How to Create a Master Bedroom in your Attic

Attics that are converted into master bedrooms have so much potential. They can be a hidden treasure tucked away from the rest of the house, and they can look out upon the world for maximum enjoyment. If you are trying to determine what to do with your attic space, think about converting it into a master bedroom. Take advantage of the space, before another member of your house wants to use it for their teenage rock band!

• Is attic living for you? While the idea of attic living sounds fabulous, ensure that you are ready for the transition from the main floor. While many people enjoy their master bedroom at the top of the house for the serenity, many don’t enjoy the climb up the stairs. If you have small children, you may not want to be far removed on another floor. While if you have teenagers and a large family, the attic may be exactly what you need! Assess your family lifestyle and the layout of your attic in relation to other parts of the home to decide if a master bedroom attic will fit.
• What will it take to convert? The next step is to determine how much work, cost and house renovating it will take to convert your attic into a master bedroom. For older houses, the heating, ventilating and air conditioning will have to be run to the attic and possibly plumbing pipes. For many home owners, the expense of having to run new services to the attic is minimal in comparison to the benefit of added space and functionality. Before you get started, ask a contractor or a home improvement professional to assist you in estimating the costs. Remember return on investment (ROI) could bring  you back more money than you invested into the initial conversion.

If you are fortunate to have an attic in your home, if you haven’t converted it already, you may be missing out on prime real estate for a master bedroom. An attic master bedroom enables you to have privacy, optimum views to the outside, and you can claim this extra square footage if you decide to sell your home. If you want to turn your attic into a master bedroom, here are some tips to see if it works for your home and lifestyle.

Play up the beauty with decor: Attic spaces are beautiful for many reasons. One of the biggest is the gorgeous architectural lines of the attic roof lines, which in turn are your master bedroom ceilings. Play these up with beautiful coloring on the walls and adding emphasis to accentuate your attic’s architectural space. For smaller attics, use lighter colors, and for attics with natural light pouring in, consider adding darker accent walls where the bed will be to add a focal point to your space.

Organic Bed with a High Level of Comfort

It has been a while since we posted a comfortable sleeping unit on Freshome. SLEEPY, designed by the Italian architect Angelo Tomaiuolo and produced by Tonin CASA, is an aesthetically pleasing bed, ideal for contemporary houses. According to the producers, the wide base is upholstered with fabric or eco-leather in different finishes. The wrapping sculptural headboard contribute to its extremely original and unique shape. Production processes studied in order to guarantee each product with the right “dress” and to exalt the organic feel that Sleepy transmits. Its dimensions are quite impressive, which is why this king-sized bed is suited for large bedrooms. In the photos below you will also notice the BESIDE table, a minimalist glass addition that seems to harmonize perfectly with the design of the bed. Looks alluring?

Inspiring Home Design from Our Readers

We love it when we receive inspiring decorations from our readers. This way we are able to demonstrate that some projects are realistic and even easy to put to practice. We received this particular home located in Pretoria, South Africa from Sacha, one of our readers , after she had uploaded the photo of the bedroom on our Facebook page, here. “What a beautiful project!”- we thought…”why not feature it on Freshome?”. As a consequence, here is the description we received from Sacha: The inspiration and idea behind the spare bedroom project came from a strip of Fornasetti wallpaper we had. We framed it in the bathroom and put it up above the bath. I used yellow to add a playful touch. The dark grey walls worked really well as the space is quite large, it really creates such a warm,cosy effect in the room. Most items in the bedroom are upcycled pieces. The headboard we found on a dump site, we just painted it black. The side table we found in a antique shop it was a old linen box.The lockers were found in a pawn shop, we had them powder coated and found the numbers on them at a car boot sale.

Batman-Inspired Motel Room in Taiwan for Your Inner Superhero

We’ve seen more and more managers lately who choose to transform their accommodation unit into a place of animation. Which is why themed hotel rooms are now very easy to find, if you know where to look. For today we decided to showcase this Batman-inspired interior in Eden Motel, a true lovers’ nest located in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. A king-sized bed, a Bat-mobile, cement-like walls, giant mirrors and of course, generous-sized Batman logos are just a few of the special features this crib has to offer. We heard that this place can be rented by the hour and that it costs 50$ for a three hour block. According to curbed, the motel also offers sexy lingerie and other erotic perks during certain holidays. The motel features no less than 46 rooms, each of them with their own unique theme (the Jail Room, the Japanese Comics Room, and so on).

HOME DESIGN: Black & White

magine yourself relaxing outside in the summer sun in this crisp outdoor space.

