ACCESSORIZE LIKE A GUY
Most of us feel that our home is not complete without a final sprinkling of home accessories. The perfect combination of accent pillows juxtaposing a color-coordinated throw blanket is often the difference between your living room feeling drab or fab. No one can deny that delicate floral arrangements and elegant candlesticks are necessities to enhance a stately dwelling. But! If you seek something less pristine and more breathable…grand yet personable…over the top but effortless…uniquely thought-provoking and relatable…then you must learn to…accessorize like a guy.
Go Bold
As men are often little concerned with how their pinky finger elevates as they sip their tea, so too is their affection for all things dainty and delicate. Similarly, for your home, opt for objects with greater visual weight, such as books and sculptures, to outfit your living room and bedroom. Doing so will visually ground your space and create anchor points.
Pair Perfectly
One is the loneliest number. Even Noah ascribed to this notion as he brought animals onboard his magnificent ark two by two. Arrange objects around the house in sets of two to achieve instant balance. A pair of tufted ottomans in front of the fireplace or dual vintage urns rested upon an entry console will do the trick.
Pick Useful Tools
The practical nature of some guys can drive me absolutely mad! Do you really need a larger-than-life, fully reclining armchair smack dab in the middle of your living room? Yes? Luckily, finding home accents that are handy AND haute has become refreshingly achievable. Think pillar candles and marble coasters for bedrooms, cutting boards and cookbooks for the kitchen, and sparkly goblets for a bar.
Stay Rooted
Rugged like the earth and dirty as soil, a man’s primal sensibilities are never too far in the past. Whether it’s a rustic clay dish from your past or a visibly worn piece of pottery, make it the star of your space. No dusting needed! To gain some extra credit, snap a few leafy branches from a tree or bush and splay them freely in an oversized, crusted vase.
Be Outwardly Stoic/Inwardly Sensitive
We all have a male figure in our lives who appears tough as nails on the outside but is actually warm and emotional on the inside. Such men are complex because what you see is not always what you get, and this brings me to my final guy-inspired essential: freshly cut flowers. With their structured stems and graphic petals, they exude the silhouette of confidence. But it’s their fleeting nature that renders them profound.
1. Ryland Peters & Small ‘Wild Creations’ Book $24.99 from www.nordstrom.com 2. Waterford Olann Ice Bucket w/ Scoop $280.00 from www.waterford.com 3. Andrew Pearce Bowls Handcrafted Walnut Live Edge Cutting Board $110.00 to $200.00 from www.food52.com 4. Tizo Lucite® Coasters, Set of 4 in Gold $80.00 from www.bloomingdales.com 5. Grain Totem Pillar Candles $16.00 to $24.00 from www.areaware.com 6. Arteriors Phoebe Vases, Set of 3 $640.00 from www.arteriors.com 7. Tommi Parzinger Pair of Brass Lidded Blown Glass Jars, circa 1959 $3,200.00 from www.1stdibs.com 8. Estelle Colored Glass Decanter – Heritage in Amber Smoke $160.00 from www.estellecoloredglass.com
Erin Melkonian
Interiors Editor
Erin runs a collaborative design firm, EMID Design Group, specializing in healthcare, hospitality, and residential interior design, in Fresno, California. Seeing the world through an artistic lens has allowed Erin to experiment in a number of different styles. Everything she does with a space is deliberate. Every piece has a purpose and has been thought about, from color, to position, to scale in order to create the most unique and personal spaces for her clients.
