We all have that friend. You drop by his place to grab a beer before heading to the ballgame. It’s a fine place. He’s got an obscenely large television and a new sectional sofa. But, something alarms you. It’s his walls. They are utterly, embarrassingly bare. “Just move in?” you ask. “No,” he responds. “Packing up to leave?” “No.” “Got a drug problem?” “Huh?” “Are you a psychopath?” “What?!” “There’s nothing on your damn walls. It’s very upsetting. It feels like a serial killer lives here. Or a vagabond. Has another human ever seen this place and returned?” When you were in college, a room with a bed sufficed. As an adult, you need a home. That home should have a feel. That feel should reflect your personality. If you have nothing on your walls, it screams: the guy living...

An oil painting hung above the fireplace says sophistication. But, a gentleman must exercise prudence when selecting his artwork. It will serve as the room’s focal point and speak volumes about its exhibitor.  It should be a portrait.  Frankly, the mantle is no place for a painting of a wheat field or a unicorn (unless mounted by a king/prince/general in full military regalia). The portrait should convey power and confidence while embracing its own whimsy.  You want visitors to grasp instantly that you are a formidable man endowed with great intellect, humor and humility. Some gentlemen will opt for a self-portrait.  Done well, this can triumph superbly, but executed poorly, you may broadcast a message of ego and arrogance.  Remember, no one likes someone who takes himself too seriously.  Those opting for self-portraits should go for quirky or screwball.  Consider,...