32, living on my own with no roommates or significant other. I finally got my place decorated how I wanted. I’m curious though, what does my place say about me?
Edit for clarification: I’m renting a 1 bedroom apartment. There’s no additional room to store things in like a dedicated man cave or a basement (I wish). I cannot change wall colors, change the carpets, or remove the carpets. Trying the best with what I can afford.
Thank you, that’s what I’m trying to avoid. I’d like to have the place decorated with some hobbies and nerdy things but not at the cost that it looks like I’m still living out my early 20’s.
I used to work with a guy that found an old swordsmith at some mouth-breathing event that measured him and “crafted” him a custom sword. It took over a month and when I saw the thing, I’m 100% sure he spent that month polishing off Made in China lettering. He charged my coworker almost $1,000. Somehow his ex wife ended up with it in the divorce 😭
That’s really it. When you hit ~30, you gotta pick a room. Your entry way, living room, and bedroom can’t really have that shit out anymore. I say this with all the love in my nerdy little heart: The living room is for coasters and throw pillows. The spare bedroom is where your $300 lightsaber and Warhammer 40k army lives. Respect the boundary.
That's when you get the rug with a subtle x wing pattern for the living room. Make it so the reference is there if you know but just a cool design if you don't.
Picking one room is the way to go. I actually like it even more because it’s like a little home within a home when I wind down at the end of the day where I’m just surrounded by my hobbies and interests. Doesn’t bother the missus or get weird looks when people come over
Yes, the posters, jerseys, flags, bookshelf of toys go into the hobby room. Get a few larger decorative art pieces to go on the walls in the main space and some furniture that fits the room. But that's just me.
yeah thats a big part of what reminds me of my college days. Random black couch, next to a complete different style table, with the generic walmart black shelves and side tables. Don't get me wrong it's all functional and fine but it's not cohesive.
OP, you could also get the flags professionally framed if you want to keep them up without it looking college-like. I’ve seen other people do it and it looks really great
Was about to comment this! I don't think anyone should hide their hobbies away, it's just about displaying them intentionally. Placement, surrounding items, what colour the walls are - it all comes into play
Confine the college-y stuff to one room that’s not your main space if it’s important to you to have and display it. That kinda stuff seems to always work better in a “mancave” type of room
The trick for nerdy stuff is that less is more. Maybe pick 3 top things like dnd, star wars, whatever and put up a meaningful peace to symbolize your affinity for it. Using these examples maybe an oversize d20 on a shelf and a stormtroopers helmet between some books or something. Try to pick an overall color pallete for the room and a vibe you want then pick your decorations carefully and with intention to fit the color theme and vibe. You want to hint at the nerdy stuff but not draw all the focus on it because nerdy stuff is usually very distinct and it overwhelms a space very easily.
I think it's ok if you're mostly hanging out with other nerds, but it should intentionally be cohesive with the room like you said. Ie I own a lot of classic dragon stuff, but it's all in the same room on display because that's The Whimsical Room. All the prints of certain colours are in the rooms that are those colours. It's ok to have a room full of conversation pieces but they should mostly match the furniture
Most women looking for a long term partner/adult man would not be excited by the apartment. The small sub-sect of women who would be interested are, for the most part, just excited to see the shared hobbies. I as a dude, would geek out at your place.
you can still be nerdy and have hobbies and interests as decoration without it looking collegey and immature. fewer, more intentional pieces sized appropriately for the space they're in and FRAMED is a good place to start. trying to ensure pieces aren't clashing too hard in color or style helps too. not to say everything has to be the same color, but complimentary in some way helps. also color on walls helps a TON but this looks like a rental, so that may not be possible. but the key is curation. this guy is trying to display everything he has, so nothing looks intentional. pick your best pieces. arrange them intentionally. give them room to breathe.
i'm no paragon of good design and taste, but my office feels pretty put together and is full of nerdy shit, so here's an example of non-minimalist curation.
I'd honestly remove everything from the walls and off every surface and about 2/3 of what is on the bookshelf. Find enclosed storage for the games. Put maybe 10 books on each bookshelf on alternating ends. One stack can be laying down, and pepper a few small pieces that you like in the open spaces. Only framed pictures on the walls or canvases that are the right size for the space. Can put some floating shelves up too. Small tables should only have a lamp and maybe a few small items of varying heights, or just the lamp. Area rugs tie rooms together. Keep an eye out on Craigslist/FB Marketplace for sturdier furniture that is affordable. If you have a friend who is into decorating tap that resource.
