Man Caves 101

*Originally published on 9/21/09



Guys need a place to hang out, a place to just kick back, relax, and forget the stresses of everyday life. Some people go to the gym, others go to a local bar or bowling alley with friends. Others decide, rather than seek out a sanctuary, to bring the sanctuary to them. It was this concept that created the idea of the "man cave". What's a man cave? Essentially, it's a room that a guy goes to in order to relax. Most often, man caves can be found in the basement of a house, though a garage or attic will work just as well The basement is the ideal spot though as it's cooler and if the basement is finished, it makes the man cave that much better.

What goes into a man cave depends on the person. His hobbies impact the general decorum. The image for Wikipedia's page on man caves showcases Civil War memorabilia, suggesting a history buff. Most man caves have a large television that can either be for video games, movies, or just sporting events. Posters will often line the walls and there will be shelves and shelves of stuff.

The more literary inclined will need nothing more than a halogen lamp, a comfortable chair and shelves for all of their books.

Film buffs will have their walls lined with movie memorabilia, some even go so far as to convert the room into a literal home theater. You can see images of some of these on bluray.com. Video game players will have all of their games and consoles. The more well to do will even buy the old style arcades that you can buy in some catalogs. While the decorum varies depending on the person's interests and hobbies, there are certain things that are standard issue for any self respecting man cave.

The first is the big television, which I mentioned before. No matter what your interests are, you can find a reason to put that to good use.

With a big tv, you'll want comfortable recliners, or a big couch. Other furniture requirements are a table and shelf space for all of your knick knacks.

Assorted games are also a pretty good idea for a good man cave. I'm not talking about games of the Xbox/PS3 variety (though those definitely don't hurt) I mean more along the lines of a dart board, pool, ping pong, or air hockey tables. You can also buy pinball machines if you want to go all out.

You'll also want a refrigerator/freezer. This will make it more convenient to get a tasty beverage should you get parched. I would also suggest putting a George Foreman grill down there as well so you can cook up some burgers when you get hungry.

Some sort of sound system would also be preferable so that you can listen to music. Whether you use a computer, a stereo, or the sound system from your television is up to you. Either way, music always adds an element of atmosphere to the man cave.

This is one of the major selling points of being a home owner. Yes, a home is always a solid investment, but the lure of a man cave is enough to get any renter to reconsider his lease. Converting the basement to a man cave is one of the reasons I really look forward to buying a home one day (that and installing a fire pole from the second to the first floor).

At first glance, a man cave seems over indulgent and hedonistic, however, I came across an article that says man caves can actually save marriages.

While the area is often dubbed a man cave, it is not an idea that is exclusive to the male gender. While most men ask that women generally avoid the area, or at the very least, knock before entering, women can have areas of their own that they can design to act as their own sanctuary and retreat. They should be able to kick back and relax just as much as any guy.

If you have an extra room that you're not sure what to do with, I would give this some thought if I were you, because having a man cave looks to be awesome times. It can be a bit pricey, depending on how far you plan on going with it, but the investment seems well worth it.