If you or someone you love is a motorcycle enthusiast, you can bring the bike into the house without bringing the whole garage with it. With some imagination, you can showcase your hobby with sophistication and style---and not leave your guests wondering if that area rug is concealing oil stains. Finding inspiration is easy thanks to countless motorcycle-themed furnishings that appeal to all ages. Does this Spark an idea?
Rooms for Children and Teen-agers
Whether your child loves the rumble of roadsters or the thrills of motocross, you can create ambiance that will let his imagination cruise while you keep him safe within the confines of home. And don't worry because you aren't locked into Harley black and Davidson orange for a color scheme. Bedding is always a good starting place for picking your palette, but you may also want to work around vivid wallpaper cutouts of vintage choppers or a pre-pasted border of stylized flames. Hang a chair rail, and paint sky blue above and charcoal gray below to give the feel of the open highway; consider using chalkboard paint below the rail if you have a budding artist who might enjoy doodling some traffic on his "road."
On any given day, Internet auction sites carry dozens of used motocross uniforms; a cool BMX jacket becomes the room's focal point if hung on a row of pegs. Accessories abound for even the youngest enthusiast. Bring his room to life with a rocking motorcycle or a growth chart featuring the likeness of a motocross icon such as Jeremy McGrath or Travis Pastrana. A tin "Motorcycle Parking Only" sign can continue the theme.
Dens and Game Rooms
If you want to bring your love for bikes into a room shared by the entire family, your style statement can be as subtle or as bold as you like. Begin by identifying a piece of furniture or objet d'art that your favorite gearhead can't live without to establish your color scheme, and then shop for other complementary items. Keep in mind that not everything has to be emblazoned with an actual motorcycle graphic or logo; your room will be more interesting if you incorporate items that stand out because of their design features or textures alone. A black leather chair placed near a chrome and glass occasional table provides a sophisticated spin on the theme without detracting from your "Easy Rider" and "Motorcycle Diaries" film posters. Tattoo-inspired art and fabrics also can be used to add to the visual mix.
If your den doubles as an office, look for lighting and small accessories to accent your biker theme. For truly one-of-a-kind pieces, you can find artisans with online galleries of banker's lamps and business card holders made from Triumph clutches and shift forks.
Game rooms are ideal places to bring motorcycle décor to life. Depending on your budget, you can find everything from bar stools and jukeboxes to retro gas pumps and billiard tables with logos from your favorite bike maker. If you already have a growing collection of die-cast pieces, consider making them a focal point by placing them in a lit display case.
Kitchens
Your favorite bike can even inspire a kitchen renovation. High-end refrigerators are available with stainless steel flame patterns on the doors. A classic '50s diner theme may be the obvious approach to complement such appliances, but it isn't necessarily locked into such retro looks. In a kitchen profiled in "Atticmag" magazine, concrete and stainless steel inspired by a favorite Ducati gives an ultramodern look to the space. Industrial tread-plate was used on select cabinet doors to add unusual texture and color, and the owners commissioned a local cabinetmaker to design drawer pulls from turnbuckles and clevis pins.
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