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However, a home can require a bit of reworking for those who do not
live alone. Everyone likes to have their own bit of personal space.
From newlyweds to extended families, each person in a household
needs to make a piece of the home their own. That piece will reflect
the personality of the inhabitant and, in turn, give the inhabitant
a little peace of mind. By now, some of you may be wondering what
I am talking about. But there are certainly those who share these
feelings and know exactly which two words come to mind: man cave.
The term may seem a bit crude and exclusive to one gender. In
truth, it is no different than a young boy's pillow fort with a
paper sign that reads, "No Girls Allowed." Every boyfriend, husband,
father or son needs a place to unwind after a day of school or work
(or both); a place where the remainder of the house or apartment is
a distant thought, yet close at hand. It is a place where a man does
not share storage with wives, daughters, sisters or girlfriends.
Once again, only two words come to mind: man cave.
Now a man cave is different from one man to another. For those
who seek to obtain this style of masculine solitude, here are some
tips to get you on your way.
The obvious first priority in designing a man cave is comfort.
The occupant should strive to establish the most comfortable setting
possible. In order to achieve maximum comfort, it would be
advantageous to acquire a comfortable armchair. Furthermore, any
armchair worth its stuffing should come equipped with a functional
recline feature.
For those men who find their wallets a little less full than they
would like, check with family members. Chances are there is a family
member looking to remove old furniture from their living room. This
would be a good strategy for any young man moving out of his family
home and striking out on his own. A second idea would be to check
thrift stores for cheap donated chairs; a few scratches or tears
merely provide a bit of character.
In lieu of a chair, a futon makes a good substitute, and it
provides seating for friends, or the occasional significant other.
In addition to the seating arrangement, a proper man cave should
contain table space. Preferably, this space would take the form of a
small end table, providing room for food, drinks, the remote control
or even a small computer for immediate Internet access (provided one
has access to outlets and wireless Internet).
Across from the seating and table space should rest the focal
point of any good man cave: the television. The television, along
with any video game consoles, video-playing devices or channel
providers, should be placed far enough away to experience the entire
screen, yet not so far that buttons cannot be accessed within three
or four steps. Movies and video games should be placed on a shelf
nearby for ease of access. In addition, the television should be
situated in such a way as to prevent glare from windows.
With the falling prices of high-definition televisions, a quality
machine should not be hard to locate, using the same criteria one
would use to acquire furniture.
If you are a man with a bit of extra patience and income, there
is a small market for used projectors that can be found on auction
sites, even if they come with small defects. If you are lucky, you
can find one with only a support piece missing and no damaged
electrical components.
For those with room to spare in their man cave, a good workspace
should be available for excess electronics or special projects that
need building. While a solid desk arrangement could be purchased at
any office supply store, a good alternative can be found at any
hardware store. A wooden workbench, easily assembled on your own,
makes an excellent workspace, and when coupled with a supply of
carpenter's pencils, provides a method of taking notes when no paper
is in sight.
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As an extra touch of comfort, a man should consider adding a
mini-fridge to his man cave. What fills the fridge is up to the
individual, though for some the choice will be obvious (as
appropriate to one's age). Along with a fridge should be a bottle
opener. It is possible to find openers with bottle cap storage, and
these make great additions to the comfort level of the room.
A second food-related device that will always come in handy is a
pizza cooker. With the right amount of space and shelving, not to
mention electrical outlets, a ready supply of pizza is always
welcome.
Now comes the best part of any man cave designing phase: deciding
on the décor. After all, blank walls are hardly reflective of one's
personality.
Decorations will vary from one man to another, depending on your
tastes and available space.
For the sports enthusiast, a series of shelves lined with
memorabilia is suggested. A series of sports-themed knickknacks,
such as bobbleheads, cardboard cutouts, miniature helmets and pieces
of sporting equipment, will make an excellent lineup of decorations.
Various athletic signs and posters can adorn the walls and are
especially useful for covering up imperfections. Remember, it's a
man cave.
For those among men who do not follow the athletic pursuits, the
same rules apply. Finding a series of "nerdy" decorations is easy,
provided one knows where to look. In absence of posters or photos,
framed comic book covers and swords make good wall decoration
(safety is paramount when hanging the latter).
If you do not have the fortune of retaining space in the house
for your man cave, consider the garage as a good alternative. The
garage likely contains a variety of tools and car parts already. Why
not put some furniture and maybe a source of heat out there as well?
As a last-ditch option, consider the outdoors to be your asylum.
A comfortable hammock creates a great napping space, and there are a
variety of fire pits available today for late-night fun with the
guys.
When all is said and done, your man cave should be a place of
serenity, at least for you. While family and loved ones are
wonderful to have, sometimes you just want to crawl into a hole and
hide somewhere. Sometimes, a hole in the wild can lead to a great
cavern underneath; why can't the same be true at home?
All photos donated anonymously by Lincoln men. Sorry, ladies, "No
Girls Allowed!"
[By DEREK HURLEY]
LDN 2013 Spring Home Improvement
Magazine
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