A. Crate and Barrel - Domino 3 Piece Sectional ($3,999). I think a sectional is a perfect fit for a bachelor pad! It is great for friends crashing at your place, playing Halo (which i know nothing about but have several friends married to Halo enthusiasts!), watching reruns of 30 Rock, or just having cocktails with friends. This color is neutral, yet cool. It is not too light and not too dark, and flexible as all get out.
B. Room and Board - Light Brown Cowhide Rug ($399). Cowhide rugs are one of my favorite things! They infuse a little humor into the space, and just tend to lighten up the mood! I have a dark brown and white one in my living room and love it to death! Room and Board has great ones, and if you are ever out West, you can sometimes find them being sold on the side of the road!
C. Design Within Reach - Arco Floor Lamp ($2,696). I love this floor lamp. Sometimes, rooms can feel like the end tables are taking over. If that is the case, get rid of one, and use a floor lamp! I love how this one would drape over the sofa. If this price is out of your budget (definitely is for me!!), then shop around because there are lots of great resources for cheaper ones.
D. Target - Manhattan Room Divider ($199). I love this divider! Because, in my mind, Zac’s bachelor pad is a studio, then you would need a couple of these to break up the spaces. It is so cheap!!! The look is so simple, though, that you can pull it off next to a really expensive sofa. Love it. If you need bookshelves, you could just push it against the wall.
E. Z Gallerie - Marilyn Monroe Print ($89). Is there anyone more Old Hollywood than Marilyn?? She’s so timeless and beautiful. I imagine that Zac has a special place in his heart for her kind of beauty. This print is great. Always remember Z Gallerie when looking for some stock prints that still have style.
F. ZGallerie - Andy Warhol Print ($39). I love Andy!!! This speaks for itself (literally), and gives a pop of color to a really neutral room.
G. Z Gallerie - Aero Side Chair ($149). Every apartment or flat or studio is going to need a small dining area- even if this is just for 2 people. I selected this chair because of its simplicity. It is perfectly tailored, just like Zac’s suits!
H. Z Gallerie- Ava Dining Table ($269). What a great little table! It is perfect for a simple chair like the Aero! I love glass tops, and once again, Z Gallerie knocks it out of the park with this one!
I. Keurig Single Cup Coffee Maker (around $100). This is great for someone who lives alone! I have a friend with one of these, and they are so much fun to use! Shop around, because they vary in price depending on where you buy it. I am such a coffee lover, that I cannot imagine living living without one. (Side story- after Hurricane Katrina, I would plug mine into the generator every morning just because I love it THAT much!)
J. Williams Sonoma - Monogrammed Bar Tool Set ($29). This is such a beautiful set of bar tools for such a great price! I would suggest this as a gift for just about any guy in your life! I got my dad the monogrammed shaker from W.S. one year for Christmas, and the quality is great!
K. Zagat Guides (around $20). If I were designing a space for Zac, I would stock it full of Zagat guides! I would get as many different ones as I could find and stack them in that Manhattan divider! These guides are so useful, and being a Hollywood jet-setter, you’re going to be eating in new cities all the time!
L. Z Gallerie - Alto Bed ($699). This is our bed! I love it so much that I wanted to get one for Zac. Our previous house had a very small bedroom and there was no room for end tables. I always used the little ledge to sit my phone, a book, and a glass of water! This bed is so clean and pretty, and really a great price compared to other platform beds from furniture stores. I highly recommend it!
M. Powermat ($99) - I consulted Jared, one of our bachelor friends, to get his take on cool gadgets that guys love/want. He said that these are great! I do not have one, but Jared has good taste :) It is such a great way to charge stuff without all the annoying cords!
N. Apple TV ($149) - Another Jared suggestion! I really am impressed with all things Apple, and this is no exception. Does anyone have Apple TV? Let us know what you think, if so!
O. Crate and Barrel - Troy Chair ($589). How great is this chair?? Club chairs are always pricier than I am expecting, so just go with one that is neutral and amazing. You can dress it up or add color with a pillow or a throw, but keep the chair simple unless you are ready to commit to a color. They are usually more than the sofa if you get a pair! This one gets great reviews and comes in fabulous “neutrals.” I have a broad range of colors that I call neutral. We will push the limits for Zac, and call this “mango” color a neutral. Why not??
I hope you have enjoyed this! I sure have! Designing for men is just like women in that they have their own styles. Some are picky, some are not. Some like clean and refined, and some could not give a rip! I have really enjoyed working on “Not Your Average Bachelor Pad” as well as Zac’s bachelor pad! Leave a comment if you have questions. And please visit my blog to check out what Amber's written on a glam outfit inspired by another young actor in Hollywood, Blake Lively, aka Serena van der Woodsen!
Until next time...much love! ~Ash
*Seriously guys! I know there are a few of you out there! Ash is really great at responding to questions, so please leave them if you have any at all! Paint colors? Furniture? Whatever! ~Amber
A. American Eagle Boyfriend Plaid Shirt. $39.50. Something about this room feels like it could be out in the country. Maybe it’s those beams that scream “I’m someone’s country home!” (That’s what we’re gonna pretend, anyway.) Well, if you’re going to you’re country home, then you’re wearing plaid for sure. A plaid shirt is the ultimate in laid-back, weekend chic. American Eagle actually does some nice plaid shirts, and fortunately they put that annoying little eagle logo down at the bottom so no one has to know that you’ve been shopping at teeny-bopper stores.
