The Bachelor's Guide to a Female Friendly Home
When wooing the female species, the modern male has come a long way in terms of personal style. The boom in men's grooming products speaks volumes of their investment in setting the honey trap. But once you have cleared the hurdles of the first few dates and are ready to bring the object of your desires back to the old homestead, will your pad have her angling to get her feet under the table or running for the hills?

It doesn't have to involve shed loads of cash or time to get your home female friendly. A few basic rules, some cunning tips, and some high street accessories can soon bring your home up to scratch.

Cleanliness is Next to (Sex)Godliness

Essentials first then: Ensure your kitchen is clean, tidy and free from yesterday's dishes in the sink. Bathrooms must be super clean, especially the toilet; a stained toilet and marauding loose hairs will make her feel like she's in that toilet scene from Trainspotting. Your toilet bowl needs to shine brighter and whiter than Jordan's teeth.

Be sure that you have toilet roll (and spares in sight), hand wash or a fresh bar of soap (no stray hairs here, please!) and clean towels, after all you want to encourage her to stay the night, not feel like she's there as a favour to Kim and Aggie. The bedroom should be clean and clutter free, with fresh linen on the bed and dirty clothes hidden from view.

Lounging Around

The lounge is where she is initially likely to spend most of her time, so it goes without saying that it should be clean and tidy. Keep games consoles or anything else that hints at adolescent interests tucked well out of sight. We like to know that you are fun and carefree but not still excited by toys or the fact that you are likely to stay up all night playing on your lonesome.

Cheats Sometimes Prosper

A cheat's tip for instant de-cluttering when an unexpected booty call is imminent is to purchase a trunk that serves as a coffee table, or a wooden unit that can double as a side table (John Lewis has a nifty compact upholstered cube - extra seating with hidden storage inside). Then, when there's no time for a thorough tidy up, your clutter can be quickly scooped up and deposited out of sight until your guest leaves. A laundry basket in the bedroom will help serve this purpose too.

Spice up your Space

To make your home more inviting, a few accessories can help set the mood. A soft, furry or deep pile rug, a throw over the sofa and bed, and some scatter cushions with female appeal will all encourage an atmosphere of romance (John Lewis, BHS and Dunelm Mill are good high street sources). We girls like velvets, silks, luxurious fabrics and textures - the high street home stores have lots of these items in pewter, bronzes, charcoals (shades of browns and greys to the layman), so a compromise between masculine colours and feminine textures can be reached.

See the Light

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, lighting. It's harder to cosy up together under harsh overhead lighting so a couple of lower wattage table or floor lamps will provide a warm and inviting glow. Nowhere is this point more crucial than in the bedroom where strong bright light is more reminiscent of the operating theatre than a boudoir. Here an investment in a couple of pretty low wattage table lamps will really pay off, and be much more likely to lead to your own private striptease...

Written by Christina Kamester