Sep 28, 2022 2 min read how-to

Bachelor pad basics

What's the story, morning glory?

One of the best things about living alone is not having to compromise on decor. Your style is your style, period.

The flipside, of course, is that without a second set of eyes, your home can devolve into a primitive state – I've been there, trust me – or never leave it to begin with.

You may recall that the very first edition of guy with an eye was about taking design cues from the classic musical An American in Paris. Looking to the movies is a great way to singlehandedly find a coherent look for your space.

Watch this three-minute scene from Pillow Talk, a Doris Day-Rock Hudson comedy from 1959, for another great example:

Rock's character Brad Allen is a notorious seducer and everything in his apartment is designed to that end. Let's break it down. He's got:

a well-stocked bookshelf, an intriguing sculpture and walls full of art, all displaying his cultural savoir-faire
a tabletop bar creating a convivial atmosphere for his guests
a work-from-home setup showcasing his profession as a songwriter
an automated way to set the mood and spark connection
a sinuous spiral staircase leading up to the bedroom for further adventures

As the uptight Jan Morrow fumes, "it's so functional for your purposes!"

The funny thing is even decades later, many of the features – from the giant Monstera leaves to the grasscloth wallpaper – would fit seamlessly in a contemporary interior.

Still images devoid of people, our usual mode of consuming design inspiration, can never compete with the dynamism of film.

Movies show rooms and objects caught up in the whirl of life. The colours and textures are part of a narrative, and they're orchestrated by savvy art directors to underscore a character's journey.

They point to the truth that there's really only one design question to solve when you're living alone: What's your story?