CityLiving: 'Loft living' is back in vogue for those searching for the most discerning of lad pads. Edel Morgan reports

What a difference a year makes. Last year we were told at the launch of the Toys 4 Big Boys exhibition that "Lad" culture had evolved beyond the usual stereotypes.

One of the centrepieces of the show, "the Lad's Pad" - a simulated bachelor pad with a wish list of gadgets, gizmos and furnishings - was aimed at the thinking lad and drew inspiration from futuristic films like Minority Report and Matrix Reloaded. The cube-like living space was not unlike those depicted in Stanley Kubrick's 2001 - A Space Odyssey.

Since last year's exhibition Irish lads appear to have regressed. It seems that lads are simple creatures after all and they have brought back some of the old steady reliables.

A press release by the designers says the pad will have a 6ft 6in bed, lazyboys for watching TV and the ubiquitous beer fridge. Didn't Joey and Chandler in Friends demonstrate the joys of lazyboy recliners as far back as the mid-1990s? The aim this year appears to be to keep the contents of the apartment reassuringly accessible.

The actual apartment itself, however, is cruelly beyond the reach of most of the lads who will attend the exhibition at the RDS from November 26th-28th - unless they're prepared to emigrate. Designed by Niamh de Barra and Sinead Considine, the concept is open-plan New York "loft living" with exposed brick walls and vast spaces. The blurb describes it as a space rich in technical value and warmth "where few, simple and carefully designed components distinguish and characterise the various spaces".

Although de Barra and Considine's prototype might be a source of inspiration to lads everywhere, there are few bona fide loft apartments in Dublin. The nearest we have in this country is "loft-style".

The real ones are typically found in industrial areas of cities in north America, England and parts of Europe and are typically conversions of warehouses, mills, factories, or even banks. Their appeal is the abandonment of suburban clutter and compartmentalised living in favour of space with high ceilings, vast floor areas, large windows, exposed brickwork and spectacular views of whichever city they are in.

Lofts originated in the SoHo area of Manhattan in the 1940s, and were largely occupied by artists. Now they have become so fashionable that, in some areas of London for example, they are running out of warehouses to convert.

The closest we have to a loft conversion here is probably the Warehouse development, formerly the Crowe Wilson building on Clanbrassil Terrace, launched by developer Michael Roden in 1999. It has many of the loft hallmarks, including higher than average ceilings, large windows and terraces with views over the city.

The apartment at the Toys 4 Big Boys exhibition might still be in the realm of fantasy but its components are quite attainable, if you can afford them.

The pad will be a WIFI hotspot - "a highly technological area" with wireless broadband throughout.

The stainless steel kitchen is open and minimalist in design and the main bedroom has a surround-sound system which is voice-activated and an oversized plasma TV screen to match the over-sized bed.

A wet room with shower enclosure has iridescent glass mosaic tiles to reflect the light.

The games room includes a staple of bachelorhood, the pool table. Alternatively, the lad in residence can amuse themselves on the turntable of their very own DJ decks or treat their friends to drinks at the bar in the livingroom or the den.

"If you don't have a bar, all is not lost," advises the press release. "Get yourself a serving cart and keep it in the livingroom or den. On the cart, place a martini shaker, some martini glasses and shot glasses, a decanter, your favourite booze, and whatever else you would stock in your home bar. The sky's the limit with this one and, even if you're not a big drinker, it doesn't mean you can't be high on style."

Of course, even the most diehard lad knows that it helps to at least pretend to have a creative and cultured side to impress the ladies. Last year it was sculpture, this year it's a tall, clear glass vase full of stones or fresh bamboo sticks. The fact that most women can spot a token piece of art work at 50 paces or will instantly deduce the motives behind a lone strategically placed vase is neither here nor there - they're trying, God bless 'em.