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So I have a once in a lifetime (hopefully don't do this too many more times!) to build my ideal man cave. We are rebuilding the house, and I have a 'study' that I could convert into a man cave. It's a 3.5m x 3.5m room upstairs with reasonable natural light through a west facing window.

I am a hobby painter, and the occasional solo game, the room may very occasionally be used as a guest bedroom (so needs to be able to pack down to minimal visible trolls and tanks). I also like photography and mountain biking (in case anyone has ideas of incorporating them!)....

Any ideas, photos, wish lists etc will be very handy! Thanks all

You probably want your painting desk opposite the window. Most people, painting comes in the evenings and nights. Though it is nice to have a view to help relax as you work, don't want the sun in your eyes.

What I've always wanted in a man cave:
-Small indoor cloth hammock.
- (Not leather) 2 person couch.
-A few small bookshelves, for for novel/codex reason.
-21" TV near the desk, for corner-of-your-eye entertainment
-Surround sound.
-Larger TV if you plan on gaming there.

Don't forget a stripper pole so, um, your buddies can have strippers over while you totally behave yourself around the wifey...

You need a portion of your wall that's on a lever activated swivel. Load the other side with Sci-Fi painted water guns.

You guys are forgetting the most important part! The area designated for the keg.

Some great ideas! I'm liking the stripper pole... Obviously for guest use only.
Good point about the sun and painting table.
I'm not a computer gamer anymore (since birth of sprog meant something had to give in my spare time), so big tv not necessary.
Keep them coming, I'm getting some thoughts moving here!

Definitely need a kegerator and mini fridge.

Ahhh... My ideal man cave...

The room is decorated in the wood paneling with stained glass panels in the windows and on the orver head lighting (check out the homes on Mork and Mindy and in ET as an example), one wall is lined with classic arcade games, there is a kegarator, plush comfy chairs and couch, and a game table in the middle. Movie posters and albums from 80s movies on the walls. Maybe some art deco neon somewhere.

I want to walk into my man cave and leave the 21 century at the door and go back to happier times.

As it is right now my garage is my man cave, complete with project car I'm trying to put back together after bambi ran out in front of my wife.

A hammock for mid afternoon naps.

Try to get some classy art to put on the walls. Don't put up anything tacky, or tasteless.

What you hang on your walls in this space will say a lot about you.

 Lockark wrote:
Try to get some classy art to put on the walls. Don't put up anything tacky, or tasteless.

What you hang on your walls in this space will say a lot about you.

....What's wrong with you... It's a MAN CAVE!!!!! Only his closest mates are supposed to see it anyways! Hang up that tasteless Heavy Metal poster if you want. It's your room! Not the place people go to judge you... jeez man!


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Do you even man-cave, bro?

Man, I hate to be that guy, but lighting is super important I've found. The Caves I've seen are usually in the basement I've found, or some other secluded part of the house and end up reminding me of a movie theater in terms of darkness. So, get some of those light-emitting things and put them everywhere!

Also, no leather, go for microfiber (comfy but has that leather thing where no heat escapes so...buy some Febreeze...because swamp ass.). If you have room a fridge might be nice to keep some brews/drinks nearby or food, I always go for food.

Ah, yeah, because it's a MAN Cave you'll need a spike covered boxing bag that you can use to weed out your true friends from the pretenders.

Loads of shelves, a great desk and a comfortable chair, bendy lights attached to the desk or the nearby shelf, paint rack, a beer fountain, a stereo or Bluetooth speaker for your tunes, and soundproof walls so you can say you didn't hear her when she called for you to mow the lawn...and a lock on the door...

Deer head on the wall, a wet bar for your favorite adult beverage, old school Nintendo game consol hooked up to your flat screen TV, a couch for your drunk buddy to sleep on, good lighting when you want to paint or read a book,

I hate the phrase "man cave". It sounds like a euphemism for ass and conjures images of neanderthals.


I prefer Nerd Lair.

I got lucky in my current house (well, maybe I convinced my wife it was the best house and the huge extra room was an ulterior motive... but I digress)

Its a long, rectangular room, maybe 35'x 14', windows at both ends. I have several sets of large, plastic shelves along one long side to hold armies, boxes, terrain, paints etc. One end has beer making equipment on a set of chrome shelves and the stairs leading up, the other has my main desk for painting/modeling, a 32" TV for movies/etc, in the corner, and along the nearest wall another desk for near term projects, bookshelves and a small 4'x4' table. In the center of the room I have a 6'x4' table and can bring my 6'x8' table top up from the garage for larger games. I currently have MDF boards with green mat glued on; but I just bought the GW Realm of Battle board to paint/ utilize and a Zuzzy Mat for urban games. I do have a kegerator and wine fridge, though they are downstairs for entertaining. I have space for a second 4'x6' table and a futon, so those might be on the docket next along with a mini fridge. This way I can host, have two games going and plenty of seating. I also need to acquire a half decent stereo of some sort for better music; laptop speakers don't quite cut it.

