If you change the color to a caramel will it make the furniture blend too much with the wall? A deep olive green would look good with the furniture and the rug. I used a color paint that I purchased at Walmart of all places called River Bank that I am thinking of...I am sure a color like this is at a SW or BM store, this is just a suggestion to consider.

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Does she not like the red anymore? I don't think the problem is color. The problem, IMHO, is the 'frilly, girly' things in the *man's* room. For instance, the curtains are way too feminine and romantic. The bar, while a beautiful and useful piece, seems a tad bit like something a big man might break. Perhaps it is more bulky in real life.

The lamp does not look like a *man's* lamp, and too many pictures are placed around.

Sorry, I just know men want big, unbreakable things that they don't have to worry about. How about a coffee table? She definitely needs more things on the wall, and a change of switch plate.

Looks like she has really great taste, and leans toward victorian style, but needs to remember to go a little more masculine. Good luck!

The curtains....the room needs rich, cozy drapes.
Everything else is grand~

I completely agree about the switch plate that was victorian-- planned to point that out as well...

The red- she's tired of-- looking for a change... also the red is coming off more "red" than burgandy...
This is the color i was thinking of- hard to tell but gives you an idea... thoughts?
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I also think the drapes are too "girly" what do you see for drapes/curtains?? Paisly? Something that goes with the rug- but can't be floral- b/c of being to girly-- stripes?? what do you think? Any pics?

My first thought, if she really wants a change, is to go green-dark like a British men's club room or olive. I agree that the leather would be too close to the caramel color and the frames of the prints would be lost as well.

If not an oliv-y green as has been suggested, then a neutral that leans to the green and maybe dark green velvet draperies.

why do they always add pink to oriental carpets and stained glass lamps?

What about the baby turtle everyone talks so much about. It is rather neutral and brings out the green accents in the rug too...if the dark green I suggested earlier is something you are not too keen on. What about some type of roman shade or blind instead of drapes for a man's room or maybe the heavy plantation shutters...men like to watch big screen tv's in a dark area, the shade or blinds could help block some of the sunlight.

I like the idea of romans- would you consider flat romans.. layered romans-- any pics would help....

Also i'm steering away from green backdrop- there is no green in the rug and one of her adjoining rooms already has green....

I was thinking blue/grey- but its coming off too"cool" so leaning towards cappuchino-- possibly punching up the wall with color- pics// and adding sofa table to add things with dimention with color??

Here are some pictures of a Man Cave I really like, they may give you inspiration...don't show the roman shades I was envisioning but can give you some ideas on the direction to go in, based on what I see is your friends style.

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Here are some match stick shades that I think look masculine

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And finally, here is a roman shade style I like, but maybe not with the glitz for a man's room

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Maybe sponged tan walls? More of a tan. Yes, new shades.
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Hmmm, well I definitely see green in the close up of the rug - and that's on two different monitors, although taking another look, it's not terribly pronounced.

On that second look, I think the leather furniture is darker than what it's showing up as in these pics, so the Cappuccino color may work after all - but I would definitely test behind one of those pieces. Maybe Cafe au lait ;-)

Love the muted patterned draperies in clady's first three pics - that could definitely work!

How about walls in a dark, rich navy blue? Maybe in satin finish? Might work very well for viewing the new TV!

Then add the roman shades in a rougher-linen fabric with some of the gold-caramel tones. For ideas -- check out the Smith and Noble website.

Remove the metal scroll behind the bar and the switchplate -- and go for a much simpler-lined switchplate in a rich oil-rubbed bronze (ORB).

Consider adding a long mirror behind the bar or perhaps a reproduction vintage poster. You could even add a picture lamp or light to shine down on the bar.

Replace the gold lamp with a more tailored ORB one with a rougher linen-fabric or even black shade. Add a standing lamp too.

Just wondering IF a small electric wine-cooler-fridge would fit in that corner? Maybe hidden in a small black-painted or dark wood cabinet?

Just some thoughts!

Jan at Rosemary Cottage

Here is a link that might be useful: art.com -- vintage posters featuring cuisine and drink items

Well, if he's going to smoke cigars in that room, you might want to start off with a color that looks prestained. I think the green/gray family is more interesting with the furniture, and I'd agree about the curtains, and curlique stuff. What does the guy like?

