Ever since humans emerged from caves, people have longed for a space of their own. A tree house. A local bar. A shed. But the mark of a truly good life is having a man cave of your own, at least in your own home. A place to go and think. Or a place to have a drink. A place to let loose and watch an unnecessarily large TV. Indulge in a hobby. But where to start?
Building a man cave requires creativity—and more than just throwing a couch and an old TV in a spare room. You don’t have to be Bruce Wayne-like with the money and space to build a full-size suburban Batcave, either. Our guide to some of the coolest man cave ideas will help you upgrade any space you have available, with expert tips on how to achieve that look.
Bar: A creative “man’s den” for drink lovers
A man’s taste in bars is as unique as the man himself. Otherwise, we’d all be happy drinking at TGI Fridays. For some men, they only like high-end IPAs. For others, they like well-aged whiskeys. Others still might opt for tequila, no matter what night of the week it is.
One thing most drinkers have in common is an appreciation for the communal atmosphere of getting together with friends over a few bottles of wine and chatting. That’s why we love the arrangement pictured above so much – the circular seating is a great way to maximize social space. The oversized lounge chairs in brown leather are so cozy, and comfort is clearly the priority.
“A natural focal point can be a round table surrounded by chairs, which is great because you can change the position of the table and chairs to suit the room,” says furniture designer Vanessa Arbuthnott.
“Leather is soft and modern, rugs retain heat longer, and cushions feel cozy and warm. A man cave doesn’t need many accessories, but a few pieces can make a lasting difference in the vibe,” she adds.
If you want to add more decorative elements, a freestanding ashtray like the one pictured above is a great option, especially if you’re into cigars. Bottles along the wall are a great way to celebrate your favorite tipples—in this case, wine, but it could also be craft beer. To make the space as flexible as possible, it’s a good idea to include a sink and ice bucket in the back alcove, and a hidden fridge in these cabinets to store your limes, shakers, and sodas.
Just place some special bottles on either side of the niche and that’s it.
Garage: A private space idea for car lovers
For anyone with a garage, it’s a sanctuary (see Weezer’s In The Garage). Garages are often connected to the main house, meaning you have somewhere to go to relax, whether you’re tinkering with your motorcycle, writing a book, or practicing breakdancing in private.
If your garage space must compete with a real car, then you can make your car the main feature and stick with the theme. Note the race track graffiti on the computer game console and the pool table above.
Because garages are typically dimly lit places filled with spiders and two heaters, painting the walls a bright color will give them a sense of warmth and energy. “Accent walls are a great way to introduce a splash of color without making the space feel crowded,” says Arbuthnott. “But avoid dark contrasting features, such as beams, as this can create a cramped and oppressive atmosphere.”
Be careful about furniture clashes, though: If you choose stainless steel stools and tables, don’t go for wooden picture frames or plush rugs, as this will create an uneven look. The vibe here is more like a sanctuary than a refuge for the elderly. Choose your theme and blend in.
Small Spaces: Man-Made Cave Ideas for Sheds
No, you’re not going to put a pool table or bowling lane in your shed, but by focusing on what you can achieve, you can make your small space the envy of your friends.
“An empty room can actually appear smaller than a room filled with furniture,” Arbuthnott says. “But play with proportions and try not to fill a small space with tiny furniture.”
The example above is obviously going for a rustic, country aesthetic, but it’s definitely not necessary to cover every surface in wood.
Whatever your vibe, spotlights are a great choice for highlighting individual parts of a room or, as shown above, wall art. Arbuthnott says to make them “at least three times brighter than the other lights in the room to be effective.”
Of course, whenever possible, small windows create a sense of space by providing natural light. If that’s not possible, all the more reason to cover your walls with all the posters you loved as a teenager. “A variety of small-scale images create a sense of space because of the gaps between the images,” Arbuthnott says.
Sports dens: football fans’ creative ‘man dens’
For some reason, the gym seems to be a uniquely American hobby. In the UK, you go to the pub to watch football, and that’s it. Sure, you can sit in an armchair and play snooker or rugby to your heart’s content, or play tennis once a year.
But in the United States, there’s a wide variety of great sports on television, from NASCAR to basketball, the NFL, ice hockey, wrestling, rodeos to… well, the list goes on. Did we mention baseball?
Regardless, whether you’re an American sports fan, or a Brit with a good cable TV connection, you need a sports hall. Of course, nothing captures the spirit of sports better than games and memorabilia. So, there are framed jerseys and baseball posters. Add a few glass cases filled with sports memorabilia and let your friends guess: Is that Babe Ruth’s baseball? Maybe Kevin Keegan’s shin pads. Who knows?
It’s important to have an extremely comfortable place to cheer on your team. Look at leather lounge chairs (La-Z-Boys in British English), and yes, you’d be right.
Basements: Private Space Ideas for Homeowners
When it comes to basements, the size of your underground space will largely depend on the size of your above-ground space. The key to making the room look beautiful? “It’s best to find a striking piece of furniture, such as a sofa, plant, or wardrobe, to tie the room together,” advises Arbuthnott. Or, for a man cave, a pool table will never get boring.
Arbuthnot recommends that instead of hanging one large artwork or blown-up photo on the wall, place three adjacent rectangular frames. “This is because if you hang one large painting, the eye tends to focus on the entire wall because there is no room to look at other things.”
Likewise, a pool cue rack with a bright color can draw the eye further into the space and is a great way to store extra clutter. Placing seating areas and fireplaces on other walls is a great way to utilize space that is usually overlooked.
“In a small room, placing storage shelves vertically on the wall is beneficial as it takes up hardly any space while still looking stylish,” enthuses Arbuthnott. Or, as in the example above, a bookshelf provides ample storage space.
Music Nest: Men’s Nest Creative, Turn Up the Volume
One of the few valid reasons to build a man cave is to have a quiet place to practice music, whether it’s guitar, violin, drums or flute.
Ideally, you should clear out some of the clutter in the example above (especially if you have a drum kit installed), but the overall message is a good one: it’s about fandom and celebrating the music you love.
It’s not a huge space, but there’s enough room and storage to keep your records, use the walls to hang guitars and photos, and experiment with mixing up the lighting so you can always set it to match the mood, whether you want to write a dark and somber Nick Cave tribute or a Barry White-style atmosphere-building piece.
Put out a big, comfy couch so you can sit on it or stare at the ceiling while trying to write the perfect riff.
Home theater: private space ideas for movie lovers
What better option is there than to recline in a comfy chair and watch a classic movie? When you start to feel a little claustrophobic, that’s when it’s time. In the picture below, the ceiling is high so it doesn’t cause much of a problem; however, the room is fairly boxy so creating a sense of space is important.
The most effective home theater is one that focuses on movies, so spend as much of your budget as possible on a screen and don’t worry about losing sight of the accessories when the lights go out.
Instead of dark furniture, they opted for a light-colored lounge chair and tan rug, and painted only the accent wall purple, while keeping the ceiling white. “Painting the entire room a dark color can make it feel oppressive and small, but painting just a small section improves the dynamics of the space,” Arbuthnott says.
“An accent wall is a great way to bring in a splash of colour without making a small space look too crowded. It’s best to keep the furniture in a light colour to prevent the room from looking too busy. You can add colour through decorative items like pillows and decorative pieces.”
Add a few bowls of popcorn and a screen/projector combo and hit play.
