The prime seat is the most important
Let’s talk dynamics in the living room, the main den in which you’ll spend most of your time.
You don’t want a couch in here. Couches imply a need for companionship; they cue that there’s a void to fill. That’s not what’s happening here.
No, what you want is many single seats, separating host from guest. The master of the house should occupy the grandest and comfiest among them; this is the room in which you hold court, and your throne must look the part.
We nominate the enduring Fritz Hansen Egg (left) for the role. It’s got the highest back in the FH range, and by consequence the biggest stature. The curvature allows you to default to a relaxed, collected pose, though you can get up on that edge to indicate overt interest should the occasion call for it.
Supplement the room with Swans or even beanbags, sure, but let there be no mistake where the lone wolf sits.
If the rotundness doesn’t match your general aesthetic, consider the FH Oksen – similar idea, but angular in execution.
If you’re into lounging on your back, purchase a singular left or right arm chaise – and that’s it. Plop it in a corner facing the telly, and put a coffee table down nearby to indicate that the rest of the couch is, in fact, a deliberate omission.
The Petrie Left Arm Midcentury Chaise Lounge, available from Crate and Barrel, fills the role perfectly. Opt for the charcoal, steel or ash fabric – the combination of colours and choice of finish makes for easy maintenance. Hey, if you ever do get hitched, you can always return to complete the set.
(RELATED: You definitely want a record player in there, too. Check out this list of great-looking ones.)
The table which tells your tale
The coffee table reveals more about your personality than you think. A clean design with no underbelly hints to visitors that you love keeping things orderly and clutter-free. One stocked with the latest fashion or automotive-focused titles implies you keep up with trends, and value couch time.
Scanteak‘s Duo Coffee Table does an admirable job of treading between both worlds, allowing just two to three magazines to peek out from under a secondary tier. The result’s an eye-catching and asymmetrical piece that still fits into most minimalist regimes.
If you don’t want to detract from chromed and mirrored elements, the see-through 713 Coffee Table from Space Furniture is the panacea to your woes. Match with chrome legs on your other bits of furniture, as above.
Finally, if you’re looking for a modern take on the two-tiered coffee table, the low-slung Rover Coffee Table from Commune is the right amount of spartan and elevated. The dark acacia and bronze-tipped legs pair off really well with brooding colour palettes – put in some potted plants to turn the scene into a modern man’s oasis.
Show off your hosting skills by servicing the thirst
Let’s face it – no mancave is quite as complete as the ones with bars. There’s no need to dedicate an entire floating island to this if you don’t entertain very often – there are plenty of small, mobile bars that’ll serve both connoisseurs and budding enthusiasts.
The swivelling Barboy, available at Space Furniture, provides a four-tier, wheeled workstation from which the amateur bartender can whip up perfunctory cocktails or tip out the drams. This also allows you to strategically select what your guests have access to prior to a party. No point exposing that ’84 Lafite to that ungrateful relative, eh?
When you’re ready to graduate from the Barboy, invest in the Steamer Bar Cabinet from Crate and Barrel, which can house a respectable amount of equipment, glasses and gratuitous amounts of alcohol. It also doubles up as a bar counter that can seat two comfortably – just make sure to snag some bar stools below.
The best part? It may not look it, but damned thing’s got hidden caster wheels, meaning you can move the setup to a spare room once your shindig is over.
Those with really deep pockets can go all out and fly in an upcycled bar made from old vintage cars parts.
Invest to impress with a proper coat rack
The versatile coat is among the most quintessential items in a pad. It allows you to flaunt your style, indulges laziness, and acts a giant “to-do” list if you use it to hang your errand bags. The cookie cutter tree-style coat racks are fairly passe, though – opt for these lookers instead.
The Elemental Coat Stand from Grafunkt works great in wooded interiors and enhances rustic themes. Made from cypress or ash, the three-tiered rack offers plenty of purchase for your assorted items.
While these are more commonly interpreted as “Korean soft bun”, mandus from Space Furniture are exactly the kind of tool that embodies no-frills functionality. Essentially a mobile coat rack that can hold one coat, the matching pants and a bag, it’s for the power executive who switches between outfits on the fly.
It’s your man cave, after all- you should feel free to return home and sit around in tighty whities while waiting for that client dinner.
PHOTOS: Respective stockists.