Master Of Your Domain

Bachelor decor inspiration!

2011-01-27T15:02:00.000-05:00

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Open publication - Free publishing - More holidays

Reprinted with permission from Networx.com

The Man Wall

2009-07-01T17:28:00.002-05:00

As seen on My Modern Met. Click to read on...

Welcome New Sponsor: Furniture from Home

2009-03-22T11:51:00.001-05:00

I'd like to welcome Furniture From Home as a new sponsor on Master of Your Domain! This online business carries many styles of furnishings for the entire home, including a wide range of furnishings for the home office.

Their site also has useful tips such as how to purchase furniture online, and a Guide to furniture care. Furniture From Home also offers blanket wrapped delivery and set up (except certain smaller items are shipped via commercial carrier).

Thank you again, Furniture From Home, for sponsoring ::Master of Your Domain:: - I greatly appreciate your support!

Not your Father's Man Cave

2009-03-04T11:55:00.002-05:00

Poggenpohl’s Porsche Kitchen is a sleek and sophisticated
ride with high tech audio/visual components built-in.

Now, this is the perfect James Bond kitchen!

Check out the story on ::Surroundings:: by contributor Lori Dolnick on today's Man Caves.

Bachelor Pad: A Nightingale Sings

2009-02-07T21:01:00.004-05:00

Joni of Cote de Texas has just posted images of a London "flat" currently up for sale for a cool £12,000,000. Based on the evidence - excessively large flat screens, leather furniture, lack of window treatments - Joni has deduced that the current owner is a posh London Bachelor.

Have you ever known an American Bachelor to live like this? Ladies - would you be turned on or perhaps a bit overwhelmed?

Man Decorates Basement with Sharpie

2008-12-09T11:34:00.002-05:00

See what $10, time and talent with bring? Click here to read more.

via Decor8.

Bachelor Pad Update: SOLD!

2008-12-09T11:33:00.002-05:00

Boston Bachelor Pad for Sale

2008-10-05T13:04:00.001-05:00

My client, Rob, is selling his incredible Boston penthouse condo and I wanted to share the news.

The condo is located on Beacon Street in Boston's tony Back Bay. The back windows face Cambridge across the Charles River and the famed Boston Esplanade. On the 4th of July - his view of the fireworks was nothing short of spectacular!

Rob did a complete gut rehab of the condo and we worked together on the kitchen and bathroom, plus odds and ends like paint colors and furniture placement. We spent a lot of time finding the sleek cabinetry and granite counter tops that would create the streamlined yet warm and classic space Rob was looking for. This small kitchen includes a wine fridge as well as under mount washer and dryer. The high glass fronted cabinets work for long-term storage.

Here is a longer view of the kitchen, dining area and the hallway towards the bedroom which is in the front of the building.

This is a one bedroom condo, but the bedroom is beautiful and quite spacious. It over looks the tree lined Beacon Street. What you can't see in this photo is the view of the Prudential Center out the right window and the Hancock Tower out the left hand window.

The bathroom, like the kitchen, is cool and sleek, yet not cold. It has rich marble surfaces and a simple vanity and classic fixtures.

Here is a link to a virtual tour of Rob's unit.

Here's the floor plan:

A satellite view of the neighborhood shows the condo's proximity to the Public Gardens and Boston Common to the east (right) and the Esplanade and Hatch Shell to the north.
Here's the exteriors of the mansard roof Victorian era building. Rob's unit is the top floor, which includes roof deck rights. As is common, the original larger home was split into two separate buildings at some point. Rob's building is on the right.

Here is a closeup of two front doors, where once up a time this would have been an elegant single entrance.

Also, a little bit of celebrity juiciness - guess which famous Boston sports celebrity and his model girl friend are in the next building? I've never seen them, but Tom and Gisele have been neighborhood fixtures, playing with his son on the Esplanade. Of course, they do keep a low profile and enter their building from their private garages that run along the rear alley. Good thing Mr. Brady put in the elevator!

Click here to view the real estate listing at Coldwell Banker.

Images of Rob's building courtesy of Coldwell Banker. Images of Tom Brady's building courtesy of Boston.com.

