The term “bachelor pad” has a long history of depicting young, single male life as an endless party, peopled by other boisterous bachelors and a bevy of scantily clad women.
For many decades, the ideal bachelor pad has been typified by James Bond movies, Hugh Hefner’s lavishly decadent persona and perhaps a spicy dash of Austin Powers thrown in for good measure.
But the bachelor pad fantasy has long since faded into memory. Today, young men aren’t the only ones who strike out from the family home in search of a life of their own. Young women have long since joined them.
So, farewell, James Bond. Miss MoneyPenny now has a bachelor pad too.
A bachelor pad needn’t be a cliché, for young men or women. What it should be is a place to build a young life, to define a personal style and to grow into adulthood in comfort.
Avoid the parent trap
The first rule of defining design for a bachelor pad is not to fall into what I like to call “the parent trap”. The parent trap is created when, having announced you’re moving out and getting your own place, your parents trap you into taking all the funky old furniture that’s been lurking downstairs in the family room since Nixon was President.
Unless you’re a DIY, up-cycling wizard with abundant time on your hands to Debbie Travers that stereo console with the non-functioning turntable, resist falling into the parent trap.
The first rule of thumb is to only allow those furnishings into your new home which you like and which you can live with. If you genuinely believe you can live with that floral-patterned couch from the 70s that comes complete with its own duct taped repairs, give your head a shake.
Just say “no” to the parent trap.
Choose wisely
Driving your beater out to IKEA to buy a complete set of furnishings for your house may seem like a good idea but trust us. It’s not.
Don’t buy all your furniture in one fell swoop. Instead, get the basics. You need someplace to sleep and someplace to sit. You may be taking the bed from your parent’s home with you, but if it’s a single, are you sure you want to continue sleeping on it?
You’re a grown up now, so opt for a simple platform-style bed and futon. This inexpensive solution looks sleek and modern and the price point’s right. You can always trick it out with an elegant tufted leather headboard a little later on.
For seating, choose a couch which is simple, attractive and covered in a durable material that’s going to stand up to your feet being on it (whether you’re a male or a female bachelor).
Add inspiration
You’re striking out on your own, so add inspiration with art prints to remind yourself that you live there. Art warms everything up, as you gradually build your home into a place of adult comfort.
Trade professionals are invited to contact Michelangelo Designs to schedule an appointment.