MASCULINE INTERIOR DESIGN: 10 Insider Styling Tips

If you're trying to make a room feel more masculine, introducing deeper colours and quality materials such as leather or timber is often the first instinct. But these elements alone don't create a welcoming interior. Without layered lighting, textural interest, greenery and personal objects, even the right colours and materials can still feel quite sterile. Welcome back to Susie Anderson Home, where we share detailed design videos to help you create a home you love. With Father's Day approaching here in Australia, I wanted to share our ideas for creating a masculine interior, one that feels layered, personal, grounded and ultimately enjoyable to live in. So let's begin. One. Start with the purpose of the room. Every world design room begins with a question. What is the purpose of this space? And the more specific your answer, the easier every decision that follows becomes. For example, the home office is a useful umbrella term, but it doesn't tell you very much. It is worth thinking instead about the actual day-to-day, the hours you spend in there, whether you are reading, on Zoom calls or working late into the evening, and what would make that time more enjoyable. That level of detail will guide your furniture, lighting, storage, decor and more. From there, it helps to gather some inspiration. So as a starting point, consider the following designers and their very different aesthetics. Axel Vervoort, whose YB philosophy celebrates age, texture and imperfection through restraint. Sean Anderson with his soulful, traditional and at times monastic rooms that still feel warm. Jeremiah Brent for organic, modern, textural interiors that blend old and new. And closer to home, Steve Cordoni for contemporary European style with Italian farmhouse touches. 2. A deeper colour palette. Next, research in environmental psychology shows that colour shapes not only how a space looks, but how it feels, influencing both mood and cognitive function. Masculine interiors tend to sit in the lower half of the tonal range. Some colours to consider include olive, forest and moss greens, charcoal, ink, navy, warm grey and black, tobacco, cognac and chocolate browns, burgundy, terracotta and deep rust and putty, stone and warm neutrals as the lighter tones. We opted for a combination of these in our old Bancatelier store using Mineral by Porter's paints, a dark shade of grey with warm tones that formed the ideal backdrop for the rustic timbers, antiques and our portrait gallery wall. 3. Strong, grounded forms. While feminine interiors often embrace curved, sculptural or ornate forms, masculine interiors tend to feel sturdy and grounded. It is less about structured lines and more about visual weight. A Chesterfield sofa or armchair is a good example. It is full of curves with its rolled arms and deep buttoning, and yet it feels substantial and helps to anchor a room. 4. Intentional placement. Next, we tend to feel most comfortable in spaces where we can see what is happening around us, while still feeling protected and anchored. This idea sits at the heart of prospect-refuge theory, a design principle that suggests we are naturally drawn to spaces that offer both an outlook, or prospect, and a sense of shelter or refuge. And while this principle isn't unique to masculine interiors, it feels particularly relevant here. Studies, libraries, bars, reading rooms and other traditionally masculine spaces often create this balance intuitively. The simplest way to think about it is that refuge is what sits behind and above you, and prospect is what lies in front. So refuge might be a generous armchair positioned in a reading corner, or a desk anchored by built-in bookshelves behind it. Prospect is then what the same seat or desk looks out onto, ideally oriented towards a window, a doorway, a fireplace, or simply across the room. And when the two are balanced, a room will feel both grounded and open. 5. Our five L's of styling. As always, no space would be complete without our five L's of styling. Lighting, luster, layering, something living, and something loved. Lighting. Rather than relying on a single light source, introduce a warm layered scheme with ceiling, wall, table, and floor lighting, ideally on a dimmer or with smart globes. This becomes even more important in a darker room, as deeper colors absorb light rather than reflect it. Luster. Working in harmony with your lighting, luster lifts a deeper palette and keeps it from feeling flat. Ideas include mirrored, glossy ceramic, glass, polished marble, or metallic finishes in your lighting, furniture, and decorative accessories. Layering. Next, look for materials that improve as they age. Solid timber with visible grain, unlacquered brass, quality leather that softens over time, wool, linen, velvet, honed stone, hand-finished plaster, rattan, and patinated bronze to name just a few. With textiles, opt for quality over quantity and work from the ground up. Beginning with a rug or runner, then upholstered or slip-covered furniture, a few cushions or throws, bedding, lampshades, and curtains. Patterns I often reach for include plaid, herringbone, simple stripes, and checks, along with single-tone textiles with plenty of texture. Something living. As we've shared before, introducing natural elements into the home helps support well-being, reduce stress, and improve the mood. Here, I would lean towards structure rather than delicacy. One substantial olive tree, fiddle leaf fig, or ficus in a heavy vessel. On coffee, console, or side tables, succulents, branches cut from the garden, or a single sculptural stem in a ceramic or glass vessel also work so beautifully. Something loved. Finally, make room for the things you genuinely love and find ways to integrate them into your design. Whether that's classic cars, music, books, cooking, board games, sport, mixology, coffee, or pieces collected from your travels. Some ideas include a well-made bar cabinet or coffee station, open shelving holding a record collection, a games corner with a chess or backgammon set, a bookshelf of your most loved books, or a single statement framed photograph with a few complementary pieces around it. When styling masculine spaces, I will often interweave leather goods, magnifying glasses, gloves, vintage maps, large clocks, black and white photography, and other vintage finds for added character. This also includes home fragrance. Scent is closely tied to memory and emotion, shaping our experience of a place on a deeper level. Leather, tobacco, cedar, vertebra, smoke, and amber all feel at home in a masculine interior, with some of my favorites being Ernesto, Gabrielle, and Abdelkader by Trudon, along with number 88 by Check and Speak. Thank you so much for watching. I hope you enjoyed these masculine interior decorating ideas. I'd love to know which of these you are drawn to, so let me know in your comments below, and if you found it helpful, please like the video and subscribe. And remember, when designing a home you love, the beauty is in the detail.