This post originally appeared on ::Surroundings::

For Your Eyes Only - A home office a la James Bond

2008-09-07T15:29:00.002-05:00

Ken Dietz wanted his Jamaica Plain home office to be as slick as a secret agent's. So he looked to Bond - James Bond - and found that a home office can be a surprisingly covert operation. Click here to read our story on this very subject! Click here to read more of this article in today's Boston Globe Magazine.

Notice that the bed pops down from the wall - just the thing for when the perfect Bond Girl shows up!

Click here for Ken Deitz' website.

Photos by Eric Roth, via The Boston Globe

Tale of Two Bachelors

2008-06-30T23:46:00.004-05:00

Recently, Josh Groban's LA home was profiled in In Style Magazine and Lance Armstrong's was profiled in Architectural Digest. Clearly, the two men are in different stages in their personal and professional lives. Josh's is fun - yet still very youthful while Lance's home is a showplace.

Photos of Josh Grobans' home by Bobby Fisher via Yahoo ! courtesy of In Style.

Photos of Lance Armstrong's home by Robert Reck, courtesy of Architectural Digest

Ladies - which home would you want to spend time in?

Branding the Famous: John Wayne

2008-04-08T09:46:00.000-05:00

John Wayne Iconic American Brand to Expand to Home Furnishings Categories

Wayne Enterprises, the sole and exclusive keeper of the John Wayne brand, has signed RWG Licensing, a strategic marketing and licensing consulting company, to assist it in identifying and securing licensed product and endorsement partnerships in the home furnishings and accessories categories.

Steve Regan, principal of RWG, said, “Consumer awareness of John Wayne is universal and his appeal remains extremely broad. It’s an ideal time to focus on an iconic, all-American brand in the home furnishings category.”

Ethan Wayne, president of Wayne Enterprises, added, “We’re excited to have RWG Licensing working with us to bring the John Wayne brand into the home furnishings and accessories categories, and look forward to expanding our current licensing partnerships and products to include a lifestyles product line that he would be proud of.”

John Wayne is certainly an iconic figure - but to whom? Will he appeal to a younger demographic? Women make well more than 80% of the purchasing decisions for the home. Does he appeal to today's woman? Or does he seem like your Grandfather's hero - stalwart, trustworthy but not today?

Gift Guide for Men

2007-12-06T13:15:00.000-05:00

Grace of Design*Sponge has been putting out some amazing gift and city guides recently. Her most recent was actually put together by her boyfriend AC for the men out there. Pretty neat stuff, so click on over!

Bachelors Getting it Right in Boston!

2007-10-29T08:07:00.000-05:00

The Boston Globe recently ran an article profiling several local bachelor pads - from the luxuriousness of the Ritz Carlton Towers to a tiny 350 sq. ft. city condo - these spaces are not only beautiful, but are visual expressions of their owners personalities and interests. They represent what I consider the ultimate goal in decorating - a beautiful space that is also highly personal. Lucky is the lady who gets taken home to these digs for dinner!

Plum Island get-away. I used to live in Newburyport, MA (Plum Island is part of Newburyport) and the setting for this house is stunning! (Photos by Peter Vanderwalker)

An auto dealer's apartment in the Ritz Carlton Towers (photos by Eric Roth)

350 Sq. Ft. Condo (Photos by David L. Ryan)

Leather district loft (photos by Eric Roth)

Click here for more information and photos. Scroll down to the Real Estate section.

All photos courtesy of The Boston Globe.

Men's Decorating - An International View

2007-07-19T21:22:00.000-05:00

(Jonathan Player for the IHT)

Check out this article in today's International Herald Tribune called "Bachelor Padding: Luxury and the Single Guy".

Alex Michelin "... had no plans to marry soon, so having comfortable surroundings, even though he lives alone, is important to him."

Design Dud: The Girlfriend Pillow?

2007-07-17T15:07:00.001-05:00

Um, not so much... (and yet it's sold out)

(as seen on: StyleDash)

Modern Self - Bathroom makeover

2007-05-29T22:48:00.000-05:00

Eric over at Modern Self has been showcasing his great bathroom makeover project. His fabulous apartment was featured as part of Apartment Therapy's recent Smallest, Coolest contest. In this post, he showcases the amazing one of a kind striped walls in the bathroom. Thanks for sharing, Eric!