Dimitri Chris (for Modasuite) reinvents the ‘Classic White Shirt’

Gents, remember our 2011 style trend prediction that designers (and humanity in general) will be yearning for and looking to past inspiration in order to move forward?

Well, Modasuite – the quirky retail brand and innovative fashion movement – have certainly taken a few steps back to propel your wardrobe ahead of the game, by commissioning up-and-coming designer Dimitri Chris to design a capsule collection that’s future fantastic.

Taking inspiration from the 1930s, Dimitri Chris has taken the most important piece in a man’s wardrobe, the white shirt, and veers it in a less serious and yet sophisticated direction.

With patch pockets, contrast sleeves, and minimalist attention to detail, the collection is light years ahead yet vintage, versatile and practical yet quintessential to any spring and summer wardrobe.

NIKE:LIVE FOR THE GAME

What defines a titan of tennis – all-conquering versatility, soft-spoken brilliance, exceptional performance? The Nike Vintage Tennis Collection embodies it all.

Mirroring grand slam champion Rafa Nadal, the collection is designed to outshine the opposition. From iconic looks to innovative craftsmanship – this is tradition reborn.

Take the Grand Slam Polo; a timeless design makes it strikingly simple. Three tailored cuts keep it as versatile as your style. Sleek modern touches include an ultra-breathable folded collar to keep you cool and a sunburst Swoosh emblem for the finishing touch.

No matter how consuming your passion for the court, there’s always time for some play off it. Game on.

The Collection: Jermaine O’Neal Away Player Edition Closer IV

Jermaine O’Neal became an MVP candidate through hard work, honing a skill set that would make him a perennial 20-and-10 type - capable of dominating the glass, protecting the rim and getting buckets on any given night.

All that success - when paired with a pro basketball odometer than began running when he was 18 - now demands optimal protection and durability. Lateral sidewalls, lightweight Phylon midsoles and forefoot toe caps. 

Paris Fashion Week says ‘Loosen up man’!

Time and time again while covering the men’s components of Milan and Paris fashion weeks we touched on it: that dominant, relaxed aesthetic that men who are tired of the crotch hugging, thigh squishing feel of the overt skinny cut have to look forwards to amongst autumn / fall 2011 fashions. And beyond. Men’s fashion simply doesn’t move so fast that one can peg these forthcoming emergence of relaxed tailoring to a sole season, nor even a year, and while we already know we’ll see it amongst spring 2012′s fashions it’s highly likely that we’ll also see this interpretation of men’s fashion feature amongst throughout all of 2012.

 relaxed fit for men is, of course, nothing new and we’ve spoken on it before and given a physiological understanding of why it’s still a chosen look as well as a fashionable look. Loose layering, drop crotches and baggy jeans have been with us for some time now. But a line has to be drawn in the sand. The relaxed cuts of past years are distinctly different from the relaxed tailoring we’re about the encounter. One could rightly argue that this new men’s trend evolves from the old, but they are certainly not one in the same.

While the seamless shoulder is one of the hallmarks of the relaxed men’s tailoring trend, the deep shoulder seam / dropped shoulder works equally as well. Sitting somewhere between the sack shoulder and a seamless shoulder, the deep shoulder seam features a stitch line that sits off of the shoulder, with the overall appearance given that the jacket or coat’s shoulder is oversized. Sometimes the effect is subtle, as is the case with the double breasted Ermanno Scervino overcoat, at other times the seam sits much closer to the bicep, as is the case with the half sleeved sweater / jumper from Raf Simons.

Sophisticated Suiting

When it comes to men’s suiting many of us shy away from any or all decisions around the purchase apart from whether it needs to be a three piece, a two piece and needs a friendly price tag. But, if you appreciate your suit like you do a European sports car, then you would add a few more discerning questions into the equation. Like; fabrics (leather interior), colours (we all know red goes faster), proportion (sports body kit), movement (handling ability around corners), accessories (ABS brakes), versatility (speed) and then price (price).

You know MenStylePower have written quite a few articles on suiting, so tonight, we are pleased to add another, because you really can’t have too many tips of suits. Yet this article is a little bit special. And it’s because the designer is quite unique. We’ve only just discovered him, and we like him. We like what he stands for, and how he has perservered through thick and thin to build his dream of fine tailoring, and making men look down right sophisticated and sexy. MenStylePower like to bring to you an array of commentary on all things style, and the ones we like best are the most authentic and passionate. That’s why we’re having a  good ol’ yarn about Zaharoff.

