Have you ever noticed how some rooms feel more feminine, while others feel masculine? Flipping through an interior design magazine, you can probably point to which rooms fall on either side of the spectrum (along with a few rooms that are a little bit of both). But perhaps you’ve never stopped to think about exactly why those rooms feel “gendered.”
For interior designers, it’s an important skill to know how to convey masculinity or femininity in a room. After all, we design for men, women, and families; we need to know how to make anyone feel at home in the spaces we design. Here are my personal designer tips for decorating the perfect masculine or feminine space.
How to Style Masculine Rooms
When you think of “masculine spaces,” the stereotypical man-cave probably comes to mind: dark walls, sports memorabilia, movie posters, a big TV, and a couch that’s seen better days. But there’s no reason that men should get the short end of the stick in home design.
Maybe you’re a bachelor wanting to give a facelift to your pad. Maybe you’re a wife who’s making sure that your husband feels included in the design process. Or maybe you’re someone who’s always been attracted to moody, gentlemanly spaces and would love to have a whole home that recreates that aesthetic. If any of the above applies to you, this design guide should come in handy.
The wood paneling in this study is stained black. The dark color gives the space masculine sophistication, while the furniture (which is more on the feminine side) brings balance to the space.
Step 1: Choose Your Color Palette and Patterns
Most masculine rooms you see in professionally designed interiors will feature one of the following color schemes: black-and-white, warm neutrals, or dark, rich colors. While deep reds, blues, greens, browns, and grays are great choices, avoid painting the walls black, which puts the ‘cave’ in ‘man-cave!’
Pastels, pinks, purples, and oranges are usually associated with femininity, so these should be avoided as paint colors. Deep purple and rust-orange can sometimes be included as accent colors in a masculine room. For your accent metals, try “cool” metals such as silver, pewter, gunmetal, and chrome.
There are few patterns that you couldn’t work into a masculine space, but in general, geometric patterns will be more at home here. Masculine furniture tends to have strong, clean lines rather than curves and ornate details; the same logic applies to patterns, as well. Animal print is another option if you prefer something more organic.
Step 2: Select Furniture
This den we designed for a home in Kessler Park is subtly masculine with its tonal gray fabrics and angular furniture.
Something I notice when I study masculine rooms is that everything is a little more massive in scale. The patterns are bigger and the furniture is beefier. Although a masculine room can be either traditional or contemporary, either way, you should select furniture with boxy silhouettes and little ornamentation. Some historical styles of furniture that lend themselves easily to this look include Art Deco, neoclassical, Biedermeier, and midcentury modern.
No masculine space is truly complete without at least one leather piece of furniture. Thankfully, leather can be purchased in multiple colors (including brown, black, or white), making it easy to incorporate into any color scheme. The overall layout of your furniture should be orderly, preferably symmetrical.
Step 3: Add Texture
The wooden desk, hammered metal chair backs, and leather seats in this study help to give the room its masculine feel.
Designing a masculine room is a great opportunity to play with contrasting textures. Rough textures such as unfinished wood, brick, concrete, and stone bring masculinity to mind, but so do smooth textures such as metal, leather, and lacquer.
To prevent the room from feeling cold and uncomfortable, add fabrics such as mohair, wool, tweed and cashmere. All of these materials are traditionally associated with menswear.
Step 4: Pick the Right Accessories
A masculine room doesn’t necessarily need to be minimalist. To add character to the room, don’t forget to incorporate accessories such as vintage books, pottery, or small male busts of famous leaders. Another example of an accessory I might include in a masculine room would be a large bowl of alabaster balls.
Add art or photography prints to the walls for a touch of sophistication. Art can also be your method of introducing bright accent colors to a masculine room, if you want them, since your wall colors will probably need to be more subdued.
Before you design a masculine room for the first time, you might feel like your options are limited. But there are many different ways to convey masculinity, just as there are many different ways to be a man. The ideal masculine space conveys strength, sophistication, and warmth—qualities that anyone with great taste can appreciate.
Black-and-white architectural prints, such as these seen here, are traditionally considered masculine rather than feminine.
