At 17, I finally realized that my father was cool all along. His dad jokes were inspired, and his weekend uniform, a knit polo tucked into sensible khakis, was preferable to the ungodly amount of popped collars I layered. Now a well-adjusted 37-year-old, I feel similarly towards my dear grandfather, particularly in his interior decor. Grandpa outfitted his study with culture and art; he didn’t have a mancave, he had a gentleman cave.
Entering your 40s, you’ve conceivably invested in a watch that will outlive you, but not a tip-top display case. You can confidently choose a bottle of whiskey and a cigar, but does your space need decanters or humidors? Should you acquire an oil painting to hang by your Neil Leifer football photography? Some leather-bound classics to accompany your TASCHEN James Bond coffee table book?
At my age, men start taking their interiors seriously. A sensible time to do so, I’ve collected five recommendations for cultivating your den, smoking room, or basement.
Prologue: This Isn’t About Changing Yourself
Property-related investments simply peak in your 40s. Maybe you purchased a first or second house. Perhaps you’ve courageously started Act Two of life, ushering you into a new career and a new home in a new city. Or maybe you’re divorced and looking to find your identity in a new space.
I invoke Grandpa as inspiration because his was a generation that didn’t separate art and culture from the everyday. Their utilitarian areas, banks and post offices, boasted marble-clad walls adorned with paintings, proving art and pragmatism can be inextricable. They grew up on Bugs Bunny’s antics as the foreground to Chopin’s and Wagner’s music, proving culture and boyhood fun co-exist splendidly.
Tip 1: Obtain Some Proper Clocks
Why it’s practical: Telling time sans doomscroll allows for optimum engagement with guests, the book you’re reading, the game you’re watching, or the drink you’re drinking.
Why it’s fun: Your choice of clocks can serve as a litmus test, revealing your interior decor preferences.
Starting easy, wall and table clocks have changed the way I exist in my space. Yes, one can avoid doomscrolling with a wristwatch, but I take mine off at the day’s end. My admittedly small wrist has limited capacity for my 42-millimeter Explorer II. Moreover, my watch isn’t always set, and I’ve often worn unserviced timepieces for style purposes.
My decorator understands that men are inherently utilitarian creatures. To gauge a client’s taste, rather than asking for fabric preferences, she asks him to choose one table clock and one wall clock. A Bulova enthusiast, I considered the Hartwick for my wall and the Bluetooth-capable Precision Tone for my desk. Her response:
“You’re grounded in old world tastes, but can dip into the Mad-Men-esque space between glamorous Art Deco and function-forward Mid-century.”
Any man can do this for himself. Find a clock you love. Read its product description. Perhaps it mentions “1960s styling” or “Scandinavian minimalism.” From there you can find furniture, bookends, heck even mini-fridges, guided by those adjectives.
Tip 2: Implement Attractive Storage Solutions
Why it’s practical: Efficiency. For instance, a multi-watch case provides protection while taking up less space than individual watch boxes.
Why it’s fun: You get to show off your toys and booze.
James Bond famously condemned drinking Dom ’53 above 38 degrees. If you’re a champagne guy, find a classy ice bucket. If you love wine, obtain some decanters. Whiskey thrives best in its original air-tight screwtop, though I use decanters for short-term storage. I don’t serve my fanciest scotch on a relaxed weeknight with the boys, and it’s far more satisfying to look at beautiful crystal over some budget logo.
I inherited an oak cabinet for my spirits. If you enjoy military aesthetics though, I recommend Bespoke Post’s Portable Jerry Can Bar Cabinet, upcycled from military surplus.
Cigar fan? Holme & Hadfield makes a 50-cigar humidor featuring impeccable Spanish cedar. For those courting true connoisseurship, Afidano builds luxury humidors endorsed by cigar auteur Aaron Sigmond.
I store my timepieces using Wolf’s 1834 Windsor Box in brown leather and orange silk. If my house catches fire, it’ll be easier to grab one display over several boxes. Whether it’s golf clubs or model cars, exhibit your beloved artifacts suitably.
