There's plenty of reasons to get excited about a home renovation project, but none can be quite as exciting as the planning and building of a man cave - it's true, just ask the men in your household.
A man cave deserves thorough planning so that you can turn the space into exactly what you want with all the masculine trimmings. Whether it's a basement conversion, a new outbuilding project in the garden or an extension attached to the house, your man cave has to tick all the boxes and utilise the space available in the most effective way possible while remaining extremely safe.
Many of our clients ask for our input and advice when we're planning and building this sort of exciting project for them, so we thought it'd be a great idea to share some of those tips and snippets of advice with you right here so that you can learn what it takes to build the world's best man cave - or at least something that will mightily impress your family and friends.
Measure the space and consider electrical needs
It's important to measure your man cave accurately so that you can plan how it'll be configured internally. Think about where all of the furniture and gadgets are going to be beforehand - large TV's, the sofa, bean bags, pool table and whatever other ultra cool stuff you plan on adding. If It's an existing space such as a basement it's also important to check the electrical wiring set up and available outlets so that you can decide whether it'll be a good idea to upgrade them or add more.
Plan for any required plumbing
Some man caves will need plumbing, especially if you plan on building the world's best man cave complete with a bar area - a source of running water would be a very useful addition to such a feature. Perhaps you want to kit it out with its own toilet or kitchen area to boot, in which case you'd also need to consider what sort of plumbing will need to be in place.
Think of a theme - perhaps metal and/or wood
The world's best man cave needs some serious style and edginess about it, so it helps if you can decide on an overriding theme or vibe. An industrial appearance tends to work particularly well for a man cave with plenty of wood and metal materials throughout, maybe some exposed brickwork. These materials not only look cool but they're also extremely durable, as inexpensive or expensive as you want them to be and are very easy to get creative with.
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Choose a central focus
If you're having something like a pool table, poker table, foosball table or some other table-based game in your man cave then consider making it the central attraction of the room. You can really make it stand out with some clever spotlighting so game players have great visibility whether playing during the day or night. Many of these tables are often quite large, so you'll want to make sure you have plenty of room to accommodate it, which all comes back to the point we mentioned earlier about the importance of working to accurate measurements taken at the very start.
Imagine building your man cave, setting up your pool table and then finding out that you really could've done with an extra couple of foot!
Fitting the right display
Another important feature and form of entertainment in a man cave is likely to be a TV - no doubt large, modern and extra sleek. You'll want to consider how far away the seating arrangement is going to be from the TV screen during your planning prep, as nobody appreciates being too close. You need a little distance so that you can appreciate those pixels and ultra HD. If you have a large blank wall you could even consider installing a projector instead - this is usually perfect for screening movies or watching sport.
Utilise the space effectively
If you want to maximise the space that's available to you, try to avoid planting large pieces of standard furniture (sofa, dining table etc.) directly in the middle of the room. This just creates a dead zone that can't be used for anything fun. Instead, think about pushing all seating up against the walls and get creative with where you store things.
The coveted bar area
Nothing screams ultimate man cave quite like the addition of a bar area. This section can include stools, a refrigerator packed with cold cans and a nice display cabinet fully stocked with your favourite tipples. There are many ways you can set up a bar area so do let your imagination run wild.
(MORE: View some of our projects >>)
Find an answer to keep things cool and ventilated
If your man cave has easy access to an outdoor space, fantastic - you could fit large bi-fold doors that you can slide open to air the room and get rid of those manly odours and high temperatures from time to time. If not, a quality air conditioning unit could be the answer to keep the temperature of the room well regulated. For outbuilding work that's going to see your man cave designed and built from scratch you'll fortunately have the opportunity to include as many large windows as you like.
Choose the correct lighting
When it comes to lighting there seems to be no end to the supply of options. It can be tempting to go all-in on LED lighting in a man cave, but the truth is this can grow old quite quickly. You need some other form of lighting to fall back on - something a bit more traditional. Standard ceiling lights or ceiling spotlights coupled with some bar-style pendant lights always work well in a man cave set up. This could be your main source of lighting, allowing you to then make use of some LEDs or cool lamps to add some points of interest throughout the room.
Adding a super sound system
Let's be honest, it's not going to be quiet in this man cave of yours. You're going to be playing music, movies, games... to get the most from this entertainment you need to install a cracking sound system. Take the time to plan out your speaker arrangement so that you maximise the potential. A wireless system can be useful as you'll be able to play around with the positioning to find what works the best.
Have you been thinking about adding a man cave to your property? If so, don't hesitate to get in touch so that we can discuss your project in detail and offer a free, no obligation quotation. We offer a wide range of home improvement services here at RGB Construction and serve Cardiff and surrounding areas of South Wales. Contact us today by calling 07946452571, e-mail enquiries@rgbconstruction.info or fill in our online contact form.
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