Bachelor Pad as Cultural Icon

2007-05-16T10:55:00.000-05:00

Here's a fascinating, if somewhat academic and long, article on the cultural iconography of the Bachelor Pad.

Here's the abstract of the full article:

The Bachelor Pad as Cultural Icon

Masculinity, Consumption and Interior Design in American Men's Magazines, 1930–65

Bill Osgerby

London Metropolitan University

Si Non Oscillas, Noli Tintinnare
(Trans: ‘If You Don'tSwing, Don't Ring’).
Inscription on a brass plaque atthe entrance to the Playboy Mansion, 1960

Focusing on the representation of domestic interiors in Americanmen's magazines during the mid-twentieth century, this articleexplores the history and significance of the ‘bachelorpad’ as an icon of high-living modernity. Beginning witha consideration of Esquire magazine in the 1930s, attentionis given to representations of the sleek, stylish bachelor apartmentand its role as a totem of forward-looking and ‘liberated’masculine consumerism. Depicted as a place where men could luxuriatein a milieu of sybaritic indulgence, the ‘bachelor pad’was configured as the spatial manifestation of a consuming masculinesubject who later became pervasive amid the consumer boom ofthe 1950s and 1960s. During this period, the fantasy of thechic, gadget-laden ‘bachelor's lair’ was a recurringicon of hedonistic, masculine consumption in men's magazinessuch as Playboy, Escapade and Rogue. Cosmopolitan and brimmingwith á la mode luxuries, the ‘bachelor pad’was a leitmotif in these magazines' wider celebration of masculineconsumer pleasure and desire. Analysis of these representations,it is argued, suggests that in American culture during the mid-twentiethcentury the ‘masculine’ arena of production andthe ‘feminine’ domain of consumption were not neatlyand clearly divided. Instead, the iconography of the ‘bachelorpad’ in American men's magazines points to a significantmasculine presence within mid-twentieth century commodity culture.

The full article is available for download on The Journal of Design History.

It's fascinating - the thought of a time when men were equal consumers of home design products and lifestyle ideas and this helped him define himself as the unquestionably masculine "Mans' Man, Ladies Man". Today we have the Metro-Sexual, which feels closer to the "straight gay-guy". The women's movement certainly played a part in the downsizing of the concept of "man as predator", but how did we go from "Bachelor Pad as Cultural Icon" to "real men don't eat quiche, or shop for home furnshings"?

Making a home for the kids after divorce

2007-05-07T08:10:00.000-05:00

photo by Lori Waselchuk, New York Times

The Orlando Sentinel just published this article by Kate Murphy, which was reprinted from a New York Times article on blended families and creating space for the kids when Mom or Dad remarries. It got me thinking that even before a divorced parent remarries or co-habitates, the parent - usually the Dad - who has moved into a new apartment or house needs to think about how to make the kids feel like they are "at home" in the new place too. The issues raised in the article are important ones - about how and why to make your child feel special and welcome. It's not necessary to build the child a "palace" room, but simple things like letting he or she pick out their bed linens to having a little area of privacy will go a long way to help smooth over a difficult time.

If you're a newly single Dad, just remember, you might be thinking that your current living situation is only temporary and therefor not that important, but your kids will notice how welcoming your place is to them.

It's Not You...

2007-03-30T14:10:00.000-05:00

(Chester Higgins Jr./The New York Times)

There is a funny haha and funny scary article in yesterdays' New York Times. In It's Not You, It's Your Apartment, Joyce Walder profiles several highly successful men who may look great on paper - but what lurks inside their apartments cause perfectly nice women to run screaming. Stories of 30 year old Star Wars sheets and stuffed baby seals abound.

Read it... and weep.

Joyce recommends you ask yourself: What Would James Bond Do? We have one answer here.

Commitment-Phobic Single Men and Home Ownership

2007-03-25T08:32:00.000-05:00

Today's Boston Globe Magazine featured an interesting story. "Footloose and Mortgage-Free" does its best to nail down why single men "overwhelmingly prefer renting to buying."

When asked why, one single man answered "So we can leave quickly and no one can find us."

