Guest post: Jen’s Take on “Mr. Decor Happy’s Den”

Hello Decor Happy readers! I’m so excited to be guest posting here today and sharing my ideas for “The Man Cave.” I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Vanessa’s lovely home in person so designing a room (even virtually) for her is a bit intimidating! I’ve never designed a man cave before (my husband gets claim to only one room in our house – the garage, lol!) so this was a fun exercise in exploring some masculine style:

Vanessa mentioned that her husband uses this room for reading, watching TV and napping. He loves music and is a huge Beatles fan. I think this Retro Industrial Man Cave will be the perfect place for him to escape and indulge in all those things.

1. These Bowie Beatles Rolling Stones prints are totally rad. I love the manly colour palette and the retro vibe. The prints are sold as a set of three and I’d frame and mat them as shown together on a wall.
2. The existing wall colour, Special Edition by Para Paints, is a warm light grey. A perfect neutral against all the cooler, more vibrant elements in the room.
3. For comfortable reading, I’d put in this high back wing chair. The Jameson Wing Chair from Ballard Designs is down filled and has generous proportions and the brass nailhead trim lends it an industrial edge. Drape it in a classic stripe fabric and you’ve got one hip chair you won’t want to get out of.
4. Building on that industrial feel, I’d put this wood and metal side table beside the wing chair. I love how its rough lines and raw texture play against the softness of the chair. Plus, its got lots of surface area… just the right spot to stack some books (and maybe a gin and tonic over ice?)
5. A man cave demands some edge, some drama, so instead of a standard table lamp I’d hang a pendant light over the side table. This one from Barn Light Electric has all the right features: mirrored interior shade, edison lightbulb, a stem wrapped in heavy, textured rope. So cool!
6. Hopefully there’s a window somewhere in this man cave to let in some natural light. These Links Indigo custom drapes from Tonic Living are graphic and fresh. The vertical stripes mimic the stripes in the chair and play well with the other patterns in the room.
7. What’s a man cave good for if not to relax and maybe enjoy an afternoon nap? The Window Daybed from West Elm is the perfect place to do just that.
8. Picking up on the orange in the retro prints, I’d add these Greek Key pillows from Tonic Living. Plus, they’ll help with the aforementioned afternoon naps 😉
9. A stylish guy space needs a stylish rug. The always classic Union Jack rug says modern and retro at the same time.
10. And, of course, you need to have an HDTV.

Jen, this looks fab! I love the prints, chair and drapes. You have given me lots to think about. Thanks for putting this together! (and thanks for the lovely compliment on my home!)