When you move to a new house, you can build your new life from scratch. If you choose, you can cast aside your old possessions, forget your previous style and decor, and lovingly craft your new lodgings into the perfect environment. So what better opportunity than to create a man cave to fulfill all your masculine needs?
Every guy needs some alone time to relax and wind down from the pressures of work and life. A place where you can block out the outside world and spend a few hours watching sports, playing video games, and doing whatever it is you do that makes you, you. A man cave gives you this private space, and you can fill it with whatever you like: books, snacks, video games, a pool table, even a home cinema. It entirely depends on your own personal needs and preferences.
As soon as you arrive at your new home, building your man cave should be one of your first priorities. Sure, you need to unpack, send your car across the country through CarsRelo, and meet the new neighbors, but don’t leave it too long or you’ll forget all about it.
If you’ve never had your own man cave before and are unsure where to start, here are ten tips to help you get it off the ground.
Seek inspiration
Before you get started on your man cave, the possibilities are endless. You might find yourself so overwhelmed by the options that you don’t know which way to go. The best way to narrow down your choices is to seek inspiration from other people’s designs. Search the internet for other man caves around the world and you will soon pick up some great tips for creating your own space. And if you really lack originality, there’s nothing wrong with copying some else’s ideas.
Find a space
When you have a rough plan in mind, you need to pick an area of your home to transform. You could use the main living room, but this might not work if you live with a partner as it will likely be a shared room. In an ideal world, you would have your own space. A basement, garage, or loft are excellent ideas, although they may require more extensive renovation to create a liveable and comfortable environment.
Sort out the technicalities
Whichever space you choose, the most important consideration is the electrical requirements. If you plan your man cave to feature a lot of technology, you might need an upgrade or addition. If you have more advanced needs like plumbing or cooking facilities, this will take a lot more work to get set up.
Find a theme
For a truly distinctive man cave, your new space should revolve around a theme. Perhaps you’re a sports nut, and your walls will be adorned with jerseys, pennants, and scarves from teams and matches that are close to your heart. Or maybe you’re a movie buff and prefer a wall-to-wall DVD collection and vintage posters of your favorite movies. If this feels too gimmicky for you, a theme can be nothing more than a certain style or design. Wood panels and soft carpets give a comfortable, hygge feel. Alternatively, you could opt for a more modern, sleeker metal and glass motif. Having a theme in mind from the beginning will help to inform all of your decisions and give you a vision to work towards.
Choose a focus point
When guests walk into your man cave, there should be one central attraction that makes them say wow. It could be a gigantic TV screen, a pool table, or even your own home bar. Whatever it is, you should plan your design around this object and then work from there.
Create balance
Even though your man cave is focused on a central object, you shouldn’t let this overwhelm the room. It provides a starting point for creating your space, and you should include many additional activities and functions to make your room more interesting. You want to appeal to all aspects of the man inside you.
Install the technology
No man cave is complete without a large amount of technology. You will want a TV screen for watching films, sports, and playing video games. You’ll need your favorite games console and a state-of-the-art sound system for the most immersive experience possible. Other options include music players, a drinks fridge, and even a treadmill if you want to work out in your new space.
Add furniture
You’re going to spend a lot of time in your new man cave, so you’ll need adequate seating. Keep your seating plan open and spaced out around the edges of the room to avoid creating dead space in the middle. This will make your man cave feel bigger and more luxurious. The specific type of seating should reflect your man cave and its uses. If you’ll be spending a lot of time watching movies and sports, then a comfortable reclining chair might be best. If you’re a hardcore gamer then a high-end gaming chair will help you optimize your performance. Remember to include enough seats for any guests you invite over.
Don’t forget the snacks
You’ll be down in your man cave more often than you think, so you’ll need some food and drinks to keep your energy up. A mini-fridge is a great way to keep yourself energized without having to keep heading to the kitchen. Fill it with beers, water, chips, fruit, and all your favorite snacks.
Make it comfortable
The very last step is to add the finishing touches that make it a comfortable, pleasing place to spend your time. Cushions, throws, and rugs will make it feel more luxurious and relaxing, while ambient lighting and music playing will help you feel at peace. If you have the budget for it, you might choose to insulate your man cave to block out irritating background noise.
Your man cave will be the highlight of your new home, and is sure to impress all of your guests. Take note of these tips and follow your heart, and you’ll soon have created the perfect environment to spend your time in.
