How to decorate a bachelor's bedroom

The bachelor's bedroom has to be one of the trickiest areas of the house to decorate. Too many men go for the "carpet-made-of-dirty-sock" approach. So with the help of images from Caras, I pulled together a few ideas on the ideal bachelor bedroom.

1. Tidiness is king. Dirty clothes should be hidden and laundry should be given somewhere else in the house to dry.
2. Bachelor bedrooms, depending on your lifestyle, are for sleeping, reading and (if you aren't fortunate to have a dressing room) dressing in. This means that electronics and desks should be located elsewhere.
3. A picture is worth a thousand words so ensure that whatever art you choose talks about you in a flattering tone of voice. Framed pictures of naked women are still pictures of naked women. Choosing multiple black and white prints of corseted women doesn't make you look like you appreciate art, it makes the room look like it's inhabited by a 15-year-old boy. If you must go the female-anatomy route try for a vintage burlesque print and remember that a little goes a long way. You don't need to wallpaper the room with them. Ideally, go for classic prints or sculptures or a print of something meaningful to you. Choose vintage posters of your favourite team, a cityscape of somewhere you're fond of or go for old road signs. Just ensure that whatever you choose is framed. Posters blu-tacked to the walls with curling corners do not a stylish bedroom make. The same goes for collectibles. Antique swords look great hung above a fireplace in a living room. Over a bed they're just terrifying.
4. Thread counts are important. In every room there are places you can scrimp and those you shouldn't. You spend a large amount of your life in bed so make sure your bedding is the best quality you can find and change it on a regular basis. Animal prints are an absolute no-go area unless you think you're Austin Powers (and want guests to do the same). The same goes for satin sheets. And don't even think about round, heart-shaped or rotating beds. That isn't lust in her eyes, it's horror.
5. An armchair makes the room look cozy and provides a useful resting places for discarded clothing on evenings when you've been too tired to hang it.
6. Large mirrors are fine. Large mirrors hung directly opposite the bed can be a little off-putting to the first-time visitor. Mirrors on the ceiling guarantee that your guest will immediately realise that it's getting late and she should be calling a cab.
7. Bright overhead lights make everyone look bad. Slightly dimmer bedside lights are much more flattering and have the additional advantage that you can turn them off from bed rather than having to get up and then feel your way back. Candles can be flattering but use them in moderation and avoid strong scents. If your room needs a scented candle to smell good then you should be reaching for the hoover and bleach before you're reaching for a bra strap.
8. Choose a colour palette and limit your choices to two or three colours for a streamlined, modern and tied-together look.
9. Framed photos are fine, in moderation (although please remove that large one of your mother from your bedside table. No guest wants to feel her partner's parents watching her getting undressed). The same goes for ex-girlfriends. No women is naive enough to think she's the first one to turn your head but remove all traces of ex-girlfriends, from the loose stockings under the bed, to photos, tickets of things you did together and old hairbands/make-up she may have left behind. It's basic courtesy and otherwise, you run the risk of looking like your past is still a large part of your present. Also, you wouldn't think this needed to be said but put the porn somewhere your guest isn't going to accidentally discover it. She won't judge you for having it but it doesn't need to be on display. The same goes for the handcuffs.