When we look at a home, we typically expect to see a woman’s touch all around the main living area. Women are the decorators in 90% of homes. They have the magic touch, but it can leave men feeling a little uncomfortable if they are trying to enjoy watching the Super Bowl with a group of guys from work. Therefore, a lot of people are making use of their basements to give the man of the house his own space. These “rooms” have always been associated with cold, dark, damp areas of a home that were wasted space except for storage. Now, though, people are starting to look at those old basements in a new way. Therefore, if you want to add “living space” we recommend that you consider custom basement bars and man caves.
The Man Cave
Man caves are commonly associated with places for men to go and have a great time without leaving home and without disturbing their wives. Therefore, many have bars set up for boy’s nights and major sporting event viewing. They can be decorated with “manly” items while the women’s things stay upstairs in the main house. It can be a great space for dads to unwind when they come home from work and a place for him to camp out if he ends up in the dog house with his beloved partner.
Things Every Man Wants in the Cave
Virtually all man caves are required to have a bar of some sort. It seems to be an unwritten law among men that you cannot call it a cave without one. We custom made the bar for our man cave using a beautiful cedar wood and then coated our bar tops with epoxy to ensure that they would always be beautiful in a “manly” kind of way. Behind the bar, we have a fully stocked fridge at all times. Once you leave the bar, you will find a card table with chairs, a recliner, and a large screen television. We were hoping for a pool table, but ran a little short on room when we got it all laid out. We also have a fondness for our dart board and all the sports memorabilia hanging on our walls.
Designing Your Man Cave
Comfort is the key to success when it comes to a dark, dingy basement that you hope to turn into a man cave. You can leave the concrete floor and simply add throw rugs or tile. Walls are sometimes a little harder. Most basements have blocks or concrete walls, which are damp and cold. This means you may want to add insulation or seal them up extremely well. A lot of people also add sheet rock to the walls to keep heat inside, but you do have to make sure it is sealed well before you do this. You may still need to add a space heater or some other type of heating source to the room for added comfort. Beyond this, you should add decor that meets your personal style. The theme should be purely “man” in your man cave. Designed for you and the guys, with an occasional visit from the wife and kids if you choose to let them be there.