I'm not big on the gentlemen's club look, because its hard to do in any authentic way in 2010. I think the leather furniture is great, but anything added should be, IMHO, on a larger scale. A biggish coffee table, to support feet, drinks, and the remote.

I'd like plain curtains, in a very rough texture, but not the Ballard burlap ones. Maybe linen, or hopsacking, but full and lined (so you can block out the light, when you want to watch that big screen.)

Idee-- what is hopsacking? Any pics of what you think for curtains/shades? I think changing those could make a huge difference

I kinda like the dark blue suggestion:

Couldn't find a green dark enough, or I would have shown that too.

Here's a page from Smith and Noble's website -- describing their roman shades ....

GWBR54: Thanks for creating the excellent virtual of my suggestion for a dark or navy blue! That color does look nice with the rug!

Jan at Rosemary Cottage

Here is a link that might be useful: Smith and Noble roman shades

I think this is one of those rooms that if you are going for a "clubby" feel that ignoring the rug will work. A deep warm green or even a *very dark brown (evocative of paneling) would work well, with stained venetian blinds and artwork more along the lines of sepia toned sports photos or maps in less fussy frames.

All of the actual colors in the rug are too jewel toned to match exactly for a masculine look. You are evoking an era where the decor would not have been particularly coordinated with the rug--it would have been treated almost as a "neutral" in the Victorian/Edwardian eras.

thanks, teacats - and here's the other side of the room in navy:

Just noticed that these shades are on sale at Smith and Noble -- might be something here that would work!

Jan

Here is a link that might be useful: Shades on sale at Smith and noble

Gwb-- HOW DID YOU DO THAT?? That is so cool-- can you tell me how to do that?
If not can you try that with Capichino color (BM tawny) and olive green?

That is super cool..

Teacats going to go check out shades now-- your girls rock!

I used photoshop, but I don't really know what I'm doing. I use colors that came with photoshop, which are not paint colors from BM or SW for example. I think the Benj. Moore website has a way to upload your photo and do what I did using their paint colors, if you want to give it a try. I should try it again too (wasn't successful the first time).

Here is a link that might be useful: BM color

grrr i have tried everything- how did you do that- lol
i want to try a few other colors- like BM olive branch-- but its not letting me

woo hoo i figured it out!

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There ya' go - congrats!

i changed it a few more times

the only hard part is that i like some of these colors but the curtains totally throw it off b/c the curtains get washed out in color- the curtains will be changed out!

BM Olive Branch

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BM Sage
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BM Tawny
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BM Mysterious

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suzie: Can you try a deeper richer chcolate brown ((IF I remember correctly -- is there a Bittersweet chocolate at Benjamin Moore?)) -- as pal suggested above? Might be worth a look! :)

For a temporary change -- could you take down the over-curtains on the windows -- and just leave plain basic sheers?

Jan at Rosemary Cottage

Jan
This is in my friends house- or else i would have taken down the curtains for the pics

she does not want brown as dh says they have too much brown in the house...

I think Mysterious looks good. Sage may still not be saturated enough IMO.

Mysterious!

I like both of the blue paint colors, they read "masculine" and really bring out the deep jewel tones in the rug. I'm partial to the first one but I'm not sure what they look like IRL, of course.

Sorry, I don't see warm tones, or pillows, or baby pictures in this room. I think a stripe in navy blue, hunter green and/or burgundy might be nice for the drapes. I think the hunting prints would be a more interesting grouping if they included one or two matted prints, maybe an old sepia tone, to change things up. I'm racking my brain trying to remember where I saw it, but a pair of round footstool/coffee tables would be more useful and practical than one of either IMO. Ditch the drapes, and the wrought iron piece (love the art poster idea). I'm not sure about the chandelier, I think I would use ivory shades. Maybe a dart game, with the appropriate cork-lined case that would open to protect the walls. A cigar cutter and ashtray on the end table. Brandy snifters and cognac on the bar. I would want a (pocket?) door installed, so that I didn't have to be disturbed by the lions den goings on, that's just me. If the man reads, he'll want a better lamp and a sturdy bookshelf, if he's a music lover, he'll need space for a stereo too.