Now you may be thinking ah, some bright spark who just wants to be seen as a ‘designer’ said in a LA tone of voice. But no. Folks we’re talking about a gent that was born under the tailoring cutting table. Who had a mother as a fashion designer and a very savvy business head father, and whose passion has been distinguished tailoring since well, he could walk through Amsterdam airport at the age of 4 wearing, you guessed it, a 3-piece suit.

Best Suits for Men

A successful investment-banker in an elegant Zegna suit, a lawyer about town in an elegant two-piece affair, a politician on television in a formal suit-and-tie: all these members of the male species depend on their suiting and style to gain them standing and instant respect in their public life. Wearing an impeccably tailored suit is already a statement of affluence and impeccable taste, while the cut and style speak volumes about the wearer even before a single word is spoken.

The suit became commonplace in late 17th Century France. Louis XIV, the ultimate emperor of style led the charge towards a more casual and comfortable attire for men during his 72-year reign, shifting the style of male clothing from the doublet, hose, and cloak, the fundamentals of a man’s wardrobe, to coats, vests, and breeches – the three predecessors of modern male attire.

Suits are the ultimate business statement making an impression at interviews, in boardrooms, during cocktails and formal dinners. Why? A suit is still seen as a way to gain respectability and a man wearing a well-fitted stylish suit means business.

These suits are mass produced, least expensive and most common. You’ll find them in department stores and they’re a good option for the budget conscious shopper. If you’re diligent in shopping carefully and following the tips above on getting the best fit for you, these suits may allow you to look suitably elegant in business attire and save your pocket at the same time.

In all, wearing a tailored and well fit suit could do wonders for your love and work life. A man in a fabulous suit is a great creature to cast your eyes on; he commands respect without even uttering a word and he walks confidently, with grace and sleek power, which is why here at MenStylePower, we’re highly motivated to encourage all dudes to suit it up.

Not every one is privileged enough to get a bespoke suit made, but there is a range of suits which is nearly as good. With made-to-measure suits, (a pre-made pattern modified to fit the client, with a limited selection of options and fabrics is available) it is possible to achieve a degree of customization because the tailor takes up to 25 measurements of an individual body, and these are then sent to the factory. Here, alterations are made to already available basic patterns in order to achieve the best fit possible. Special requests like extra pockets, specific fabrics and linings, and a certain design and style can be accommodated. Some of the best fabrics, threads and interlinings are used, which helps guarantee a quality suit. But the production is assembly line, and many tailors work on the suit at different stages of production, unlike the single tailor for the bespoke suit. Ermenegildo Zegna su Misura does some of the best fittings in the made-to-measure industry. A good deal of technology goes into the making of these suits and their fabrics. Some Zegna suits use fabrics like Micronsphere which has all the great qualities of a worsted but is also stain-resistant, or Cashco, which is a blend of cashmere and cotton, making it an all-weather fabric.

Remember there’s more of you to love, so wear your bulk with pride. Wear lightweight, suits built from heavier textiles will only add weight. Soft, worsted wools are your best friend. Choose darker colors which give desired slimming factor plus they’re classy and classic. If you’re going to stripe it, make it a solid vertical to create a sleek, slender visual. The jacket: Two buttons are optimal – they won’t draw attention to your bulky frame and stay single on the vent, which will give you the extra room you need minus the extra attention.

Why Men's Suits Are Always Fashionable

Men's suits are one of the many things that man can be identified in the society. Aside from luxurious accessories man would want in his manly collections such as watches, cars, mansions, etc.; suits are the armada he can always count on. It is undeniably that men's personality and status quo can be as well associated with the men's clothes he wears.

One fact that men's dress give off is the elegance it portrays. This is the main reason why these clothes are man's greatest apparel worn on special gatherings and formal events like weddings, business functions, conferences, burial, thanksgiving, social meets, and others.

Through time, black mens suits became a symbol of sophistication, elegance, and grace. It has also become the most worn and prominent suit in formal gatherings and social meets. These are also perfect as business suits because it connotes a personality of authority and professionalism.

Designer Wedding Hair Accessories

Ban.dos make gorgeous wedding hair accessories for brides and bridesmaids alike. Aside from being the perfect accent to a stunning wedding dress, these designer bridal hair accessories are incredibly versatile and can decorate a pretty head for other occasions. Ban.dos are a little more expensive than I’d like my hair accessories to be, but the quality and craftsmanship is worth the price, if you can afford it. Check out my favorites from their current bridal collection.