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� � or varnished, great craftsmanship and detailing is paramount for timberwork. Always work with a craftsman! Let the grain show. Great woods have great lines, it would be a shame not to showcase them. Choose your colour palette around the timber you choose. Whether it’s to contrast or to match, make sure the colours work. GO INDUSTRIAL Think back to the days of the industrial revolution. When safety harnesses weren’t invented and the relentless pursuit of progress was all that mattered. A time when men were men! Warehouses, factories and workshops. Where men of old worked with steel, made trains, built cars and drove industry. What can be manlier than living in a place epitomising the characteristics of industry. Whether a converted factory, a theme for a particular room or even as an ascent piece, the industrial style has a fit in any BetterMan’s pad. TIMBER. No one can argue the manliness of timber. The pure act of working with it makes you instantly more masculine. If you don’t agree you can take it up with Ron Swanson of Parks and Recreation, possibly the manliest man that ever lived, fictional or not. Whether you have dreams of a country lodge or aspirations of a gentleman’s smoking lounge timber fits the bill perfectly. Timber is as versatile as it is good looking. The varying grains, wood types and colours give you an endless colour palette to work with. Rules for timber: � Craftsmanship is everything. Whether it’s raw timber 24 | www.bettermanblueprint.com | ISSUE 01 Rules for the industrial style: � Best for open plan spaces. Factory floors were made as open as possible, a practice that should be carried though to the modern industrial style. � Let the roughness show. Raw concrete floors, raw timber and steel all work great and add to the character. � The art of salvage. Used and rough elements make a great addition and work perfectly with the industrial style. BE SLEEK When we think of a modern gentleman we think of someone as smooth as a single malt and as sleek as a tailored suit. But where would this epitome of class and sophistication live? As man of such character and disposition needs a place to suit and a sleek minimal pad is the only place for him. This is for the man with a lock and go lifestyle and his castle must suit. This style may be simple but that means it is in no way easy. What may often seem effortless in design is actually more thought out and considered than is apparent, that is a mark of truly great design. Rules for the minimal style: � Less is more. A careful and considered approach is necessary for this style. Each item has its place and is meticulously positioned. � Faultless detailing. Due to the nature of the style every imperfection and every mistake becomes jarringly evident. Minimal requires perfection. � Starkness. This style runs the risk of becoming cold and clinical, if you want warm and homely then this may not be for you. There are fives ways a man can design his home to be a place he loves to be in. A place fit for his purpose, his drive and his character, a place where he can become unstoppable.  ISSUE 01 | www.bettermanblueprint.com | 25