Bachelor Pad Design Ideas
Living solo doesn’t mean living without style. Find contemporary and cool bachelor pad ideas and make the most of the single life
There’s a certain look that comes to mind when you hear the words bachelor pad. The phrase tends to evoke leather sofas, lounge chairs, giant entertainment centers, and a fully stocked bar. But more and more single men are proving that living solo doesn’t mean forsaking a stylish home. We’ve gathered bachelor pads from the AD archives that put a contemporary and cool twist on traditional masculine style. These modern spaces are full of chic decorating ideas to help you create the ultimate bachelor pad, whether you’re living the single life—or just want your home to look like you are.
Photo: Björn Wallander
1/21
Showcase an Art Collection
When a Manhattan bachelor purchased a piece of land on Martha’s Vineyard, he turned to architecture and design firm Ashe + Leandro to create the perfect getaway. The great room displays selections from his extensive art collection, including works by, from left, Howard Hodgkin, Sterling Ruby, Aaron Young, and Rashid Johnson; the bespoke ceiling lights were created in collaboration with the Urban Electric Co., the sofas and slipper chairs are by Christian Liaigre, and the striped pillows are by Ralph Lauren Home.
Photo: Björn Wallander
2/21
Keep the Palette Simple
No need to go too wild with pattern or color. Here, a punchy palette of red, white, and blue animates a guest room.
Photo: Roger Davies
3/21
Add Leather Accents
There's a right way to do leather in a bachelor pad. Our recommendation? Stick to vintage pieces. Before settling down with model Behati Prinsloo, singer Adam Levine resided in a chic Hollywood Hills home decorated by Mark Haddawy and outfitted with classics by 20th-century-design icons. The living room is a well-edited haven of vintage pieces: a Dunbar sofa in Maharam mohair velvet, a Stilnovo floor lamp, a Jean Prouvé cocktail table, a Hans J. Wegner Ox chair, and a Ludwig Mies van der Rohe daybed. The pillows are covered in antique Caucasian textiles, and the carpet is 1920s Persian.
Photo: Roger Davies
4/21
Opt for Sleek Surfaces
You can't go wrong with stone surfaces, particularly in the bath. The marble-clad master bath of Adam Levine's home features an antique claw-foot tub from Architectural Detail and a Paul McCobb table from JF Chen.
Photo: Roger Davies
5/21
Create Space For Entertaining
Make sure you have room to have people over, whether it's to watch the game or crack open a bottle of whiskey. Designer Peter Dunham worked with film producer Steve Tisch on the redecoration of his 1932 Paul Williams house in Beverly Hills. Basquiat's Trumpet is displayed above a custom-made sofa in the living room; the cocktail tables are vintage French, and the 1940s floor lamps are by Jacques Adnet.
Photo: Roger Davies
6/21
Dine in Style
No eating dinner over the sink or in front of the television. A well-designed dining space is a great spot to start and end the day. Armchairs by Dunham surround a trestle table from Lucca in Tisch's family room; the pendant lights were crafted by Reborn Antiques, and the striped kilim was custom made by Jamal's Rug Collection.
Photo: Roger Davies
7/21
Add a Woodsy Air
If your dream home is a cabin in the woods, try incorporating rustic elements with a modern twist. Entrepreneur Derek Mattison called on design collective Commune to renovate his 1960s Los Angeles home. Reclaimed-oak paneling gives the double-height living room a rustic air; a dark custom-blended Benjamin Moore color on the beams and trim lends contrast. The floor lamp on the far left was custom made by Downtown, and the cocktail table is by Alma Allen for Commune. A Vladimir Kagan Contour chaise from Ralph Pucci International is upholstered in gray cashmere, and the overscale floor lamp is by Bottega Veneta; the cowhide rug is from Blackman Cruz.
Photo: Roger Davies
8/21
Use Vintage Pieces
Midcentury pieces bring in a Mad Men vibe. Mattison's poolhouse is furnished with a vintage Arne Jacobsen Egg chair from Galerie Half and Piero Lissoni's Softwall sofa for Living Divani.
Roger Davies
9/21
Don't Forget the Bar Cart
Always have cocktails at hand in the living room or office with a stylish bar cart. The vintage bar cart in Mattison's living room is from J.F. Chen.
Photo: Michael Calderwood
10/21
Play with Geometry
Bold lines and geometric accents can energize a space. Designer Tino Zervudachi of Mlinaric, Henry & Zervudachi worked with local sources to restore and furnish Nat Rothschild’s bachelor pad in Rio de Janeiro. The glass-top table in the living room is from Firma Casa; the wood Whale lounge chairs are by Julia Krantz. On the wall is a piece by Brazilian artist Regina Silveira.
