The Dark Underbelly of the Dude Design Aesthetic
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Rachel Coster thinks you should get rid of everything. As the creator and host of "Boy Room," the hyper-popular Instagram and TikTok series, Coster enters the squalid and at times uncanny living spaces of New York City men in their 20s and 30s to try to understand their the-grosser-the-better living philosophy. The experience has led her to develop a golden rule of interior design: "Garbage out first. That clears out so much space," she says. The goal, in her opinion, should be, "as much empty space as possible."
On her show, Coster, equipped with a kind heart, an open mind, a no-nonsense blazer, and a microphone, lovingly roasts the men who are living in quasi-teenage purgatories with suspicious looking beds, debris on the floor, lack of storage, an odd smell, and usually an open box of condoms. "If a room looks like a mom would be really concerned about it, that’s what we’re looking for," she explains of her selection process. After she assesses the space, she leaves the men with her personal recommendations for home improvement.
The series has taken off since it premiered on March 21, with 42K followers on Instagram and 127K on TikTok. "Everyone knows boys who are messy and it's just really cool to see where people live," Coster says, trying to define the secret to her success. "And I feel like it's just a sign of the times that there are so many 35 year old men who are living like babies."
But you don't have to be a clueless man-child to benefit from Coster's advice. Below, the advice she's honed in her days in the trenches. Adopt them yourself, or send them to every recent college grad you know.
Rachel Coster thinks you should get rid of everything. As the creator and host of Boy Room, the hyper-popular Instagram and TikTok series, Coster enters the squalid and, at times, unnerving living spaces of New York City men in their 20s and 30s, exposing their the-grosser-the-better aesthetic. Along the way, she has developed a simple interior design philosophy we should all live by: "Garbage out first. That clears out so much space," she explains. The ultimate goal, in her mind, is "as much empty space as possible."
On her show, Coster, equipped with a kind heart, an open mind, a no-nonsense blazer, and a microphone, lovingly roasts the men who are living in quasi-teenage purgatories with suspicious looking beds, debris on the floor, lack of storage, an odd smell, and usually an open box of condoms. "If a room looks like a mom would be really concerned about it, that's what we're looking for," she explains of her selection process. After she assesses the space, she leaves the men with her personal recommendations for home improvement.
The series has taken off since it premiered on March 21, with 42K followers on Instagram and 127K on TikTok. "Everyone knows boys who are messy and it's just really cool to see where people live," Coster says, trying to define the secret to her success. "And I feel like it's just a sign of the times that there are so many 35 year old men who are living like babies."
But you don't have to be a clueless man-child to benefit from Coster's advice. We can all look to the rooms in the Boy Room show as examples of what not to do. Below, you'll find the advice she's honed in her days in the trenches—alongside photos of real-life sad spaces from the Boy Room show that would have benefitted from her tips.
Adopt them yourself, or send them to every recent college grad you know. Who knows? They might be inspired to change their smelly ways, as some of the "stars" of the show have been. "Jerome sent me a picture the other day of him buying a duvet cover at Target and Chris threw out some of the trinkets I told him to get rid of," Coster says of some men whose homes she featured. "Eventually we want to help them redo their rooms. We’re working on that down the line."
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First, Don't Be a Hoarder
The men of the Boy Room show tend to keep a lot of stuff on the floor. A lot. "It's just not using their dressers, or having a lot of stuff they need to get rid of," Coster notes. How to avoid the pack rat trap? "Get rid of everything. You can donate it or give it to friends," Coster says.
Don't get stuck by becoming emotional about material things. "There was one guy, Chris, who had so much stuff from his friends," Coster says of a Boy Room show case study. And she gets it. "A tchotchke just collects dust, and you feel this guilt because you're like, 'I don’t want that but I can't get rid of it because someone was nice to me and gave it to me.'" But, she insists, you just have to buckle down and clear things out ruthlessly. " I’m so good at getting rid of gifts and letters," Coster says. "I’m so pro-getting rid of stuff."
When In Doubt, Paint Your Walls Off-White
Coster advised one proud owner of blue and orange walls to paint them white. It's advice she stands by. "In general I think something peaceful, off-white, soft" is ideal for walls, she says. "Not yellow. My apartment is yellow and it's completely exhausting." At the same time, she points out, "Too white is also scary."
Speaking of frightening decor, this room, belonging to a guy who goes by the name of Middle Part, is so bad that it's...well, not good, but Coster doesn't hate it. "Middle Part's walls were scary but I kind of liked it," she admits. "It was like I was on the inside of a Nerds Rope."
Let There Be Light
Lighting is often a point of contention on a Boy Room episode. (One guy's overhead lighting was described as "prison-like.") Coster feels that various types of lighting are significant not just for design effect but for the residents' mental health. "Having different levels of lighting is so important; I think sconces are sick. Floor lamps and table lamps," she says. "It's so nice to have a dimmer lighting set up. I have the Philips Hue lights where you can change the color, and it's the best thing ever."
The right lighting can even influence your behavior. "I think having blue light before bed is really bad for you," Coster points out. "It's so nice to have a lamp for reading—which we should all do more of."
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Invest in Your Sleeping Set-Up
Many of the "boys" in Boy Room Show have makeshift beds and bedding; in Luke's episode, his bed was an un-rolled-out futon with no sheets. That's too low a bar, says Coster. "Just get something that lifts you up so you can put stuff underneath," she advises. "You don’t have to make your bed every day. Some kind of sheet system that feels good. Duvet covers are so awesome because then you can clean yours and it doesn’t get nasty. And you get to customize how it looks. Also—more than one pillow."
Reconsider a Dark Sheet Selection
The comment section was merciless after an episode on Jerome's room focused on his navy sheets. The host herself was kinder. "I know everyone is angry about them, but I don’t really care," Coster says. "Navy is better than black for sure."
She sees the problem with a dark sheet, though. "It's annoying to look at them all the time and it's gross that you can see bodily fluid on them. I do think that a white or a lighter color is nicer, but I understand that those stain easily and you have to change them out a lot. But I also think that you can buy $20 sheets once a year."
Pull Up a Chair—A Real One
Some of the guys on the show seem to purposely avoid comfort. Take Jack in New York City, who works from home using his bed as a desk and a pile of laundry as a chair. (Let's hope he has a faux zoom background.)
Opt for the real thing instead, bridging form and function. "It’s so nice to have a chair in your room. Or have a comfortable bed," says Coster. "The people who are working from home, how are you working from bed? That can’t be good for your neck or back."
And, she points out, there is always room for a real desk. "I feel like there are really small standing desks," Coster says. "I have The Standing Desk. It's pretty small and it's awesome."
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Choose Accessories Wisely
When it comes to art and decorative items, go with what you love—unless what you love is your old rat-tail, chopped off and framed, as in Levi's Ridgewood, New Jersey room. "Get paintings or art you really like from friends or antique stores," Coster suggests. "I’ve just found out how expensive framing is so it doesn’t have to be framed."
Thoughtful decorative touches go a long way, says Coster. "I think it's so hot when boys have a vase of flowers, especially when they're dried because then they're low maintenance. That's so hot to me, I can’t even imagine if that would really happen."
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