Interior DecBROrator ~ Don't Keep Up with the Jones's!

Kicking off 2010 for our guys side of home design is Mel from Washington, DC. Contractor and owner of Georgetown Development Corporation, Mel likes to add unique details to his designs. Take it away, Mel!

As a contractor I get to help all types of people create and build their dreams. Whether its a custom home or renovating a simple bathroom, one thing is always the same, the client almost never chooses items they really want. Instead, they play it safe in their materials and furniture selections. And guys, I have to say, we are the WORST when it comes to making decisions and taking chances in design. Don’t get me wrong, the leg lamp from “A Christmas Story” sitting in the center of your dining room table that you found on the street for free, may very well be considered art by one of the ladies from “The Jersey Shore”, but my guess is if you are reading the posts from this site you want to change.

I am not saying you need to go out and get all new everything. Work with what you have and what your budget will allow, but be creative. The best places I have found to get the creative juices flowing are restaurants, bars, and hotels. One of my favorites is Clyde’s Restaurant Group. Every time a new one opens I go, not for the food (although it is good) but for ideas. Clyde’s in Rockville, MD has a lodge theme. There are old duck decoys, and antique hunting gear on the walls, shelves with vintage photos, and canoes on the ceiling. The Clyde’s in Georgetown has model airplanes hanging from the ceiling, vintage magazine covers framed on the walls, and WWII cartoon prints in the men’s bathroom. I cannot tell you how many times over the years people have tried to steal these prints because of how unique they are. People love this stuff and there is no reason you can’t incorporate it into your home. All it takes is a little thought on your part to come up with a theme and then some searching at flea markets or if your lazy, Ebay.

Here are a few unique items I incorporated into my place.



We have a side staircase with several large banisters and I wanted to come up with something different to add some wow. On a trip to New York I stopped off to grab a cigar at Nat Shermans, and while I was inside I noticed a bucket of antique lawn bowling balls for sale. Each one had its own story and character like their former owner’s initials or a crest engraved on the top. They were all cool, but they were also about $90 each. So as soon as I got back home I jumped on Ebay and within six months I had more than enough for the project for a couple hundred bucks.


We also had an area at the base of our stairwell that needed something. While on a trip to Nantucket I spotted an old 1920’s re-furbished gas pump. I have always loved these. As soon as I saw it, I knew I had found my piece for the space. (2010 Goal - become a better photographer)

One of my clients is an avid collector of just about anything. She travels all over the world and when she spots something she likes, she will buy it, use it or store it until the right use comes up. We just completed her home and here are a few of the items that we incorporated.


This is an old meat or cheese hanger we installed above her prep sink.


This is a great piece of furniture she found that we converted into one of her bathroom vanities and installed a copper counter top.


In the wine cellar we installed a toy cabinet from her current home that her son had outgrown. Now it is an adult’s toy cabinet. By being able to re-use the piece they saved thousands in new wine racks.


The owner is not a big fan of drywall, so for their office and dining room we installed Cypress boards instead. This is a fairly inexpensive detail to do and I can guarantee everyone will be talking about it.

...So guys, just get out there and you will start to come up with your own cool ideas and if you liked any of mine please use them. Always remember if your design sucks you can always change it! In closing, here is one more I found today. While I would love to say I built this one I did not, but it is definitely going in the idea book for the future. It also hopefully shows you that no idea is to big or small.

Interior DecBROrator ~ The Best Kept Secret of the Urban Bachelor

Today our guest Interior DecBROrator is our dear friend Bruckner, he's got some VERY helpful tips to make your house a home:

This month we turn our focus to the urban man. Think late 20’s to early 30’s, sometimes single or newly dating, more often in a relationship with a great girl he just isn’t quite ready to live with round the clock, so he’s still living on his own and taking steps to shed his frat boy past for a more sophisticated and clean environs. As he starts to move on from his carefree days (and backwards ball caps) where can he turn for advice on how to make his house a home? Some guys might turn to their mom or their sister, but this particular urban man has a well kept secret weapon: his gay best friend.

The past 10 years have seen consciousness evolve, minds open up and stigmas disappear. For the modern urban man the gay best friend isn’t just the guy he pretends to be in a relationship with to avoid getting mauled by a Cougar in a dark bar, he’s the guy that doles out advice about everything from how to deal with relationships, grooming, and of course, decorating.

So as a special holiday gift, my best friend has agreed to let me share a few tips with all you Primed4Designer’s out there who find yourself in a similar set of circumstances, with just one caveat…competition for the gay/straight best friend dynamic is fierce…so find your own or be content to keep working with mom and sis!