Four Steps for Creating a Glamorous Feminine Space
In the early 2010s, solemn, masculine spaces were considered to be the cutting-edge of interior design. Rooms with floral patterns and lightweight furniture—feminine rooms—were not taken quite as seriously in the art and design world. After 2015, however, designers such as myself began to notice that feminine design was making a comeback, this time with a modern edge.
Step 1: Pick Your Paint Color and Main Patterns
We painted this formal living room ceiling aqua with a high-gloss paint finish. The rest of the room is filled with softly feminine colors.
While dark walls are a popular choice for masculine rooms, in a feminine room, you’ll usually want to go for “light and bright.” Appropriate neutrals include beige, dove grey, cream and white. Pastels such as pink, peach, soft yellow, mint green, lavender, or aqua are also options for those who prefer color. To give the room some extra shine, consider using a high-gloss paint finish for your walls and ceiling.
If your heart is set on a dark wall color, rose red is probably the most feminine choice. Dusty pinks are an alternative to pastel pink: they can give your room a mature, classy feel that isn’t too juvenile.
As far as patterns go, florals and damasks are classically feminine. To avoid your room ending up with a grandmotherly vibe, pair these patterns with unusual color combinations. Geometric patterns are not off the table here: some geometrics, such as stripes or trellis patterns, can also be right at home in a feminine room.
Step 2: Choose a Style of Furniture
This English cottage style home is in University Park, Dallas. The curved lines and glossy finish of the sideboard seen here, along with the pink wallpaper, are classically feminine.
Western ideas about what constitutes feminine design are heavily influenced by European trends in art. For example, Louis XV and Louis XVI furniture have the curved profiles and carved details that we associate with femininity today.
However, you don’t have to be an antique collector to design the perfect feminine space. Midcentury modern, beach-themed, and eclectic interiors can also evoke feminine delicacy and sophistication. There is no “right” style when it comes to decorating for a feminine room: what’s important is that you find the style that makes you feel the most at ease and comfortable.
While most of the furniture in your feminine room should have curved silhouettes, break things up with at least a couple of pieces with straight lines. Sleek and sinuous objects, like tall, slender lamps can also pair nicely with your other furnishings.
Step 3: Mix in Different Textures
As with any room, your feminine room should have a variety of textures. Soft fabrics, such as velvet, silk, satin, and chenille will give your room a luxurious feel, but make sure to contrast them with other textures. For a feminine room, I recommend smooth textures such as metals, glass, and lacquer.
The formal living room of the English cottage we designed features both soft textures (the velvet sofa) and smooth textures (the mirror and glass top coffee table).
Step 4: Find the Perfect Accessories
In a masculine room, you need to be sparing with the details. Not so with a feminine room: the accessories are really key here. For a glamorous look, add crystal, Lucite, mirrors, porcelain or marble. Fresh flowers and decorative throw pillows will also add an instant touch of femininity to any room.
Our clients in this Preston Hollow home asked us to use six curtain panels that originally belonged to the client’s mother. The unusual color combination (apple green, purple, and black) defined the color scheme for the rest of this guest bedroom. The still life painting has a dark background to match the black in the curtains.
The kinds of art you’ll usually see in a feminine space include still lifes, portraits, and colorful abstract paintings. In most cases, you’ll want your accent metals to be warm rather than cool—yellow gold, rose gold, or brass, for example. Yellow gold is considered feminine because it is such a popular metal for jewelry.
For your chandelier (because you’ll definitely want a chandelier in a feminine space), scrolled or crystal chandeliers would be suitable choices in a traditional setting. For contemporary, look for something simpler, such as a drum-shade chandelier. Pinch pleated drapes or sheer curtains are both good options for window treatments, depending on how much light you want to let into the room.
Ideally, most of the rooms in your home should be a balance of both masculine and feminine design traits. There are certain situations, however, where a strongly feminine room is desirable. A young girl’s bedroom; an adult woman’s dressing room; or an entertaining space for the lady of the house and her friends, for example. Anyone who is drawn to environments that are calm, comforting, and elegant can benefit from studying up on the elements of feminine design.
Interested in bringing in an experienced design team to help you create a gentlemanly study, an ultra-feminine bedroom, or a formal living room with the best of both worlds? Call us at 214-232-9501, or email us at info@chambersinteriors.com to schedule a free consultation!