The man cave - one of the last bastions of unbridled, unregulated masculinity. Sure, you might have to have decorative throw pillows on your bed AND your couch, and yes, your backyard might have to be redone so that you can have a “vegetable garden” instead of that smoke pit you wanted - but your man cave? Your hide away? Your club house? That is all yours! So, fear not, we’re here to help, with some great man cave tips, tricks, and essentials.
Of course, simply putting up a “gone fishing” plaque and putting in your favorite recliner from college in a room does not make a man cave. No, in fact, that just makes a depressing time-out room for a grown man. Your man cave doesn’t need to be decorated by Bob Villa, but it certainly should say “this is mine” in a masculine way.
A great place to start is to figure out your theme. When people hear “man cave,” they immediately conjure up images of hunting lodge esque burrows or 1950s style home offices that bring up mental images of Leave It To Beaver. There’s nothing wrong with that, but this is a modern time, and as a modern man, your man cave should reflect that. Perhaps you want a room that doubles as a shrine to your favorite team. Maybe a video game motif is more your techy style. Perhaps you want to escape to the world of Westeros, or to a 1930s speakeasy. Figure out your theme and the room will begin to fall into place.
A must-have is an excuse to go hide away in your man cave. Games are a great way to not only decorate, but give you a good reason to escape to your cave. Simple games - beer pong, corn hole - not only make the space more inviting but create a good hangout spot that the rest of the people in your family won’t be interested in. More complicated games, such as billiards, help create a centerpiece and also make the room worth your effort. They also can be quite decorative, if you care about that sort of thing. If you’re more musically inclined, make it your own personal studio with your drum set or guitar and amps. Just make sure you soundproof the room, lest your Man Cave become The Room You’re Not Allowed To Enter.
As you intend on spending a lot of time in this special cave, you’re going to need some drinks. Now, you might be tempted to buy a mini fridge, put in some beers, and call it a day, but wouldn’t it be more fun to have an actual BAR? Like, a real bar? That your friends will be impressed with and make you the cool kid on the block?
Yeah, we got you covered.
First, you should stock your bar with the essentials: Beer, wine, liquor, soda, mixers. Basically, everything you actually want to drink. You’ll also need to invest in proper barware.
First, glasses: Highball, Tumbler, Beer, and Old Fashioned (Whiskey) Glasses are all necessities. After that, you’re going to need some actual bar toys. Invest in a Boston Shaker (because using one of these is guaranteed to make you feel awesome), a Mixing Spoon (because just using a spoon makes you feel lame), a Jigger and a Hawthorne Strainer. You might not ever actually use the Hawthorne Strainer, but you’ll feel like a real bartender in your man cave when you have one of these babies hanging out on your bar.
After you gather everything you need for your home bar and man cave, make sure you get everything just right and then bring in your friends. Remember, without friends, a man cave is just a room with cool stuff in it.
Let us see your man caves on Instagram or Twitter! If you need help stocking that bar, start with Eparé for unique glassware.