Teach Me Tuesday: Adding Masculinity to Your Decor

Welcome to Teach Me Tuesday! I spend a lot of time each week reading all of the great DIY tips out there in Blogland. Because there are so many fabulous projects that I can’t wait to try, I figured that it would be fun to feature some of my very favorites here each Tuesday.

If you would like to be featured in an upcoming edition of Teach Me Tuesday, please email me at LivingWithLindsay@gmail.com and we’ll chat!

Today’s edition of Teach Me Tuesday features Kimm from Reinvented. I really enjoy reading Kimm’s blog as she always has fantastic ideas. Just last week, she posted a series of really great repurposing projects for spring. Be sure to check them out!

One of my favorite Kimm posts of late was one in which she explained how to bring a more “manly” decor into the home. This is one I apparently need to take to heart, as I had the following conversation with my husband on Sunday afternoon.

Lindsay: Can you believe I got this vintage Samsonite luggage piece at that garage sale for 25 cents?
Tom: Well, it’s old and dirty. I can’t believe you bought that. What are you going to do with it?
Lindsay: If you don’t watch it, it’s going to go in your bedroom after I clean it up.
Tom: Do you mean our bedroom that’s decorated in toile and tassels or do you mean some secret man bedroom that I know nothing about?

Do you think he has a complex about sleeping under a toile covered headboard or what?

I think Kimm can definitely help me out. She writes:

Anyone ever heard that famous quote “If Daddy ain’t happy then nobody’s happy?”

Me neither.

This may come as a surprise, but I make ALL of the home decor decisions around here. My husband usually trusts me in this area, and doesn’t question my choices very often. I can always tell, though, when he REALLY likes an idea, because he’ll jump in to help so that he can share the CREDIT (Lindsay note: Hey! My husband does that, too! Must be something they teach them in Husband class.).

Precisely what happened when we painted our bedroom. I am TOTALLY okay with this, because no one that we know really believes that he had ANYTHING to do with the design process.

I do, however, TRY REALLY HARD to consider his likes and dislikes when I redesign a room. Since this series is about our master bedroom makeover, I’ll share my MAN-PLEASIN’ ideas for this room.

We’ve had this denim bedskirt and euroshams for quite awhile. I’ve kept them through a few room designs, because I think the denim keeps the room from being too feminine. Kind of like when you wear jeans with your frilly blouse. Makes the outfit more down to earth, don’t ya think? Since jeans go with everything, I just pretend that this bedskirt goes with everything too.

The chocolate brown quilt is a more masculine color and has a geometric pattern. I’ve repeated the brown color around the room to keep the room grounded.

That leads me to my newest project.

I’ve been looking for some artwork to hang on the large empty wall above my husband’s dresser. Suddenly it occured to me that what he would love to look at the most is art that means something to him. We have four blessings that mean the WORLD to him. (I think I do too.)

So…

I had some clearance frames that I found at Joann’s that were a hideous gold color. I spray painted them dark brown. I had pictures that I had taken of our kids and had them printed by Shutterfly in a sepia tone.

Then I got out the textured, paintable wallpaper that I bought at the Goodwill.

First, I tried antiquing it by dry-brushing on some brown paint. THAT DIDN’T WORK.

I spray painted the wallpaper with Heirloom White, then aged it with an almond color. I used a dry brush with VERY little paint on it to just highlight the details.

MUCH BETTER.

Wallpaper makes a great background/mat for pictures, doesn’t it? Of course, it helps to have GORGEOUS children…

Here’s a shot of them hanging above hubby’s dresser, along with a basket holding the manly clutter that he generates.

Another wall accessorized! I’m still looking for a headboard, and pondering what to do with the area where the TV now sits. Come back next week to check on my progress!

What a nice “manly” area, Kimm! You have a lucky husband. I force mine to look at a GIANT bridal portrait of me on the wall next to his side of the bed. No matter which way he turns, I’m always there.

The wallpaper matting “trick” is a fabulous idea. I bet someone could use that project as inspiration for a Five Dollar Challenge project. Maybe that person will even be me.

Thanks so much to Kimm for this great post! Be sure to check out her blog, Reinvented, as there’s tons of great ideas there!