B. Gap Studded Braided Belt. $29.50. Gap has always been known for its jeans. What’s the ultimate jean accessory? A belt. I’ve recently come back around to the belt-with-jeans world myself. Since starting to tuck things into my jeans after about a 5-year tucking hiatus, I have had to update my outdated belt collection. I’ve found that Gap has a GREAT selection of them in the Jen Aniston range. Translation: nothing too flashy, but very cute and functional. I have a lot of leather in this outfit to sort of play off all that dark wood in this room, and this belt is one piece.
C. American Apparel El Salvador Lace Tee. $38. This room has a palette that remains pretty simple, but it has such wonderful texture. To mimic the tablecloth, I included this lace tee as a layering piece to bring some texture to the outfit. You’ll just leave the plaid shirt open over this little tee and a camisole, since it is sheer after all. American Apparel, for all their seedy advertisements, really has some great basics, this season in particular. I love this lace tee because it so easily stands on its own and is so versatile. Buy it, and I promise, it’ll become your go-to for any occasion.
D. Tocca Solid Perfume in Stella. $30. My absolute favorite candle BY FAR ever, is the Tocca candle in Stella. Stella is a sexy combination of blood orange, sandalwood, musk, and white freesia, and when it is applied from a solid perfume, it is completely warmed up by your body’s temperature. Solid perfumes tend to be less overpowering than sprays, and they’re so easy to throw in your makeup bag and right into your purse! (Oh, and they make it through airport security!) Tocca Stella is the ultimate laid-back perfume.
E. Kyler by Joy O Minimal Hammered Bangle Set. $128. I ran across these bangles in InStyle magazine a couple months back. Here are the words describing this set from the Kyler website: “Handformed and handforged, decidedly easy and effortlessly chic, this bangle bracelet set is organic and harmonious.” I couldn’t have said it better myself, really. They’re kind of like our room, “organic and harmonious.” I just love the motto of the company too, where they make sustainability their #1 priority. For a product that is this beautiful, that is simply amazing. These bracelets are all made of recycled precious metals; they really are something you could pass on for generations.
F. Kettle Black Triple Wrap Bracelet. $60. Leather is to this outfit as all the wood is to this room. This bracelet is the perfect vehicle for bringing in some laid-back bling to our plaid-and-jeans combo.
G. Ray-Ban Aviator Sunglasses. $139. These sunglasses might actually be the ultimate Jen Aniston accessory. Nearly every face shape can wear them, and well, you just look cool wearing aviators. That’s all there is to it.
H. Lucky Brand Happy Trails Solid Messenger Bag. $119. I love Lucky Brand handbags, and this one is so utterly unpretentious. I would throw this baby across my body on my way out to the Farmer’s Market…to buy a bushel full of vegetables for our beef stew, of course. I chose this bag to match the room because a messenger bag is the utmost in functionality while maintaining style.
I. Current/Elliott The Roller Jeans. $216. For the ultimate in laid-back, we gotta do jeans. Is it really even a question? And not skinny, stiff jeans, but these rolled, more relaxed-fit Current/Elliot’s. My most comfortable jeans by far are my Current/Elliott’s; they felt like they had lived an entire life on their own before I ever even bought them. I know they are pricey, but you will literally want to wear them every single day. For a more budget-minded approach to achieve the same look, however, here’s a great pair from J. Crew. You’re gonna wear these with the cuff at the bottom, slightly shorter to show off those amazing boots! Like Jen!
J. All Saints Amarante Boot. $125. These boots ARE those chairs. Are they not? I love how worn-in looking they are already! They look like they might be the best vintage find of your life, but they’re not—they’re from one of my all-time fave stores—All Saints. I first heard about this store from my friend Caroline who knew an Irish gal who loved the store overseas. All Saints began in the UK, and now is beginning to open outposts in the US! There’s one on Lincoln Rd. in Miami and one in Bloomingdale’s in NYC now, with many more to come. They ship for free to the US too, so check it out for some of the most amazing layering pieces and fantastic leathers!
K. Birch Bark Ring by esdesigns. $55. Etsy is the ultimate flea market and artisan craft fair all rolled into one. I swear I could spend all day on Etsy just exploring. In one of my hour-long “exploring” sessions the other day, I ran across this ring, which I thought was perfect for this outfit. It is the perfect translation of the rough wood floors and the silverware and adheres to the modest, laid-back vibe of the outfit. Jennifer is usually into pretty simple pieces of jewelry, so I think she would love this ring as well.
L. Aveda SPF15 Lip Tint in Peaches. $14. If you’re going to your country house, you probably don’t care too much about putting on a full face of makeup to hang around and relax, so reach for a lip tint. It provides the lightweight moisture that your lips need with a tint of color to wake up your face. You also gotta love Aveda’s all-natural approach to beauty products!
M. Plush Cable-Knit Slouchy Pom-Pam Hat. $53. Being cozy in cool temps calls for a slouchy toboggan hat. I love messy hair hanging from underneath it, all unkempt and air-dried—again, we wanna look cute, but we’re not trying too hard. Just like those couches in the dining room.
N. Luv Aj Fool’s Gold Loop Earrings. $65. One thing I almost always do with a laid-back outfit is to wear at least one piece of unique, but understated jewelry. It really takes even a weekend, errand-running outfit to a whole new level. These earrings are so simple and organic, but they’re still so distinct. I’ve recently fallen in love with Luv Aj. You should definitely go to their site and check out more of their cool pieces.
O. OPI nail polish in Barefoot in Barcelona. $2.55. This color in the Espana collection is a really nice peachy taupe. Since it’s not overly orange and slightly darker than most neutrals, it really will work on almost all skin tones.
Are you ready for fall yet?! I am! I absolutely cannot wait to wear all my boots again and start piling on the layers. So, what do you think? Do you think this outfit matches this cool dining room? Which pieces are your fave? Let us know!
