It’s a primitive urge that’s as old as time itself. Like barbecuing steak and going on a weekend fishing trips with friends, a man has to have his own space. One where he is master of his domain, responsible for making decisions and seeing his vision become a reality.
For those of us lucky enough to have the space, whether it’s a basement, a loft, or even a garage to convert, this means the man cave.
These modern-day refugees from the pressures of daily life can take many forms. But the most important aspect is that they can be shaped exactly as the owner desires.
To reach this point, there are many decisions to be made. Hopefully, what follows will help you to organize your own thoughts about creating your own sanctuary from the everyday world.
The Look
The first of these choices is what particular design aesthetic you’re going for. This is going to depend on a number of factors. The first is the space itself. If it’s limited, there’s no point in going for a gentleman’s club style with button-backed leather armchairs, occasional tables, and bookcases on the wall – it just won’t look right. But if you made it into a compact and rustic hideaway, complete with a real or pretend wood-burning stove, that could work better.
One classic design that can be tailored to suit almost space is the sports bar look. As long as you have room for some seating and a large flat screen TV on the wall, the rest is window dressing. Put up sports pictures around the walls or maybe framed sports shirts. Accessorize with other sporting items like footballs on kicking stands and a mini basketball hoop on the door for slam dunk contests, and the picture will be complete.
On the other hand, if you’re planning on using the man cave as a video gaming room, go for an altogether more hi-tech and minimalist look, all straight lines and white surfaces.
The Entertainment
The next thing to consider is what kinds of entertainment you want to have in your man cave.
Chances are that sports are going to play a big part, so it’s always going to be well worth investing in the biggest and best TV screen that you can afford within your budget.
Also, think about which networks are going to be screening the big sports events to make sure that you can have access to them live. For example, the NBA Finals are available on cable this year via ABC and ESPN Deportes. If you also have internet access, you can even stream them live via services like Hulu + Live, Sling TV, and YouTube.
Internet access will also mean that you’ll be able to keep right up to date with the 2023 NBA Championship odds and other vital information, not just for sports but everything else the world wide web can bring to you too.
You’re also going to want the sound to be as good as the pictures, whether you’re watching sports or music videos. So get yourself a quality sound bar, too – but not so powerful that you’ll have the neighbors hammering on the wall!
The Furniture
Having a man cave is also all about being comfortable, and that’s going to mean furnishing it well. So go for upholstered chairs instead of office-style ones and have plenty of surfaces and small tables where you can put drinks and bowls of snacks.
Lots of people like to play little cards in their man cave, so a foldaway table topped with green baize is ideal. If there’s space, then a pool table is always a great addition, and if there isn’t, then you might have to make do with a dartboard instead.
Above all, think flexibility as there are many different uses you might need from the room, and the more you can shift the furniture around to suit, the better.
And, if you’re a dedicated gamer, make sure that one essential item is a good gaming chair that’s going to be comfortable for even the longest sessions of Call of Duty or GTA.
The Refreshments
Man cannot live by leisure alone. So you’re going to also need access to some classic man cave snacks. Some can be prepared in a microwave if there’s space for one in your lair, but generally, you’re going to need easy access to the kitchen to prepare them.
Keeping a good selection of ice-cold drinks to hand is going to be much easier. Just make sure there’s a corner where you can slot in a mini-fridge, maybe one with an ice maker included.
So there you have them. Some handy tips that are going to make creating the perfect man cave simplicity itself. Now you just have to put them into action and start handing out the invites to its grand opening night!
