How To Build the Ultimate Man Cave

How To Build the Ultimate Man Cave


Every person needs their own space, and every man needs their own cave. A man cave is a place where you can get away from the world, bring your friends, and enjoy alone time

If you’re looking for your next home renovation project, why not turn your basement, spare room, or empty garage into your personal retreat?

Here’s how to build the ultimate personal space and a few unique ideas to set yours apart:

Before You Begin


Every industrious man knows there are some important things to check in on before grabbing the sledgehammer and starting to tear down walls.

Electricity

If your space has less than adequate space requirements, you may not be able to fill your new room with the features you want. Check that your space has enough outlets or electrical plugs for a television, any games you may want, a mini-fridge, and any other accessory you have.  

It’s easier to add wiring and outlets before renovating as opposed to after, so check these while calculating the electrical load.

Plumbing

We don’t even need to mention how critical this one is. If you want to include a minibar, bathroom, or any other features that use water, you’ll need plumbing as well. If you don’t need plumbing or need a bathroom, you can skip this step. However, if you want a bathroom in the same location or a sink, check for adequate plumbing.

Space

Is there enough space for everything you need? Depending on what you personally want to include in this space, this can look different for everyone. Ensure there’s enough space for your furniture, any accessories you want, games, and more. 

Entertainment System


Once you decide on a place to build your dream room and make sure it meets your needs, you can get started mapping out the space. The first thing you’ll need is a top-tier entertainment system. 

TV

No man’s retreat is complete without a TV to plug in the XBox or watch the game on. But, there are a lot of options. Whether you want a home theater or just a place to watch football on Sunday night, here are some things to consider when looking for the best entertainment systems.

Your TV should be big. We mean big, big. Stay above 55 inches, but men know that going bigger is never a bad idea. After all, you’re likely going to be watching a lot of ESPN in this space, so having the right TV can make a big difference.

If you do decide to go with a bigger-sized TV option, make sure there’s enough distance between your seating area and the TV itself. This will help appropriate the pixels and go easy on your eyes.

Sound

Next, choose the sound you want. If you only want to watch the games, you may not need anything excessive. Consider a sound bar and a speaker for your setup. This combination offers a middle ground between a speaker-only sound system and a surround sound system.

But, if you want your new space to double as your home theater, consider using a full-blown surround sound system to enhance your movie-watching experience. If you’re serious about your TV watching experience and want this to be the main attraction, investing in surround sound is worth it. 

You can also have a system just for music, or this can tie into the sound system you’re already using. If you only want music, consider just a single speaker with the features you want, like Bluetooth or an aux input.

Gaming

Lastly, choose a gaming system. You can use the same speaker you chose for your TV entertainment to play game sounds or use headphones while playing. You can move whatever console you already use down to your new room or get a new one. 

If you don’t enjoy video games but want to add other entertainment, consider these for the ultimate in casual sportsmanship. 

Consider a central game table to be the focus of your design. This could be air hockey, a pool table, a poker table, or something as simple as a skeeball machine or PAC-MAN.

Next, choose a few smaller game areas. You can have a chess or checkers board set up or a few arcade-style machines around the edge of the room. 

If you are going for a more sophisticated aesthetic, look into vintage arcade machines; this can also be a great renovation project to spend some time on. 

Lighting


Lighting your space sets the mood, so it’s important to find the right kind of light for you. Recessed lighting helps create a bright, open space without the lights hanging in your way. If you want your space to be a movie theatre and arcade-themed man cave, consider white lights. If you prefer a relaxing pool table, liquor bar theme, consider warm yellow lighting. 

You can also add a few hanging lights to brighten up certain areas of the space or even a strip of color lights. This space is all about you, so choose the lighting and features you like best. 

Coffee Bar


While a bar cart is a great feature for any room, a coffee bar offers unique sophistication, and a hot cup of brew has incredible health benefits

These are the best additions for a coffee bar:

Every coffee bar needs a coffee brewer. Consider a precision brewer for a quality addition to your space.

Indulge in your favorite flavors. If you want specialty coffee, ask a local roaster if you can buy wholesale from them. Want to take a crack at roasting coffee beans yourself? Buy coffee beans and use a roaster or popcorn machine to roast them. 

Extra additions for your coffee bar include espresso machines, specialty coffee syrups, and more. 

Grab a few camp-inspired Olivers coffee mugs to complete your coffee bar and to help you take it easy while lounging.

Home Gym


Sometimes our lives get so busy between work, families, and friends that we don’t have time to head to the local gym. A home gym is an easy answer to this problem. You can go all out with your home gym with mirrored walls and a kitschy vending machine of your favorite sports drinks. Or, you can go simple: just your favorite workout clothes and some simple tools.

If you’re working with smaller square footage, or you only want to devote part of your space to breaking a sweat, there is a setup for everyone. If a treadmill is too bulky, go for some highly recommended gear that trainers swear by or roll up a yoga mat and store it behind your entertainment center. 

Stay Comfortable

In a room of your own, you can relax, watch games, drink beer or coffee, and enjoy time with friends. It’s also a great place to let the stresses of everyday life melt away. Having a space to call your own can help you relax more effectively.

Change out of your business clothes and relax in our Classic Sweatpant and Classic Hoodie. Made with 100% breathable Japanese Supima cotton, these sweatpants and hoodie are the perfect outfit to enjoy while relaxing (or working out).

A personal retreat is all about gains: physical or mental. A man cave offers all of this to the modern man. 


Sources:

Build a Better Man Cave | Digital Trends 

7 Science-Backed Reasons You Should Spend More Time Alone | Forbes 

How to Calculate Electrical Load | Sciencing

The latest scoop on the health benefits of coffee | Harvard Medical School

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