Navy sheets, a single yellowish pillow, the absence of a bed frame, and the vague essence of Ikea decor: yes, you’ve arrived in a child’s room.
The images that come to mind when imagining a single man’s bedroom are vivid, often provoking a visceral reaction in those who have witnessed firsthand the depravity and mind-blowing nature of entering such a messy room and, without a doubt, Yet, somehow, so empty.
Baffled and intrigued by the men of New York and the habitats they call home, comedian Rachel Coster, 28, bravely decided to venture into their duvet-coverless digs in a TikTok series called boy’s room – where he investigates men’s bedrooms in the Big Apple.
“I’ve been dating since I was 18,” Rachel, now 28, told the New York Times. “By going to people’s houses, without knowing them very well, their room is an immediate way to get a very clear idea of what I’m working with.”
Comedian Rachel Coster (pictured) bravely decided to enter the scene in a TikTok series called Boy Room, where she investigates children’s bedrooms in New York.
Rachel was bewildered, intrigued, and disgusted by the state of men’s bathrooms in New York and the habitats they call home.
Rachel pitched the idea for the series to Adam Faze, owner of the production company Gymnasium, and began posting videos in March.
So far, he’s nine videos into the series, which is a cross between MTV Cribs and a home renovation show, stuck solely on the “before” part.
In each video, Rachel and her camera crew interview the men inside their bedrooms before revealing what they would change about their surroundings and how they live.
As the series has gained recognition, the men are now sent by people they know and are vetted by someone on Rachel’s team after agreeing to appear on camera so their reactions are not leaked.
In Rachel’s initial video, which has had more than 1.2 million views, she spent 28-year-old Blake’s room. in Bushwick, New York.
Blake’s room, which he describes as a “classic messy boys’ room that looks decorated,” is the first of many similar ones in the series, with unmade beds, piles of trash, and a symbolic object used as a nightstand.
Blake can’t remember if she washed the blankets on her bed and says she is able to “see” which of her clothes are clean from the piles scattered on the floor.
“My vision for Blake’s room is, if we get him, maybe a trash can,” Rachel says at the end of the 1.29-minute video.
In Rachel’s initial video, which has had more than 1.2 million views, she stopped by Blake, 28,’s bedroom in Bushwick, New York.
Another recent video is from 2000s alternative musician Middle Park, who declined to share her real name but did share her dimly lit home with Rachel and her viewers.
Rachel described her room as “the basement of a suburban kid whose mother is extremely indulgent.”
Rachel pitched the idea for the series to Adam Faze, owner of the production company Gymnasium, and began posting videos in March.
“I would put all the clothes that are on the floor on the shelves that are available,” she continued.
“I would also get him a desk and an ergonomic chair because I’m concerned about his spine,” he added.
“There are 28-year-olds who have a full house, dogs and children,” she says thoughtfully in the video. “And Blake is just making ‘sick beats’ and lots of nasty t-shirts.”
On another tour, Rachel investigates her room. Lucas, 24 years old living on the Lower East Side.
Luke has an affinity for bicycles and a distaste for beds: he sleeps on an unrolled futon surrounded by hanging bicycles and buckets of parts.
With highlights including a bottle of bleach, a dead plant and piles and piles of rubbish, Luke says he feels “at peace” when he’s home.
Another recent video is from 2000s alternative musician Middle Park, who declined to reveal her real name but shared her dimly lit home with Rachel and her viewers.
“His room looks like the basement of a suburban kid whose mother is extremely indulgent,” he said, adding that his room had no windows, reeked of cigarettes but offered snacks, including 15-year-old Spam, jerky and Sour Skittles.
Luke, 24, showed off his Lower East Side apartment, where he sleeps on an unrolled futon couch, surrounded by hanging bicycles and buckets of parts.
The comments section of the videos is filled with people horrified by what they’re seeing or admitting that they’ve dated a man with an eerily similar bedroom aesthetic once or twice.
According to Rachel, the popularity of the publications is due to the fact that many men do not see any problem with the way they live.
“In New York we all try hard,” he said. Braking. “It’s easy for your space to become a total mess.”
He added that many people in New York are “basically never home,” so it matters less if their homes are messy.
“Because you come home, knock out or maybe kiss someone and get out of there,” he said.
The comments section of the videos is filled with people horrified by what they see or admitting that they have dated a man with an eerily similar bedroom aesthetic.
“What’s crazy is that we’ve all been in a man’s room like this,” one user wrote.
‘My dad is 68 years old and has a children’s room. It never ends,’ said another exasperatedly.
“Some girl probably cries over a text from this guy,” another mused.
Others gave advice, as one wrote: ‘Ladies!! Look at me!! You can’t and don’t need to “fix” it!! No!!’ one person joked.
