knocked his bong over, you were asked to leave.

Then comes that first real job.  Maybe you’re living in a new city.  Wearing a tie and occasionally shopping at Banana Republic.  Moving up in the world.  Congratulations!  Unfortunately, you’re still stuck with some of that crappy college furniture and fond memories of the time you reigned supreme at the Beer Pong Championships.  Things need to change, starting with your domicile.

Come on guys!  Class it up!  You appreciate a nice Port wine?  Awesome, but try drinking it out of something you didn’t create in your 7th grade ceramics class.  I get that you like Pink Floyd, but your blacklight poster – alright Buddy, I won’t mess with the poster, but you get my drift.  Want to REALLY impress the ladies?  Man UP!

Numero Uno – Get yourself a Chesterfield.  The classic leather tufted sofa makes a great centerpiece for your room.  Something you can smoke a cigar on and not look like a douche.  It may even class up your Playboy collection.

If you must, you can even try a more modern version…

Think industrial.  If it looks like it belongs in a factory it might as well belong to you.  You’re manly and rugged too, aren’t you, Skip?  A big drafting table makes a great desk.

Want a bar set-up?  Try it on an antique steamer trunk with a simple accent lamp or an industrial cart.

Large-scale art, a darker color scheme, and pretty soon the females will think they’ve just wandered into Batman’s lair.  Good for you.

Let’s be honest.  It may be tempting, but we can’t all raid Restoration Hardware for all our furniture and accessories needs, nor should we.  So take some time to find some truly vintage, one-of-a-kind items for a fraction of the cost of the modern versions.

And remember.  No matter how much Port, Whiskey, or Bud Light you drink, you’re not this guy.

And that’s a good thing.

For more masculine decor inspiration, see my Pinterest board: Manly Spaces.