Oh. Please. Women have a homing device that startles most dogs and pigeons. Give us Google, Merlot and a bag of Peanut M&Ms and we can find anything. Even you.

What got our curtains in a bundle was a quote by Judy Moses, president of Pathway Home Realty Group in Chestnut Hill. "A lot of them will never find 'perfect,' because that's not really what the problem is. There is no perfect out there, whether it be a property or a sweetheart. You can't expect a property to do the impossible, just like you can't expect a person to. You take them with all their warts."

Hah! Commit-phobes have found something new to avoid. It's home ownership.

And to those men, we give this advice: Buy a home. It will be the only time that you will be able to gut something and rebuild it to suit your ideal.

We dare you to try that with a woman.

Lighting the Bachelor Pad

2007-03-10T21:42:00.000-05:00

Eric at Modern Self sent over his fab article: "How to Light Your Bachelor Pad" He covers the all the usual, and important, aspects of lighting plus links to many resources. It's a must read!

Thanks Eric!

The Pillow as Body Armor

2007-03-09T09:30:00.000-05:00

from Relax the Back store

Throw pillows. Men hate ‘em. Women love 'em. Here’s why: No matter how stick thin we are, no matter how many carbs we’ve cut out of our diets, no matter how many miles we’ve jogged or sit-ups we’ve done, there's something about our bodies we don't like. We use pillows as our personal body armor. They shield, protect and comfort.

Take notice. The next time a woman sits on your couch, watch as she reaches for a pillow and places it on her lap.

(And, just so you know, if we remove the pillow and remain seated, it’s a green light. Make your move. Slowly.)

So, do the women in your life a favor. Purchase a couple of nice throw pillows. They come in countless shapes, sizes, designs and price points so you can find something that fits in with your domain.

You can thank us later.

Shaken-not-Stirred

2007-03-04T15:44:00.000-05:00

Bond. James Bond.

Or should it be Blond. James Blond.

A few months ago, Universal Studios released the newest Bond film with Daniel Craig – who is blond, by the way – as the storied international spy.

The world seemed to end for some. Others formed support groups to get through the premiere. A select few discovered antidepressants. As far as we know, the world survived Daniel Craig as James Bond.

But it got us thinking: Why does James Bond have to be dark and handsome? Why can’t he be blond? As far as we’re concerned, any man can be an International Man of Mystery.

Or at least live like one.

International Men of Mystery have a certain sophistication that eludes others. He solves problems without a hint of sentimentality. His martinis are shaken-not-stirred. His car is small and fast. His sex appeal and style are notorious and define his domain.

International Men of Mystery have rooms that impress and help the owner remain mysterious in the eyes of his guests. Looking around, you’ll see sleek lines and color palette dominated by black and white. Very few personal items will be seen in plain few – the James Bond type deflects sentiment. Men come to see him. Women come to be with him.

The International Man of Mystery surrounds his home with items that have no overt reference to historical style. They are simple and dramatize everyday life. He creates open, airy and uncluttered spaces to showcase his elegant and functional designs.

His living room:

The Upper Modular Sofa from Roche Bobois.

The Speed Up 3 Chaise longe from Roche Bobois.

Kramfors sofa by Ikea.

LC Low rectangle table , LC5.F Sofa, LC2 Grand Confort Petit Arm chair - all Design Within Reach.

His Dining Room:

The Vanity Dining Room, at Roche Bobois.

Dyna Dining Table at Roche Bobois.

LC6 Table, LC7 Swivel Chair - from Design Within Reach

Granas Dining table at Ikea.

Melker chair at Ikea.

His Kitchen:

Akurum/Linjar Kitchen from Ikea

From Urban Homes Showroom: Italian Design Kitchens.

Integra by Pedini USA

LEM Pistol bar stool by Design Withing Reach.

His Bath:

Bathroom vignette by Kohler, Inc.

Bathroom vignette by Kohler, Inc.

His Master Suite:

Leggero Bed at Design Within Reach

Como Collection from La Differance.

Gus Modern - George Daybed from 2Modern.

Blu Dot console at 2Modern.

Kenton Storgae Cubes from Crate & Barrel

Pathway Bed from Crate & Barrel

Tate Bed at Crate and Barrel.

