Imagine settling into a richly patinaed leather armchair, the sweet scent of cedar and a hint of fine tobacco mingle in the air while Chet Baker spins on the turntable. Creating your own cigar room — or any room with that timeless aesthetic — ushers luxurious escapism into your home.
We love it. And we’re betting you will, too.
So, we’ve gathered tips from some leading interior design and cigar room experts to unlock the mystery of what goes into creating a space infused with delicious moodiness, seductive sophistication, and vintage allure. Let’s get lost.
Breathe Easy: Elevating Air Quality
You may be thinking, “A cigar lounge? In this day and age?” Fair.
Our inspiration was Architectural Digest’s profile of Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelo’s stunning cigar‑inspired lounge/media room, a “…1970s vibe with deep blue lacquered walls, a fiber-optic cocktail table, and artwork hung salon-style. The pièce de résistance is a backlit bar nook, curtained in midnight-blue velvet with a whimsical painted cigarette motif overhead.”
Already, it sounds cool, right? Then Ripa sealed the deal, “By the way, we installed an amazing ventilation system. You’d never know anyone ever smoked in here.”
Of course, air quality is important for any room. Happily, there are loads of solutions, including, as we learned from Air Quality Engineering, “Smoke eaters…designed to target smoke and provide powerful odor control.” Yes, please.
For cigar lovers, that’s exceptionally welcome news. As one cigar lounge owner told Cigar Aficionado’s Garrett Rutledge, “When you’re in there with six or seven, it’s going to get pretty smoky.” Bottom line: ventilation is worth the investment.
In The Mood: Embrace The Power Of Colors
Designers have long leaned on the power of colors. Case in point, while loving on colors like ochre, deep aubergine, and dark blue-green in conversation with Architectural Digest, Surrounded by Color’s Robin Heller and Jen Levyare shared, “We’re not huge believers that colors go out of style—especially if they make you feel something special.”
Imagining a space like a cigar lounge for your home, what we’re really talking about is ambience — feeling something special. And that ambience, designers agree, is deeply enhanced by darker, moodier palettes.
As the folks at Mr G’s Cigars advise, such hues “…evoke a sense of luxury and relaxation. These colors can envelop the room in warmth and create an inviting, sophisticated ambiance perfect for unwinding…making it feel more expansive and serene.”
Old School: Love On Leather (And Faux Leather)
Cigar rooms usually have, um, cigars. Hence, there’s nothing more quintessentially cigar-room chic than leather furniture. Because, beyond their visual appeal, leather and recycled leather are nearly impervious to liquids and odors.
As Cigars.com advises, “Avoid soft fabric furniture as it will hold onto cigar smoke. Instead, leather chairs “…add a cozy, rustic vibe to your lounge, especially once they begin to patina.”
Here at the largest online upholstery fabric store, we’re passionate about personality. And patina — the wonderful character that emerges the more leather furniture’s lived in and loved— is personality.
Studio Tre’s Whitley Esteban and Ernesto Gloria shared their love of patina and quality fabrics with House Beautiful, “If patina is what we’re after…let real materials be themselves, and let time do its thing. We look for materials and methods that are made to last.”
New School: Blending Styles To Reveal Yours
Today’s cigar rooms balance vintage-inspiration with modern comforts. The “modern” is thanks to advances in technology like air filtration and performance fabrics like Crypton, offering virtually any hue or pattern and the durability you need.
And “vintage” isn’t about untouchable, unlivable furnishings. For instance, mid-century modern design (the queen of less-is-more elegance) remains an essential style vibe because it’s built to be lived in. As Paradowski Studio’s Piotr Paradowski shared with Elle Decor, “While it started in the second half of the 20th century, it’s still well-related to the modern times we live in.”
The designers at The Davani Group merge modern and classic styles, offering “an air of relaxation and sophistication every day and with every use.” Adding, versatile spaces like cigar rooms work “…in every style from vintage art deco to clean modern Scandinavian styles and everything in between. Blending styles, materials and colors together guarantee unique experiences that aren’t repeatable.”
Lit: Lighting For Ambience
A cigar room calls for subtle lighting and strategically placed lamps to foster intimacy and mood.
The pros at Cigar Roller say, “Soft, warm lighting is ideal for creating a relaxing ambiance. Consider installing adjustable lights, so you can control the brightness according to your mood or the time of day. A stylish table lamp can also be a great addition to your cigar lounge.”
But dimly lit isn’t the only path to “lit” in your new lounge space.
The Cigar Public blog offers a different take, “…natural light is important for daytime use and showcasing your collection. Choose a room with ample windows to allow sunlight to stream in, or consider installing skylights or glass doors to brighten the space. Window treatments like curtains or blinds can be used to control light levels and create the desired atmosphere.”
Free Your Soul: Accents And Authenticity
In a cigar‑room aesthetic, thoughtfully selected accents create authenticity, putting your fingerprint on the whole vibe.
As designer Lauren Saab told Homes & Gardens, “Every space needs one piece with soul… These aren’t just accessories. They’re anchors.” Also in H&G, designer Cathryn Lindsey adds, “I always bring in sourced vintage decor pieces for the final styling layer. Skipping the big-box collections in favor of more storied, one-of-a-kind pieces makes a space feel layered and intentional.”
Soulful. Layered. Intentional.
Veranda’s Sara Clark describes how the old and new blend, “Antiques are meant to enliven a space with context and history, not to create a museum with velvet ropes.” She talks with designer Peter Dunham who grounds the point, “You want a place to feel rooted. I layer reclaimed things so you can’t tell what’s new and what’s old.” And fabrics help you update and reimagine any vintage or antique addition, too.
Go Deep: Use Tantalizing Textures
Texture deepens the feel and story of a space, creating visual and tactile depth. In Ideal Home & Garden, designer Ria Hingarh suggests layering “multiple luxurious textures, particularly vintage vinyl and leathers, for a cozy yet refined aesthetic that welcomes lingering conversations.”
Decorating Den Interiors’ Jen Pysnack reveals texture’s special-sauce “…isn’t just about visual appeal — it’s also about how a space feels. A plush rug underfoot or a soft velvet sofa invites touch and adds an element of comfort. Texture engages multiple senses, making your room feel richer and more complete.”
And the SKETCH Design Studio team explains the dynamic impact of layering, “…a mix of soft and hard surfaces, such as plush rugs, woven baskets, smooth leather, and rough-hewn wood. By combining these elements, you can create a space that feels both cozy and sophisticated.”
The takeaway from our experts is less about cigars and more about feelings, designing a space with an aesthetic and an experience in mind that shifts you out of the everyday into something just a bit magical — right at home. Ready to begin? Give us a call.
Links:
Architectural Digest’s
sealed
Air Quality Engineering
Cigar Aficionado’s
ochre
aubergine
blue-green
Architectural Digest
Mr G’s Cigars
leather
recycled
Cigars.com
largest
House Beautiful
advances
Crypton
Elle Decor
The Davani Group
art deco
Scandinavian
Cigar Roller
Cigar Public
Homes & Gardens
Veranda’s
reimagine
Ideal Home & Garden
Decorating Den Interiors
velvet
SKETCH Design Studio
begin