Whether guys admit it or not, one of the ultimate dreams in life is to have your own man cave. Somewhere to kick back, relax and watch the game in for a few hours, so that by the time you leave you’re perfectly refreshed and ready to take on the world again. Unfortunately this remains a fantasy for a lot of men, as they give up on their ideas because of a lack of space or budget. But it doesn’t have to cost a bomb and you don’t need to build an extension to your home, as most modern basements are perfectly capable of becoming full blown man caves with a little bit of work.
Firstly it’s important to get your planning right. To really give yourself the best chance of turning your visions into reality you should take measurements of the basement and make a sketch of it on graph paper. By doing this you’ll be able to take different factors into account, such as pipes or unmovable objects, and prepare accordingly. You don’t want to be halfway through your basement renovation before discovering there’s no space for the leather sofa! With a bit of time you could even work out how to use the layout for your own good.
Planning is undoubtedly the most important step, and you should take your time before settling on any final decisions. This is going to be the room that you relax in after a long day, so it needs to be done right. After you’ve finished your planning and figured out where you’re going to put the chairs, the TV and everything else you can get started on building your very own man cave. This is where you get out the tools, but don’t be intimidated! You don’t need to be a seasoned pro, and if you’re looking to cut into drywall or sand down some tiles then you can use some fairly basic equipment to perform a good job. Circular saws and oscillating multi tools work well here, allowing you to efficiently cut and access those hard to reach areas.
With a little bit of time and hard work you should find that your man cave is starting to match your plans. When you’ve got the basement looking fresh you can get started on the really fun bit, adding everything you’ve ever wanted in there. One of the first elements people introduce to the man cave is a TV, or rather, a wide screen HD flat screen TV with surround sound! Unlike a typical living room you don’t need to worry about the screen taking over the wall, as it will no doubt be the focal point when you invite the guys over to chill. This is your man cave after all, decorate it exactly how you want!Choosing a new TV is always a fun part, but just remember to mark it up on the wall first before installing it. A common mistake people make is when they place the TV too high up, which makes for uncomfortable viewing very early on. You could even build the TV into the wall if you’re up for an extra challenge and you’re after some extra space. One top tip, try to invest in a separate DVR from the rest of the home. This way there’ll be no arguments due to your favourite TV show being switched over just as it was getting started!
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Next you need to focus on the seating arrangements, and whether you’ll want recliner chairs or big, comfortable sofas to sprawl out on. You could even have a dedicated chair for yourself and a separate one in case you invite company over. It’s your man cave, you’re allowed a bit of special treatment! Then it’s all about adding the extras and the personal touches which really mark this space out as yours.
There are plenty of different ideas for the personal touches online, but try to pick something that you really love. Pictures on the wall, a pool table, arcade machines, whatever you can think of. You also need to make sure your internet connection reaches downstairs, so you can play all your favourite online games while you’re relaxing in your bespoke cave. If you and your friends enjoy a bit of gambling now and again then you could see if there’s room for a poker table or a slot machine. A casino themed man
cave sounds like an entertaining place to relax!
Once you’re done it’s time to invite your buddies over and see what they think! But remember, at the end of the day this is your space to hide away from the world, so the most important thing is that you love it. There’s no better place to indulge yourself than your very own man cave, where you’re free of disturbances and you have access to all the gadgets and games that you could wish for.
Unfortunately most men will never have their own cave to enjoy, but the dream doesn’t have to be so far-fetched if you do a bit of planning beforehand. With some time, energy and a bit of money you could really transform your basement into something that’s the envy of all of your buddies. Just try not to spend all of your time down there, you still have a job and a social life to worry about!
