You want your bachelor pad to make a good impression on the women in your life. You’ve finally learned to accept the saying that your home is an extension of yourself, and you certainly don’t want to be mistaken for a cave man. Actually, you want to mirror an image of a sophisticated gentleman. Let’s see how you can do it

To make a statement with your redecorating, repaint. Yes, a change in color can make a world of difference. In a snap, your old abode will become good as new.

When choosing paint, keep in mind that a lighter color will make your place look bigger, an important consideration if you live in a tiny apartment or cramped condo. By the same token, a darker color can make a room feel more closed in, although one wall in a darker shade can have a focusing effect. If going with a lighter color, you don’t have to stick with the usual “eggshell white.” Softer shades are definitely an option, especially tans such as mocha or cappuccino, light gray-blue and sage green. Stay away from pinkish-toned pastels (unless you WANT the guys to rib you endlessly).

You might want to consider hiring a professional painter to add texture and design to the walls. Paints now have such quality as denim, suede or linen appearance. You can also paint patterns for a more stylish look.

Now that your walls are beautified, show them off with some new lighting. No, we’re not talking the expensive refit needed for recessed or track lighting. Instead, think about the way lighting affects your favorite TV show or a movie. Then get some new table lamps, floor lamps and ceiling fixtures that can reproduce what your mind’s eye envisions. Look for lamps in minimalist designs so they don’t distract from your manly decor. You should be able to find lamps with wood, leather or ceramic bases to suit your mood.

Finally, what about the furniture? After all, isn’t it time you got rid of that cable-spool table you’ve been using since college?

If the budget won’t allow you to buy new furniture, try rearranging what you have. Chances are, you didn’t think much about placement when you moved in your couch, dining table, dresser and bed. You can get your hefty buddies to help you move things around, or you can take the geek approach: measure the dimensions of your furniture, then input the data into any one of many home decorating computer programs available today. Then you can move little icons of your furniture around in a virtual room until you find an arrangement you really like.

It is recommended however, to spend good money on good furniture pieces and decors to complement your new interiors. This is especially true with the change in paint. Of course, you want pieces that go well with the new color. They can be simple things like an ottoman, side table, artwork, area rugs, chair, etc.

With just a bit of effort and expense, you can rack up points with the ladies for being a man in charge of his home environment!

Masculine decorating just got even simpler with these flokati area rugs.