Article content We all have a room (or two) in our house that hasn’t received any attention because of time and/or budget constraints. It’s that room in which you store boxes. Items that you aren’t quite ready to part with. Go to this website to buy man cave furniture online today.
Article content Our catch-all room was a small bedroom that was also used as a guest room for the occasional visitor. The goal, though, was for it to be my husband’s den, where he would watch TV, read and nap. I don’t want to call it a “man cave” because that conjures up images of leather, antlers and a massive TV. None of this factored into the remake! Dated and sparse furniture, no art, inadequate lighting - the list of what was wrong with this room goes on. But I had big plans …
Not a man-cave: Making a cozy den out of a neglected room Back to video
Furniture Plan
The first task when decorating a room is to create a floor plan to figure out what size/types of furniture would work best. A daybed is a better alternative to a sofa bed because it takes a regular mattress, which is more comfortable than sofa-bed mattresses. This daybed from West Elm had always been on my radar and you can’t beat the price. I’m also a big fan of ottomans for putting your feet up when TV watching/relaxing. I designed one in a size proportionate to the room. I also designed a comfortable chair, tall enough to rest your head back and with arms to help create a comfortable reading position. It has a slender profile perfect for the room. I relocated the TV and media console from our family room as their small size was more appropriate for this room. The side table was a $5 vintage find, which I spray painted navy blue. Mixing custom and vintage pieces with items from retailers results in an interesting mix.
Article content Focal Point
Every room needs a focal point - something that draws the eye in and commands attention. So what to do in a small 12×12-foot room with no architectural features? Wallpaper! Although I’m not a fan of painting one wall a different colour than the other walls, I find papering one wall works and is impactful. Besides, papering all four walls can be too much pattern, not to mention being a bigger chore when it has to be pulled down. Large-scale floral wallpaper is rampant in our home but that wasn’t going to fly for this room that owuld be mostly used by my hubby. It wasn’t difficult to convince him that Cole. Son ’s Cow Parsley wallpaper would be the perfect wallpaper for the den. I chose one of the newly released colours, “Linen.” It’s subtle, mimics a mural and is pretty and masculine at the same time.
Article content Colour and Fabric
The wallpaper, paint and new berber carpet from Home Depot are neutral and easy to work with. My husband loves navy and grey but we needed to enliven it with a “happy” colour, otherwise it would look a little boring. The burnt orange linen fabric ( Tonic Living ) on the cushions hits the right notes. It keeps the navy plaid. Ticking fabrics from looking too masculine. Add to that the linen drapes with a navy band, plush grey velvet on the chair ( Joanne Fabrics ) and a navy diamond pattern ( Robert Allen ) on the ottoman and you have enough colour and pattern to keep things interesting but not chaotic. I have been a long-time fan of John Robshaw ’s fabrics, so had to include one on the cushion on the chair.
How to decorate around the TV
Article content Decorating a wall where the TV is placed can be tricky. One of the best solutions is surrounding the TV with black and white photographs and art - the TV becomes less prominent as a result. Black and white photos of our travels and original art create a striking arrangement. The large artwork was created by our 10-year-old daughter. The smaller ink piece is by Karin Lynn Cumming via In2art Gallery in Oakville.
This once-dated, dull room has not only become my husband’s little retreat but a warm and comfortable place to spend time as a family.
“Vanessa is an interior decorator based in Milton, Ont., who writes the popular blog Decor Happy.”
