Men sometimes feel the need to have a room for just them - no kids or wives allowed (under normal circumstances).
This "man cave" is a place for men to relax with their buddies and enjoy their hobbies without having to worry about the volume of their voice, the topic of their conversation, or sharing the TV remote control.
Whether decorating a man cave or a bachelor pad, here are a few things to keep in mind.
Seclusion
When decorating a man cave, make sure to locate the room far away from the main living areas and bedrooms so men can be secluded and not interrupt others.
Most men like to yell at the television when watching sports.
Usually, not everyone in the house appreciates their enthusiasm.
Having a man cave with a door is important to keep the noise from spreading throughout the house.
A man cave located away from the main house, such as in a garage apartment or outdoor stand alone building, is even better.
Having a man cave in a basement is another option.
Function
When starting to decorate the man cave, make sure to figure out what activities the man wants in his cave.
Does he want a coffee, wine, or liquor bar? A pool table? A big TV? Bookshelves? Arcade games? Mini fridge? Wine storage?
Make sure there is ample room for all activities.
Consider the traffic flow throughout the room to ensure that all activities have plenty of room.
Is there enough room around the pool table to be able to play without hitting the pool cue on the wall?
Is the furniture far enough away from the TV for optimum viewing?
Technology
When decorating a man cave or bachelor pad, make sure to give the man the exact technology that he wants, since having braggable tech tends to be very important to men.
Men tend to like their technology to be the latest and greatest or retro and vintage.
This is one area where the person decorating should let the men make their own selections since it is their man cave.
Some men like their technology very visible, such as giant movie projector screens and huge visible speakers.
Other men want the technology completely hidden and out of sight (such as a Samsung Frame TV #ad that looks like art) so people wonder where all of the tech is hidden.
Theme
A man cave is one room in a home where decorating with a theme is not a bad idea.
Perhaps the theme is football, golf, skateboards, skiing, hunting, poker, motorcycles, beer, wine, cigars, a particular university, or a certain collectible.
Whatever the man is passionate about can be his decorating theme.
Make sure the themed accessories purchased to decorate the room are not cheap and mass produced from a big box home decor store.
Home decor accessories work best if they have some sort of sentimental value, such as something that is a family heirloom or a high quality souvenier brought back from a trip.
Vintage items within the theme would be great accessories.
Comfort
The man cave is a place of relaxation where comfort is a key factor when decorating.
Do not decorate it with pretty furniture that is not as comfortable - comfort must be the first requirement.
Some men want recliners or a coffee table they can put their feet on.
For men wanting comfortable recliners, there are luckily newer recliners that do not look like the traditional ugly recliners #ad.
Other men want an impressive elegant, yet masculine, showplace of a man cave where they look and feel prestigious.
Whatever the style that the man requests, there are many furniture options that offer both style and comfort.
Durability
When decorating a man cave, ensure that the furniture is very durable since some men tend to be rough with furniture.
In addition to making it wear out faster, being rough with furniture will often make it look old and tattered.
There will be nobody there telling them to keep their feet off the sofa or to use a drink coaster.
They might unintentionally abuse this furniture, so make sure it is durable and easily cleanable.
If you know that the man you are decorating for tends to be rough with furniture, consider decorating with vintage furniture. Vintage furniture is typically made more sturdy than current furniture. It also might already have some distressing, so the man adding scratches might just add to the patina.
Fabrics
When decorating a man cave, don't just stick with leather.
Leather is stereotypically a man's favorite fabric, however not everyone appreciates how it can feel sticky and hot.
If the man does want leather, consider a worn brown leather instead of a black leather. Black leather can sometimes feel cheap. Distressed brown leather tends to have more interest and sophistication.
Velvet is a great looking fabric with deep, rich colors and a soft feel.
Performance fabrics might be a good option if you are worried about the man spilling or staining the fabric.
Solid fabrics are best but you can also decorate using geometric patterns like plaid and stripes, but avoid florals unless the man specifically requests them.
Storage
A man cave is a great place for a man to store all of his collections.
When decorating a man cave, ensure that you have plenty of storage for current and future collections.
This might include boxes of stamps, baseball cards, comic books, trophies, sports jerseys, belt buckles, shot glasses, vinyl records, rocks, toy cars, action figures, model trains, and other things.
All of these items that are taking up room inside the rest of the home can now be housed in the man cave.
Make sure there is ample storage to keep all of the man's collectibles, even if they are not all on display.
Smoking Section
If the man enjoys smoking cigars or cigarettes, or his buddies enjoy smoking, make sure to have a designated smoking area when decorating a man cave.
Having a designated area keeps cigar and cigarette butts contained as well as the odor.
Consider adding a deck with a fire pit in your backyard so the smoking section does not feel like the smoker is being punished by having to go outside to smoke.
You might want to add an exterior door to the man cave for easy access to the outdoor smoking area.
Another option is to add a special air filtering system to your home that is made specifically for removing cigarette and cigar smoke.
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