Hassan Ahmed
Expert advice from Stone Age and Root London
Man cave, manland, mantuary or manspace – whatever you call it, every man understands the importance of having a great home. The space you choose to live, entertain and invest in needs to be a reflection of your style; a place that you’re happy to be associated with and somewhere that you’re proud to call home. But with so many options out there, finding a place to start can be a dizzying and intimidating process. Luckily, we have expert advice on hand from the pros.
Stone Age and Root London experts in stone and wood products recommend these easy ways to create an epic bachelor pad.
The Kitchen
Gary Walters, Managing Director of Stone Age says, “The kitchen, often the heart of the home, deserves flooring that screams ‘quality’. A stone floor is not only a practical and robust choice but will add a certain wow factor to any bachelor pad. Stone is a great option since once it has been protected properly with the right impregnators or sealants, it will for the most part, be stain resistant and most importantly, easy to look after – perfect for entertaining.”
Additionally, “Stone is a material that looks better over time, the unavoidable marks and scratches contribute to its character.”
The Colour Palette
Darren Hopkins, founder of Root London says “By its very nature a bachelor pad is about seduction. Opting for a dark wood can do wonders for any décor, it offers a timeless, elegant and masculine look for any bachelor pad without costing a ton. Using dark wood is a great way to accentuate furniture pieces and can be paired with any other colour making it easy to work around. Even before you add any furniture or décor, the room is making a statement – and this is a very powerful attribute to have.”
The Root London range all comes pre-finished using bespoke oils and varnishes which deliver an unrivalled depth of colour and sophistication and minimise maintenance – the Dusk Oak shade looks particularly bold & moody.
There may be preconceptions that dark wood can shrink the size of a room or make it uncomfortably dark, however we find that the effect is actually the opposite if balanced with other smart interior choices. If you combine it with light wall colours you can actually create a greater illusion of space.
The Fireplace
Having a fireplace can really improve the look and the feel of the room in which it is installed. Fires provide a more natural type of warmth that creates a great means of relaxation. They can also increase a home’s value and have long been the centre of the home since man first sought shelter, and throughout the centuries it has acted as the hallmark of a truly well-appointed home.
Gary states “A fireplace not only provides warmth but acts as a stunning centrepiece to your room. At Stone Age we can manufacture a bespoke fire surround in any material and to any design you want.”
Opt for Sleek Surfaces
Stone surfaces can add drama to a bathroom. Gary states “Marble brings pattern and texture to the room and acts as a piece of artwork in itself. Most are also compatible with underfloor heating.”
Likewise, “Having a bathroom designed like a wet room provides ultra-modern convenience for every bachelor.”
Don’t forget the Bar
A bachelor pad is no pad without a stylish bar. You want a statement piece that’s impressive enough to grab even Don Drapers attention, so a home bar fully stocked with cut crystal and specialist cocktail accessories are essential. A polished marble-topped bar provides a great contrast to wood flooring and makes a great statement. If you have a certain design in mind to how you’d like your bar, you can just show Stone Age a drawing and they can help create your perfect bar – every gentleman needs to be prepared to entertain his guests.
Overall, the benefits of using a mixture of high-quality stone and wood helps to add a stylish, masculine look to any pad. Both are great long-lasting materials – practicality matters for any bachelor!
About Stone Age
Stone Age is a specialist supplier of stone products for architectural and interior use, ranging from flooring to one-off bespoke elements. As a company that has grown organically, it has built up a network of trusted suppliers which allows it to be confident of the quality of the stone that it supplies and knows where to go to get something a little bit special. Launched in 1988, Stone Age supplies a huge array of stones that complement the palate in terms of variation and tonality. Colours range from Indian Black Granites, White Marbles originating from Italy, and warm Limestones from the Atlas Mountains, amongst numerous other stones with brown, blue and green-grey hues. A number of different finishes, from modern to antiqued, bush-hammered, flamed and honed, increases the choice available. stone-age.co.uk
About Root London
Root London is a new company offering exceptional bespoke wide plank and parquet engineered oak wood flooring, using sustainably sourced wood crafted in Italy. Each piece is shaped with the utmost care by master artisans for unprecedented quality and an unrivalled depth of colour and sophistication. Pre-finishing techniques using bespoke natural oils and varnishes ensure longevity with minimal upkeep. The Root Collection is available in eight classic colours including white, black, shades of grey and natural wood tones. Treated only using natural materials, the natural oils and water-based varnishes are all pre-finished, allowing for greater ease of installation with no further work required on site. This high level of engineering means that Root can offer bespoke sized boards which are much wider and longer (up to eight metres) than standard. root-london.com