Mao Now Chest from Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams

Quiz Time: Superhero time!

2007-02-21T09:40:00.000-05:00

Which Super Hero Are You?
(these are my results, click below for your results!)

You Are Elektra

There's really no superhero with more style than you.
Because who could beat being sexy assasin ninja?

What Superhero Are You?

Man Land - a room of his own

2007-02-14T15:00:00.000-05:00

While we're mainly about the single man decorating his own place, you should check out this February 4th article in The Boston Globe about partnered men and their "Man Caves".

Doesn't it make sense that a man who has developed his own sense of style while still on his own will have more of a partnership in the decorating of his married/partnered home? While he may still want his "Man Cave" to escape to, should it be the only room in his home that he likes and reflects who he is?

Brooks Brothers goes hip?

2007-02-11T11:46:00.000-05:00

The Classic:

Is this the new look of Brooks Brothers?

THE BOSTON GLOBE has an article, Mismatch, in today's paper about the anticipated debut of menswear designer Thom Browne's new collection for Brooks Brothers. He has just unveiled his latest collection (not for Brooks Brothers) at New York Fashion Week and his BB collection is set to show on Monday. See more from Mr. Browne's New York Fashion Week Show here.

Brooks Brothers - since 1818 an America Classic (well, ok, now owned by an Italian firm) - has been slipping as of late and by associating with Mr. Browne, is looking to freshen up its' image. But, what makes a classic? When we think of Classic Automobiles, do we think BMW, or do we think Jaquar and Rolls Royce?

Are you a Classic or a Hip?

Poll: Who Is Your Favorite James Bond?

2007-02-10T13:15:00.001-05:00

Recliner vs. Relationship

2007-02-01T23:49:00.000-05:00

Here is a cute article that appeared in THE BOSTON GLOBE a couple of weeks ago about wives and their recliner loving husbands. And here is a letter in response that was published today.

They say that kitchen and bath remodeling projects are some of the most stressful things a couple can face. I would add the recliner debate to this list.

A Poll: Ladies, which chair would HIS butt look cuter in?

2007-01-27T20:16:00.001-05:00

A Poll: Gentlemen, which chair would your butt look cuter in?

2007-01-27T19:57:00.000-05:00

Interior design for the cute but clueless man

2007-01-27T16:56:00.000-05:00

I've dated. A lot. Of Men.

And to my mother's dismay, it hasn't gone well.

This is why: The way most single, normal, stable, heterosexual men live today has a lot to be desired. A man's home is his domain and shows the world that he is in control of his life. And even if I've liked my boyfriends -- even if I've liked them a lot -- the relationship has sometimes gone south once I've see the way they live. (Actually, my single status is due to many reasons. But unless you're Dr. Phil or Oprah, I'm not gonna tell you.)

The majority of people don't believe that a man is judged by the way he lives. I disagree. The image you put forth into the world says a lot about who you are as a person. It reflects your passions, your desires, your ambitions. And while you can communicate all this in many different ways, this blog will focus on your home -- your domain.

Decent interiors don't have to require a fortune (though it often helps). A few key items, updated lighting, artwork and personal items carefully displayed can go a long way in helping you make your mark on the world.

Master of Your Domain was created to help you -- the single, ambitious, normal heterosexual man -- design your domain.

My mother also hopes that it gets me a few dates along the way. (Thanks, Mom.)

Enjoy!

Who's Your Favorite Superhero?
	Superman
	Batman
	Spiderman
	The Phantom
	Wonder Woman
	Iron Man
	Captain Marvel
	Mighty Mouse
	X-Men
	Elektra

pollcode.com free polls

Which actor is your favorite James Bond?
	Sean Connery
	George Lazenby
	Roger Moore
	Timothy Dalton
	Pierce Brosnan
	Daniel Craig

pollcode.com free polls

Which chair would his butt look cuter in?
	Barcalounger
	Le Corbusier

pollcode.com free polls

Which chair would your butt look cuter in?
	Barcalounger
	Le Corbusier

pollcode.com free polls

Brooks Brothers: Classic or Hip?
	Classic
	Hip

pollcode.com free polls