1. A well placed rug adds warmth and says something about you. Most modern living spaces are all about hardwood and glass or concrete and glass. Sure, a careful selection of contrasting paint colors will do wonders to add some warmth, but I like to use area rugs to add more warmth and create special boundaries in what can sometimes be wide-open spaces. My favorite spot for a rug – the kitchen. Just be sure to keep it clean!




2. Thread count, thread count, and thread count. Sure, those jersey sheets mom gave you 10 years ago are soft, and it can sometimes be hard to justify spending a lot on your sheets but I’m here to tell you once you make the switch, you’ll never go back. Think 800 thread count or higher, and the more you wash them the softer they get. Paired with the right down comforter and duvet and she’ll never want to leave your bed, consequently neither will you. Remember to think about the colors here, sheets should be a slight contrast to whatever duvet you have on top on them. These are an investment you’ll be able to keep for years. The website Overstock sometimes has great discounts-be sure to read customer reviews, they have great info.




3. A picture is worth a thousand words. It’s time to take the prints out of the shoebox under the bed and show off your amateur photography skills. I recently discovered the subtle power of taking some wall space and some black and white photos of you and your friends and family and making it a focal point in your home. It shows off your sensitive side and serves as a conversation piece for dates, parties, etc. Choose a few of your favorite prints and have them enlarged to different sizes, find some similar frames and you’re off.

These are just a handful of ways to help make your house a home and impress your girl, or your guests. Don’t forget to shower your gay best friend with appreciation for all of his helpful tips!

Interior DecBROrator ~ Covering all your bases

As the DecBrorator of the month for October, I decided to go with a baseball theme in honor of the playoffs. Growing up in Ohio during the glory days of the Indians, fall and playoff baseball are synonymous to me----not so much anymore, but I digress. Also, growing up in Ohio I was accustomed to lots of space, greenery and pretty much all the comforts that you leave behnd for the city life in a place such as Washington, D.C. So, for all you other Midwesterners or people who had to trade in the spacious house you grew up in for a tiny cell...errrrrrr "apartment" here are some DecBrorating tips from me, Mr. October.

A Single- Man in the Mirror
Using mirrors is a great way to give the illusion of more space or depth into your apartment. Plus, if you are like me they also serve as a reminder of how incredibly handsome you are. Either way, mirrors are a great addition to any apartment for those looking to provide depth and space. I personally like these tiled and tin mirrors from Mexico.

Tin with Tile Mirror - La Fuente Imports has a good selection of these mirrors.


Tin Mirror (from my abode)


A Double- Breathe Easy
Plants are a great way to add color to your apartment and also give you the benefit of feeling like your not trapped inside your apartment. Furthermore, studies have shown that common houseplants such as bamboo palms and spider plants not only make indoor spaces more attractive, but they also help to purify the air!.
Below is a picture of what I like to call the enchanted forest in my apartment. BONUS- You don't even have to be a green thumb to have plants. If I can do it, anyone can.


A Triple- Hall of Frame
Framing pictures of your favorite sports teams or places from your hometown are a great way to bring a piece of home with you to your domicile. I have pictures of Ohio's native Lebron James that I took in Cleveland, framed, and put on display in my apartment (see below). Total Cost: $20......Thank you Michael's and Shutterfly. I also like framing posters of concerts or other events that I have been to. Framing pictures or posters yourself is a low cost way to spruce up your apartment and at the same time show people who you are and what you enjoy.



A Homerun- Play with Fire
If you grew up with a fireplace, moving into an apartment without one (with the only hope of recreating one is the gas stove) is quite a disappointment. Well rest easy because I have the solution for you - CANDLES. I like to use candles to make up for my lack of a fireplace. Specifically, tea light candles and lots of them. Not only do they provide you with the "feeling" of warmth that you get from sitting by the fire, but they are also set the mood or ambiance for that special someone. AND, for the guys, they also have scented candles so you can get that bar smell or dirty sock smell out of your apartment. Guys, I can't guarantee you that candles will get you from first base to home in one night, but you'll have a better chance with them than without them.


{image from couchkarma.com}

{image from ungenitabeautyblog.com}

Thank you and please address any fan mail to the P4D girls and they'll be sure to pass it along.

