Whether a bachelor or a taken man, a young buck or a silver fox; every man needs a space he can call his own. The ideas are infinite, so don’t let the anxiety of designing a room from scratch get you down - we’ve got you covered. Below we’ve compiled a list of must-do’s and tips to create the greatest, manliest man cave ever. Bar none.
1. Not every space is worthy of ‘Man Cave’ status
Make sure you pick a space that will let you maximise the amount of ‘cool’ you can squeeze into a single room. Ideal spots include: garages, sheds and/or basements. If you’ve only got a spare room (or even just part of one), no worries, we’ll make sure you get the most out of it.
2. Insulating & Soundproofing
The spaces that most often are designated as man-caves tend to be outlying rooms, away from the heat of the central house (again, we’re talking basement, shed, garage, etc.). Therefore, it is important to properly insulate your space, not only because an ice box often does not make for a very relaxing space, but because the comfort factor is key. Another necessary component is soundproofing, because we all know video games and heated poker nights can get noisy. The best way to soundproof on a budget is surprisingly simple: Carpets and textiles. Think thick, large and wooly carpets in warm colours which will not only give a luxurious ‘gentleman’s-club’ vibe to the space, but will absorb sounds impressively well.
3. Choose your colours wisely
Paint colour is very important to the overall feel of your man cave, so choose wisely. It will all come down to what image you have in your head - when you think 'man cave', what do you see? If you’re thinking of an elegant 1960’s style cigar room/gentlemen’s club, go with a mid-tone colour such as a Taupe grey (if you had no idea that was a word, never mind a colour – click here ) or a deep navy blue. Don’t be afraid to go dark, because these are the low tones that will make the room feel elegant, intimate and all-round super suave.
Alternatively, if you’re thinking more along the lines of an adult play room - complete with dart boards and pool tables – you may want to go with a bright colour such as a red or orange (Top tip: the brighter the colour, the bigger the space seems).
4. Find YOUR Furniture.
The most important thing to making sure this becomes your dream space, is that you need to love everything in it. Don’t worry about whether things ‘go together’, this needs to be 100% your space. If you’re still pining after that great couch your better half vetoed - put it in the man cave! That said, make sure you don’t overcrowd the space.
5. It's all in the details
Your man cave is a great place to house your musical instruments and posters of your favourite movies or bands. Depending on what you want to use your cave for, consider installing a bar - or even a full-sized fridge – in addition to the man cave classics such as a pool table and TV.
Basically, no matter what its purpose, your man cave will be your sanctuary; a place where you go to unwind during the week, or kick-off your evening on a Friday night.
Tempted to build your own, for yourself or someone close to you? Team up with one of our fantastic designers to create your dream man cave – click here to start your project today!