I mean, maybe? You could frame posters to reduce the “college”. But I personally wouldn’t be too critical of a young 30’s bachelor’s apartment that looked like this. It’s clean, and it’s his. I’ll be honest, I’m 34f and I have maps and pictures all over one of my walls like a collage (totally messy and things a tacked up there, but I confine it to a wall and I like the haphazard aesthetic). I’d be much more concerned if it was filthy… especially with cats. I love cats, grew up with them, but if not cared for, they/the litter boxes smell.
It’s amazing what clearing off the flat surfaces does for a space. Puts some shelving up to display your items and leave the flat surfaces clutter free.
Having a few rugs to break up the zones makes a difference too.
Yes. My fiance and I both collect stuff, but we always get comments about how organized & tidy our place feels, and after a few years and visits to lots of different households, I realized it's because I'm anal about keeping coffee tables, end tables, dining table, and kitchen counter clear of anything except coasters and other necessities. All actively used spaces are open for use, even when our shelves are (lovingly) full of crap.
Id say it's the flags , overfilled shelf, and how the instruments/rock band drum kit are displayed. Idk what I would change other than the flags and more shelves.
That's not a rock band drumkit that's an actual electronic drumkit. Basically sensor pads arranged like a drum that connect to a drum computer to generate sound. Basically a drumkit for people with neighbours. Not 100% silent but quieter than an acoustic.
Connects to a PC through midi/USB and can be used for actual recordings.
Yeah, it blew my mind. Like, dude, just leave it there. You know we’re gonna do this again tomorrow.
But he was an older cat and drank himself to sleep every night. My guess is, after I left our sessions, he was just drunk and bored so tearing down gave him something to do until he passed out. Which explains why he could never find anything.
Get rid of the flags. They say "I like pirates and sports", and if you're trying to shed the "little boy" image, that's not the message you want to send.
Personally I dig the “organized clutter” look. My place is that style. But it’s all about choice of decor. Like I have a fuck ton of knick knacks, weird antiques, art from locals, etc etc.
But this is definitely a young dude kinda look here. Gotta make some better decor choices.
Yeah as a woman I can overlook the college dorm vibe because the green flag of cat lover somewhat overrides that. But OP, get some framed art. It’s not bad but it has potential to be way better.
i feel like this sub is mostly dudes trying to decorate, so it's not this sub, it's dudes who need decorating advice who are way too into flags. they're cheap and big. pick a high quality one and iron and frame it and it can look good but there are SO MANY here
Also consider moving from flags to tapestries. They not as cheap, but they look much classier, there are places online where you can get really cool and unique designs to reflect your taste and interests, and they still fulfil the basic function of "do something with this huge empty white wall."
especially if you find nice tapestry mounts. pinning them at the corner doesn't always look great, but i've seem nice hardwood wood bars that clamp on the tapestry and hang them evenly with no drape in the middle.
I’m assuming your in an apartment so you can’t paint the walls cause j think that’s what’s really throwing it off. I would add some rugs (living room, under the dining room table), and get some more lamps to use vs overhead lights
4am, before work and just after feeding these monsters, I have to go around the house and pick up all their toys and tunnels. It DOES feel like picking up after toddlers haha. Once the roomba does its thing, I sprinkle the toys back throughout the house. Fuckers dont know how good they have it.
I wouldn’t say immature or childish per se, more… disorganized or haphazard.
It almost looks like perhaps you had stuff and figured out where to put it, not necessarily a bad thing but it doesn’t look like the stuff purchased with an end state or aesthetic in mind.
All totally reasonable when you’ve just moved in but if you want more cohesion then some deliberate choices about what where and why would need to come into play.