11/21
Be Pool-Party Ready
On a terrace facing the sea, Zervudachi laid out what became the urbane centerpiece of the residence: a pool whose elaborate Op Art tile design echoes the wave pattern on the famous Rio promenades by Roberto Burle Marx.
Photo: Joshua McHugh
12/21
Go for Luxe Materials
A bachelor pad shouldn't feel cold and sterile, so incorporate soft materials such as velvet and faux fur. In the master bedroom of investor Yoon Kim’s Manhattan bachelor pad, which was designed by David Mann and Brett McMullen of MR Architecture + Décor, the floating bed by Robert Bernstein is dressed in Calvin Klein linens, a mink coverlet by ER Fur Trading, and a throw from ABC Carpet & Home. The photograph displayed on the wall is by Dietmar Busse.
Photo: Joshua McHugh
13/21
Bring in Black Elements
The living area of Kim's apartment is filled with black furnishings, including a custom-made De Angelis sofa is covered in an Edelman leather, a blackened-steel console, and a Ball chair with goat-hair upholstery is by Inmod. The cowhide rug is by Beauvais Carpets, and the walls throughout the loft are painted in a white custom blend by Benjamin Moore.
Photo: Nikolas Koenig
14/21
Mix Traditional and Modern
Sticking to one design style can feel one note, so try incorporating pieces from different eras. Architect Frederic Schwartz and designers Tony Ingrao and Randy Kemper collaborated with Donny Deutsch to renovate his 1889 Manhattan townhouse. In the living room, a George Condo painting is displayed above a custom-made sofa, one of a pair upholstered in a J. Robert Scott silk mohair. Next to the Venfield zebra chair is a gueridon by Hervé Van der Straeten; the curtains were made using the reverse side of a Kravet fabric, and the cowhide rugs are from Stark Carpet.
Photo: Nikolas Koenig
15/21
Go a Little Wild (Just a Little)
A touch of animal print can make a major impact. In Deutsch's master bedroom, a wall-size headboard upholstered in a Glant fabric displays a Marilyn Minter photograph; the bedding is by E. Braun. Red leather Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann chairs from the 1920s flank Warhol interpretations of Judy Garland’s Blackglama ads; the stylized-zebra-print area rug was custom made by Rug & Kilim.
Photo: Erhard Pfeiffer
16/21
Let the Architecture Shine
If your home has great bones, then let the architecture be the focus of the design. Interior designer Jim Walrod helped hotelier Jason Pomeranc renovate his midcentury house in the Hollywood Hills. A den and open-plan kitchen give way to the sunken living room.
Photo: Erhard Pfeiffer
17/21
Give Yourself A Private Retreat
Don't forget to create a space to relax and unwind. A cluster of colorful paintings by Barry McGee hangs in Pomeranc's master bedroom. Distinctive furnishings include a Joe Colombo Elda chair and Coupé floor lamp.
Photo: Björn Wallander
18/21
Use Masculine Materials in a New Way
At baseball star Alex Rodriguez's home in Coral Gables, Florida, the living room's blackened-steel panels make a rugged backdrop for a Keith Haring painting (left, above a Spark Modern Fires fireplace) and a Gérard Van Kal Mon sculpture from Holly Hunt; to the right is an Andy Warhol portrait of Jean-Michel Basquiat. The custom-made sofas are dressed in a cotton velvet from Brunschwig & Fils, and the vintage Milo Baughman chairs sport a Holland & Sherry cashmere. The Gabriella Crespi cocktail table and Pierre Cardin floor lamp are both vintage, and the angora carpet is by Woven Accents.
Photo: Björn Wallander
19/21
Make an Office For Work and Play
In Rodriguez's high-gloss office, a Florence Knoll pedestal table is grouped with Saarinen armchairs, all by Knoll, and a carpet by Diane von Furstenberg for the Rug Company; sconces from Flos flank Marco Ovando photographs.
Photo: Björn Wallander
20/21
Install a Bar
The place where everybody knows your name can be in your own house. Rodriquez's bar has a polished-marble top that contrasts with the reclaimed-wood flooring.
21/21
Go High-Tech
Outfit your bachelor pad with smart home features and the latest technology. Rodriguez's bar has a multi-panel television so he never has to choose between channels.
Reference
architecturaldigest.com @/gallery/bachelor-pad-ideas