Tip 3: Acquire Guy-Friendly Fine Art
Why it’s practical: Art covers empty walls, and like good timepieces, can be passed down to sons, godsons, or nephews.
Why it’s fun: From sports to Playboy Bunnies, there’s much fun to be found in the often intimidating art world.
You’ve likely graduated from cheap posters. Now is the time to consider investing in fine art. I’ve worked in the Manhattan gallery world for years; here are my three points on the matter.
First, all the broads in my college art history program looked at the frilly tutus drawn by Degas and called it high art. Well, I say sports painter LeRoy Neiman’s high-octane depictions of gridiron tackles, grand slams, and tactical strikes on the pitch are just as high an art form.
I recently discovered Hudson Zhang’s work at a Harvard Club gallery opening. His storied paintings remind me of the hunting scenes in my grandfather’s collection of classic sporting art, yet the contemporary subject matter of golf courses makes them excitingly relatable to modern men.
Ted Dimond is famous for his dynamic movement-oriented paintings of important tennis players, many of whom Dimond has played with himself, adding a cool factor to owning his pieces.
Second, sport isn’t the only male entryway into art. LeRoy Neiman painted other male-centric subjects like Sinatra, Playboy Bunnies, and classic bar scenes. Sport is just a common equalizer among gents of all creeds. Even the Prince of Wales infamously ignored an incoming call (hopefully not from the King—or the Missus) to record Aston Villa’s UEFA win.
Third, consider fine art photography. I attended Fanatics Fest this year, pleasantly surprised to see Bruce Silverstein, a renowned Chelsea art gallery, exhibiting alongside baseball card vendors and jersey resellers. Sports photography lined his walls, mainly Walter looss Jr’s emblematic Michael Jordan depictions.
Bruce told me that at art fairs he’d exhibit at, he’d often see the bored husbands accompanying their wives light up when they realized art can be relevant to them. Personally, I’m a fan of Neil Leifer’s football photography.
For budget prints, consider Sonic Editions. Likely, you’ve already used Sonic to procure that iconic Roger Moore photograph by Peter Ruck at some point in your 30s.
Tip 4: Print Isn’t Dead. Display Art Books, Artful Magazines, Leather-bound Classics
Why it’s practical: Give your guests something to peruse while you’re refreshing their drinks.
Why it’s fun: You can make a collection based on your own interests.
Coffee table books on sports, watches, and cigars are, of course, valid forms of high culture. As such, they partner naturally with art-focused publications. The previously mentioned sport artists, Hudson Zhang and Neil Leifer, both have magnificent monographs available. An avid bird hunter, I keep the photographic Country Life tome by Rizzoli and William Secord’s Dog Painting art book on my coffee table next to The James Bond Archives.
Pro-tip from an art insider (me): TASCHEN publishing builds limited “art editions” which are volumes accompanied by a numbered print. For example, James Bond. Dr. No art editions come with a limited-run Bert Cann 007 print, offering an art book and an art piece in one fell acquisition.
Vintage magazines like ‘60s Playboys or richly-photographed modern magazines like WM Brown give guests an easy flip-through option. The latest Rugby Journal perpetually sits on my table.
Finally, sift through eBay, Etsy, or Easton Press for leather-bound classics. As my grandfather always said, “We’ve been reading Marcus Aurelius for almost 2,000 years. That means something.”
Tip 5: Get a Stylish Sound System
Why it’s practical: Cocktail parties need tunes, right?
Why it’s fun: See above re: cocktail parties.
Restrict Alexa to wife-friendly common spaces away from your gentleman’s den. The textures of Henry Mancini wafting out of my grandfather’s phonograph remind me that old record players yield the most warming sonic experience.
However, it’s not just about the old ways. Here at The Manual, we’ve highlighted consoles like the Bang & Olufsen Beosystem 3000c, which combine the tactility of physical music with digital streaming. Wrensilva consoles offer similar combinations in the form of handmade designs that are both classically handsome and functionally chic.