Honestly it depends on how often you host other people. It's a bit college-y for 32 years old, but it doesn't matter if nobody else sees it. The main thing that I see when I look through these photos is clutter, albeit organized. Every surface and every shelf is packed with stuff. If it works for you, cool. For most people, they want their space to feel a bit less chaotic.
if he curated and selected the best pieces for display you can get away with nerdy stuff all over the house. but showing it all off like an otaku always looks immature. i'm a massive nerd too, but curation means having super cool nerdy shit on display AND it looks good and put together. example - i like bugs and D&D and my office reflects this. i have a nice shelf with some art, a lamp, some fake plants (basement with no lights, real plants are upstairs) and the coolest thing that makes the shelf look well curated is a beetle in a cloche and my floating D20. and it's right next to my Hokusai print representing weebiness without putting anime girls all over the place.
i need to hide my cables better but i think it looks pretty well put together and is unashamedly nerdy.
yeah. childish isn't quite the word. it looks... pedestrian? casual? cheap?
furniture: your furniture looks like it's from separate garage sales from 2002. your biggest upgrade would be a new couch and a STURDY dining room table.
decor: Its fine to have nerdy art and hobbies - which can actually be very cool - if its displayed well. the current decor is a bit too cluttered and unkempt. frame the flags. remove about 30% of it. add fake or living plants. also what does your art say about you? do you like books or things that show some character or development, or do you like spiderman? you can like both. just - what does your space say about you at first glance?
cats: look like they run the house. i also have two cats and love them. but i dont want my space to smell like them or look like like a petsmart. do your cats use all their tunnels and toys? they're great but they're taking over the house.
caroline winkler on youtube has a bunch of videos for bachelor pads like this that she styles up and makes nicer. i'd watch her and see what you think.
goodluck dude. you seem like a cool guy with good hobbies and love for your cats. hope my comments help and aren't too rude.
I would get a rug for the music area, to kind of make it feel like a separate space. And idk what those banners are but I would probably change them to something music related (maybe those are, idk).
Also that painting close to the ceiling by the dining table should be moved
I mean, there has to be a better place for the litter box besides the front door. And if there’s not, you should really get one of those cabinets that hide it.
I have cats, but I wouldn’t want anyone to walk in my house and the first thing they see and smell is the litter box.
If this is a frat house its fine. Pretty much anything else, I wouldn't say immature, I'd say no style sense. It looks like a nerd filled it with all his cool stuff without a single thought where things can do. I'm not bashing on you, I'm a nerd with my coolshit in the house too. I just have it not take over the entire place.
Not childish and im not sure immature is the word id go for either. The flags look awful imo and very cluttery. Could use some work but wouldn't take much imo
i would say it's more childlike than childish-- nothing that couldn't be improved by a bit of clearing off side tables, counters, and table surfaces & moving the collectibles onto a shelving unit.
elevate it from childlike to playful & proud nerd fanaticism. I would be excited to visit a house like this if it were more tidy.
Flags are sadly childish, maybe can frame them. Need to organize your themes, right now you have nerdy guy stuff all over when you should focus it in your office or basement or game area. Keep the living / sitting room more adult.
I think it’s the flags combined with the fact that every room is painted the same colour. I understand that may not be an option but if it is, that would help break up your spaces
The walls are a mess and need to be better organized / composed. Look up 'gallery wall' for inspiration on putting together a well-composed wall of things you like, instead of sprinkling them everywhere in your home.
Do you have a link to that litterbox? This place looks cozy and welcoming! I'd hang here on a weekly basis. Comfy couch, a cool cat, option for a jam sesh? 10/10
Clearly OP cares, otherwise they wouldn’t have asked. You might not personally care, but it does matter how your apartment comes across when you invite new people over. All about the vibe you want to give off.
I’m glad you have your house decorated the way you like, but being 40 and having a house covered in nerd stuff is definitely going to read as immature/childish
Shows your personality. Its clean and not bad. Its not going in any design magazines and if you ever get a gf she will probably change some things but as it is its fine.
Not sure if I'd say it's childish, but there's definitely a lot going on and I would probably feel a bit overstimulated if I were to walk in your home.
Flags on the wall are generally always going to give that sense yeah
Also you've got a bookshelf for storing stuff but then you've got more stuff piled on top of it and even more stuff stacked next to it. You could even add doors it to even further hide the clutter
The flags in the music room feel a bit overwhelming for a smaller space, but the 40k and Brotherhood flags in the living room don't seem too out of place.
I would probably find someplace else to put the framed stuff from the kitchen and the arch into your dining area. Having stuff hanging that close to the ceiling feels very cluttered. I'd also lower the lightsabers and the frame under them.