Mr. October

Interior DecBROrator ~ Design & Individualism

Today our guest Interior DecBROrator is Ryan (Jen's fiance and owner of mean-e), take it away Ryan!:

No matter if your designing for a small apartment, large home or just your living room, a true sign of good design is individualism. Whether or not this always translates to good taste is to be argued case by case, but for the most part a well-groomed space will have some degree of personal character. Think of it as the brush strokes from a painter, broad and loose or tight and mechanical ~ an artist can render the same image as someone else but the manner in which they execute can be the defining characteristic.

When it comes to creating a look and feel for a living space, I personally gravitate towards what's unconventional and what is a reflection of my personality. Everyone in my age group, married or single gets the same furniture catalogue's with a well thought, Madison Avenue scene gracing the cover spotlighting the up and coming wares for the season. For the most part we either glance through in a wanting fashion, imaging in vain how our home would do well to have that new bookend or table or both. But most of our realities in creating a new look for our home lies in what we can re-use or create, mixed with what we can afford.

So what's this really all mean to the budding home decorator? Don't forget how to be creative! Whether you've got paintbrushes sitting in a box under your bed, belt sanders and other rad tools in the garage ~ break them out try creating something before you buy it.


Just recently to my delight, I stumbled upon "Lost and Found: 15 years of, the 2DK L.A.B". This event is a retrospective gallery show of original works by local name writers and DC Urban Arts Academy students. Custom glass tabletops, skateboard decks used as canvases for paintings and even old records with illustrations were strewn about the exhibit. Almost immediately I'm thinking of how one piece would look great in my home and then it dawns on me...I'm creative. I'm an able person. What's my deal?


Good design isn't necessarily out for everyone to see; sometimes it's under a rock in your head waiting to be let out. If you've got the idea for something unique, you’re halfway there to seeing it in the physical. Start with something familiar if your creating from the ground up, or look at ways to refinish an object you've already have lying around your house.


Just put down the catalogue's every now and then, get out to an art show or vintage store, or get out the paintbrush ~ you may surprise yourself.

Interior DecBROrator ~ 3 Ways to Impress Your Parents & the Ladies

TODAY WE ARE INTRODUCING A NEW FEATURE called "Interior DecBROrator." P4D has Mr. Chris Nussman with us today - a guy who enjoys having a nicely decorated home (gasp!) & is here to help, please take it away Chris:

If you’re an average 20-something guy, the bulk of your interior design expertise begins and ends with figuring out how to best position a roomful of hand-me-down furniture around a television set in a group apartment. Obviously, this IS important, but there are few easy steps any dude can take towards making their space cool, modern, and less like a college dorm room without breaking the bank.



Step #1: Frame It. If it’s on the wall, it has to be in a frame. No more thumbtacks! Framing bumps up the level of sophistication in a room, and choosing the right frame will actually make the piece look even better, even that sweet vintage Spuds McKenzie poster. Frames of all kinds and sizes can be found at places like Target, but this writer prefers craft stores (such as Michael’s) because they are pretty much always running sales of 25%-40% off frame collections.
Must haves: Chunky, flat, black wood frames; Float frames for displaying records or other non-traditional art



Step #2: Go green. Even if you have never taken care of a living thing besides goldfish or hermit crab, picking up a few easy to care for plants is a cost effective way to brighten up any space and prove what a nice, sensitive gentleman you have become. There are hearty, virtually unkillable plants that will thrive in low light places, like basement apartments with limited natural light. And make sure to accentuate your plants with the right pot – one that makes sense with colors in the room.
Must haves: Snake Plant, Eternity Plant, Bromeliad; colorful and modern planters




Step #3: Create a clutter-free space. Clearing up the clutter will make any home a much more pleasant place to spend time and will help alleviate stress. Storage pieces with doors are great for creating a clean look in a room. For things you may want to store out in the open (books, records, DVDs, etc), think about asymmetrical layouts and incorporating accessories into the storage to keep it from looking like a library.
Must haves: Storage bench, cube storage, cool bookcase, and, of course, a mini bar

Bonus Step!: Diversify. It is really easy to go to Ikea and furnish an entire apartment on the cheap in under 5 hours (and have a delicious meal of Swedish meatballs and lingonberry juice as a bonus). But you don’t want guests feeling like they just entered the showroom when they come through your door. Booooring. Shop around, take your time, and try to identify “must haves” from various stores that fit with whatever theme or style speaks to you. And remember, everything winds up on sale eventually. Even at stores that you may think are beyond a modest budget, you can find great deals on floor samples and end of season leftovers. Also, don’t be afraid to cruise Craigslist to find both great bargains and unique pieces.