You can call it a man cave or a male sanctuary. Every man needs space to be on his own, decompress and chill out. Let's be honest, men really don't care about interior design and stuff and are happy to let the girls have their final say in the house. But, in return, men need a space of their own which they stamp with their individuality. Even evolutionary studies show that the male species does well with seclusion while recovering from stress. Here are some kickass man cave essentials that every dude needs to include in his sanctuary. Let's build a man cave so awesome you and the pals may have a hard time leaving!
1. A deep comfortable arm-chair with a foot-stool to stretch your legs on is just the right kind of seating. Traditionally, a brown leather armchair has been a favorite, but. we find leather gets cold in winter and sweaty in the summer. Thick cotton furnishing is a good idea because it is comfortable in all seasons. Wool or synthetic fiber is avoidable because it is unsafe around cigarettes and absorbs smells. Experiment with old colonial kind of armchairs which are angled just right for comfort and support. And you need to be relaxed yet alert when you watch hours of sports!
2. For most guys, one of the key elements to a man cave is a kickass HD flat screen. "The bigger the better" say all avid sport watchers or gamers. The grandest by far is the Titan Zeus, measuring 26’ by 16’, a 4K TV that weighs almost a ton and comes with a hefty price tag of $1.6M. But, hey, actually you can get great options in all price ranges. Don't get deterred by all the technical jargon. Here is a short 2 minute video by Cnet explaining how to buy a TV in 2017.
And we love this short read by David Clark on the best TV for watching sports where he discusses some really affordable options and takes out the pain from buying TV!
3. Next on our list is a drink station! You might want to drink on your own or invite your friends over every so often. Either way, you want a dedicated, well-stocked space for keeping cold drinks. If you don’t have room or money for a full blown bar, don’t fret. There are plenty of affordable options, for instance,a portable liquor cart. It’s worth it, because, seriously, who wants to walk 20 feet into the next room for a refill? Here is a no-frills, all-male workhorse bar-cart !
4. And let's team that up with the just the right equipment for a bar.
5. Now for lights! Happily, there is no need for those dainty and confusing chandeliers. You just need good light sources with dimmers, preferably that can be remote-controlled. We recommend you use led strip lights that come in so many colors, warm white, blue, bronze. These light strips can be taped around the edge of the ceiling, preferably behind a lip or cornice. You can tape them around a bench or cabinet too. These light strips are super-cheap, easy to install and are remote controlled. Really cool.
6. And here is a lamp we know you will love!
7. We know you don't want to bother about bottle rings on the table.So why not have your own drinks table?
8. You need a small refrigerator or a kegerator for keeping the drinks cold. These are easy to find and quite inexpensive too. However, we love to put a twist on things and we think that a reindeer drink cooler is just wild enough to work as a cooler and decor too.
9. We did talk about the television set, but sometimes you just need the right setup. You can decide whether you want a flat-mount, swivel or articulating arm (where the TV extends out), and getting the correct brackets for whatever kind of set you have. You should mount the TV set such that when you're standing, you should be looking at the screen dead center. That way, when you sit down, it's a more comfortable viewing angle. A good entertainment center takes care of all the problems of TV set up
10. We love shelves for man caves, both for storage and as decor. Don't go in for the regular rectangular shelves; instead, go in for eccentric designs, store-all shelves. Here is a wonderful example of a shelf which is practical, can store anything and is all that you need as decor.(courtesy:pinterest)
11.Lastly the man cave must evoke some sense of humor, and that’s usually done with framed objects like movie posters or funny quotes. Sports jerseys are great for framing as well. So are comic book covers and vintage advertisements.
In the end, designing the ultimate man room is about creating something that will work for you. Whatever your style, whatever your budget, do it with purpose and make it your own.
Andrew Linekar
