HOMES | MASCULINE DESIGN
Published on Monday, June 4 2012
Its funny that I just came across this home featured in a recent Dwell update, because I just read a book on Masculine Design. While I enjoyed the read, I thought some of it was a little obvious, and seemed a bit too stereotypical. I would be interested to hear people’s opinions on the idea of masculine design. Why aren’t other styles considered “masculine?” Not enough black? No oil stains? I can appreciate the idea of masculine design, but what is your take? If there is really such a thing as designing for the sexes, does it just come down to animal skulls, matte black, and dark wood finishes? And yes I know, the last picture is a bit cheese ball, I mostly just liked his shoes.
Via Dwell
The term “masculine” bothers me when it is applied to design, but then so does the term “feminine”. They simply are not specific enough. Even the common stereotypes are too broad to really mean anything (at least in the US). Saying a space or product is masculine, or that you are designing something masculine is a nice way to say almost nothing. It can mean both small, sleek, minimal, but also it can mean heavy, substantial, or bulky. It can mean natural and “outdoorsy” (not sure if that’s a real word) and it can mean industrial and mechanical. You either are going to appeal to a specific stereotype, or you are going to try and marry several sub-types of masculinity. Focusing on specific terms like rugged, minimal, or sleek are much more effective at creating good spaces, or products, that will appeal to specific men and women.
I enjoy in this living space how they intentionally put some rugged features back into an otherwise very sleek, and minimal living space. The wood paneling, both in the sky light and the bedroom, are very interesting. They make the space look like it has age without it looking old. Also, the square wood blocks in the front room along with the wood coffee table in the living room do a nice job of bringing back the texture and feel of wood that sometimes gets lost in all the high polished wood veneers. I really would love to see the storage system in the kitchen, I see those handles on the wood paneled wall and I am immediately drawn in. What I enjoy the most is the light. The front room feels warm with all that light wrapping around the wood of the fire place, and the sky light in the kitchen is just great. Cool head board, personally would have picked something other than skulls but to each his own. All around nice looking living space.
The skulls seemed like overkill (no pun intended) to me too. And the fact that every wall in the room was matte charcoal..I get it already. I loved the wood tones though, especially the individual pieces behind the headboard. Personally, I love spaces like this but they seem oddly lifeless. I think I am too accustomed to seeing blocks and a couple dolls under the table with cheerios scattered across the top, and having to dig for the TV remote in a pile of fresh laundry before I feel like any life happens in a space.