HOME DECOR
Furnishing A Socalled Man Cave
These days, the idea of a “man cave” carries a somewhat negative connotation, largely because it tends to be associated with the kind of place that 1990s sitcom husbands (think Al Bundy from Married ... with Children) joked about retreating to when they wanted to get away from their nagging wives.
The sexist connotation isn’t far from the truth, but that doesn’t mean the concept should be totally disregarded.
In fact, both men and women need and deserve a sanctuary — a place of their own at home in which to disconnect from the stresses of everyday life by either doing something they love, sharing good times with friends, or simply relaxing. Call it a man cave, or she shed, or mantuary.
According to J.F. Norbert, who works in architecture and building information modelling for Sid Lee Architecture, the main purpose of a man cave largely depends on the man who will be using it.
“It’s a place that’s out-of-bounds from the rest of the house and family,” Norbert said. “It can be used to do something other than what’s going on in the rest of the house — whether because of the noise level it involves, the different level of cleanliness, or whatever.”
Norbert’s ultimate mantuary would be filled with wall-to-wall inspirational images in a large, wide-open space with lots of natural light and artificial lights that can be dimmed to create a comfortable atmosphere when his buddies come over. He suggests using a spare room (in the case of a condo) or a basement (in the case of a house) to create a man space that’s slightly isolated from the rest of the house and, ideally, soundproofed.
Because the purpose of a man cave should be the guiding factor when deciding its location as well as its decor, it’s important to decide whether you’re looking to escape or to entertain. In Mario Januario’s opinion, most men are looking to entertain.
“In my experience with the clients I’ve had, a man cave is more of an area for men to be with their friends and socialize, as opposed to women, who are looking for a space to be alone,” said the interior designer behind Mario Januario Design.
“The kinds of spaces that work best for this kind of activity are wine cellars, large offices, game rooms with pool tables, and sleek home theatres — wide open spaces, basically. Garages work as well, but not so much for socializing — more for solo activities like working on cars, or other specific projects.”
Because most men tend to prefer a darker colour palette, Januario recommends using classic colours like navy, green and red, as well as sophisticated materials and textures to decorate a man cave.
“Men really like the whole cigarlounge/wine-cellar vibe — something that’s dark and cosy,” he said. “Man caves tend to be areas that are a little bit darker than the rest of the house, with a lot of wood and other masculine textures that set it apart from the rest of the decor.”
Rich, sturdy fabrics like leather, canvas, wool and velvet are good choices when it comes to furnishing a man cave, and it doesn’t hurt to choose furniture that’s slightly oversized, too, to help give the space a cocoon-like vibe that’s conducive to both relaxing and entertaining.
As to what, specifically, should go in a man cave, that really depends on the personal tastes of its owner. A couple of obvious essentials could include a large, flat-
Man caves tend to be areas that are a little bit darker than the rest of the house, with a lot of wood and other masculine (decor) textures ...
screen TV with surround sound; big, comfortable armchairs; and a place to store and serve drinks — like a miniature fridge and bar. But those items wouldn’t necessarily suit every man’s taste.
“My man cave would be for doing art projects, drawing, and painting, so it would be a space with everything I need for that,” Januario said. “I really enjoy reading as well, so having a library would be important for me, too.”
In the end, whether your mantuary contains a billiards table, an easel, a collection of sports memorabilia, or musical instruments really depends on what your personal tastes are, as well as what you plan on doing in the space.
By choosing the right location, making sure it’s slightly isolated (and completely soundproof ), as well as equipping it with adaptable lighting and cosy furniture, you’ll be well on your way to creating a man cave that even Al Bundy would be proud to call his own.