Also, you might want to get a bigger credenza to go where that small table with the lamp near the entrance is. Look for something with closable cabinets to keep some of the clutter contained.
I mean, you’ve got really good bones and stuff inside. But yeah, maybe just tidy up a bit, de-clutter, do some small upgrades with your art forms. You could totally keep a few flags or keepsake items up but up stage them differently. Put them places they can shine and be framed or more elevated.
It looks like you’re a fun person who really enjoys music and games, which is such a rad thing to be passionate about but maybe centralize it or keep it maybe tucked away until folks come through and you can kind of pull things out to set up for the night. I find that’s almost always just as fun as playing. The setting up and finding it again. It makes you really appreciate the thing inside of just seeing it daily and getting used to it.
The cat stuff can’t really be helped lol let’s be real, cats gonna cat and want the space how they desire, regardless of.😆 charming little home though dude!
Yeah but it's not too bad. It's a little on the immature side, but self expression is much better than minimalist bore. Replace the flags with framed posters, or prints from artists you like and it would be a huge step up. We have plenty of silly prints framed around our house and it looks pretty mature imo
It says you are a sabres fan and that's cool. Honestly, it's set up with adult furniture in a way that looks mature. Your home has all of the things that interest you and that you like, and that's what makes a home a home. I think you're doing alright, friend.
Just be you. People like people who are authentic. Let your décor be an extension of your personality. You're the one who lives in your home. If it makes you happy, it's the right thing to do. If you bring a girl over and she doesn't want to date you because of the way you've decorated your place, she's not worth dating anyway.
As someone else said, gives college vibes.
+1 on framing those posters and maybe flags.
Also, adding plants makes your place more « adult » kinda, it also add some colors too !
I remember hearing a designer on a HGTV show saying that “flags are meant to be flown, not hung”. Lord knows that I’ve been guilty of it in the past too. Depending on your housing situation, I’d recommend an outdoor flag pole by your front door and let your geek flag fly there instead.
My other suggestion is clearing out the majority of the figurines, geeky pillows and board games. The figurines can be shelved in your bedroom with the pillows and the board games can be put in your closet. The issue is that you’ve crossed the line between “collection” and “clutter”. I’d choose a few favorites or statement pieces, leave those out in the living area, then find another place for the rest. With so many pieces, people can’t tell what they’re looking at when they first see it, so they can’t really admire it for what it is. It’s tough, but “less is more” applies well to situations like this.
No? My house looks a heck of a lot more childish, but that's the whole point of my aesthetic lol. And no it's not clean or well put together it's just rainbows and smiley faces. And I'm happy. Are you happy?
Honestly I think there’s a way to make it more elevated. Get frames for flags/posters, declutter, maybe make colors more cohesive. If you can paint I think that would help a lot. It feels like you’ve got really dark decor in a really light space and it stands out.
I don’t think so. Looks nice and lived in. Lots of personality. Is there a smaller/covered litter box? Does your cat really use all those tunnels and things ? If not maybe they can be put away or changed to one section of a cat tree thing with platforms
If you want to keep the flags: iron and frame them 1/room or all in 1 room.
Level and align any frames you have.
The small tables: ( kitchen, living room and dining room) if you can match the table so that they fit90% of the length of the wall, it’ll give a more thoughtful look .
The dining room: id change the one bookshelf for all small billy ( from Ikea) so that it would do the entire length of the wall and then all the frames above it. ( gallery wall) . It’ll give it a less college dorm and seem interesting and intentional
To be fair, I cant tell. My inlaw’s house looks like this, but I also know people in college/in their 20s who also have houses like this. I have pokemon plushies hanging from the ceiling all over my house lol
Side tip - unless there is a specific decorative reason, avoid hanging wall art higher than the door and window jams. Just a tip to give a more polished look. Of course, there are times to break this 'rule' so it's a general guideline.
And yes, let the flags go and only utilize frames. Be deliberate on what you display on horizonal spaces and get a longer entry way table, that one looks like a nightstand.
Seriously, who the fuck cares what anyone else thinks. There is nothing wrong with surrounding yourself with the things that make you happy. Anyone that doesn't appreciate that can go fuck themselves.
It’s definitely a guy’s place that has cats when you get a girlfriend. She might want to help you adjust your design style. It is one of those considerations.
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u/Proton_Optimal 9h ago
Looks like college