My ideal man cave....
Comfy Chair, TV, Shelves, Display Cabnit and you should really consider that stripper pole!

painting desk.
bookshelf for books.
bookshelf for DvDs.
descent flat-screen.
laptop "station" desk.
poster of the arbiter.
40k game table.
an alcove for a suit of styrophome suit of armour that looks like the knight armour from fire emblem shadow dragon.
a ballisticiae (for pesky seiges.)
a lance. and or pike.

The Dork Dungeon?

Let's see here:

-Painting Table w/ built in shelves and paint rack
-Hobby Table w/ magnetic storage to keep all tools in place
-Gaming Table with side space for dice, models, and drinks
-Lazyboys/couch with game console on big screen
-conditioned closet to store Media center/NAS/Gaming PC with cable leading behind the walls to said gaming TV
-build-in surround sound, but also media center controls at the painting/hobby tables and headphone ports
-display cases built into book shelves to store books and armies and display minis
-Preferably a basement and black out curtains on the windows for movies or gaming sessions

Mine is pretty good. Converted shed/bungalow type situation..
http://azazelx.wordpress.com/2014/04/16/the-war-room/

If I could add more features, there would be a split system heater/aircon (next year!), more space for shelving and mounting stuff on the walls, and some room for Detolf glass display cabinets. I'd like to have a bigger couch, but ...space.

The TV has a DVD/Blu Ray/WD Live setup, but no cable TV - and the videogaming stuff is in the house.

First off, you NEEEED to enlarge the room... This is to make sure you have plenty of space for the pool/billiard table, AND the bar/seating... This will make sure you have room for the shelving/storage for minis/gaming stuff, as well as billiard gear and the alcohol.


I'd also suggest the largest TV that you can possibly fit on the wall (reasonable size be damned... just get the biggest thing until theres no more wall space)



My "man cave" is the "Great Room" (according to the floor plan) so dominates about 1/3rd of the downstairs of my house. It's got the only fireplace in the house, along with a 65" or so TV (working on getting a wireless Sub for it) as well as my pool table, with a classic, WW1 English recruitment/Rugby poster:



The thing that I'm lacking in, is seating (but the dining room is right there, so we switch between dining chairs, or fold out camp chairs, but really any seating must be portable), as well as a "proper" bar, but booze is never far, nor hard to get to. Of course, all this is different from my "office" where my desktop PC is, along with all the books, models and minis, etc.

More storage space than you think you'll ever need (I've got a wall of half-glass Billy Bookcases from Ikea and it's overloaded), folding tables, desk (near but not at the window), a couple of moveable lamps and lots of lighting.

This would be my ideal hobby hole:

http://wargamingworkshop.wordpress.com/gaming/wargaming-room/

Take a look and weep. You'd never actually have to leave the room except for going to the Loo or eating!

 Pyeatt wrote:

 Lockark wrote:
Try to get some classy art to put on the walls. Don't put up anything tacky, or tasteless.

What you hang on your walls in this space will say a lot about you.

....What's wrong with you... It's a MAN CAVE!!!!! Only his closest mates are supposed to see it anyways! Hang up that tasteless Heavy Metal poster if you want. It's your room! Not the place people go to judge you... jeez man!


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Do you even man-cave, bro?

I guess not. I have never felt the need to hang pitchers of cake boys on my walls. Lol

Personally for a man cave

Beer
Mini fridge
Tv
Couch
Painting table and station
Display Cases/shelves for books
Spare Fold out tables

Generally in that order of priority

Id say 2-3 Tables for hobbies and photograpy
a fold out couch bed for the guests
and hang your mountain bikes inside on the wall as decoration

 Desubot wrote:
Personally for a man cave

Booze
Mini fridge
Tv
Couch
Painting table and station
Display Cases/shelves for books
Spare Fold out tables

Generally in that order of priority

Id say 2-3 Tables for hobbies and photograpy
a fold out couch bed for the guests
and hang your mountain bikes inside on the wall as decoration

Fixed that for you

I guess its good to diversify

 zedmeister wrote:
This would be my ideal hobby hole:

http://wargamingworkshop.wordpress.com/gaming/wargaming-room/

Take a look and weep. You'd never actually have to leave the room except for going to the Loo or eating!

That is one damn nice games room!

My room has a closet (put all my minis and stuff in there) leather couch, leather recliner, 5ft desk for PC and painting station, storage cubbys and a TV. Usually I set up my table elsewhere but can out it in there as well.

For your hobby room why not just buy a desk, couch and TV and your good to go. Especially if you don't play a whole lot of games.

My ideal mancave would have:

- Some kind of workbench (preferably in metal)
- Large freezer
- Empty oil barrel
- Sink, with garbage disposer
- Solid sturdy hook in the ceiling
- Cabinet with misc chemicals
- Cupboard with knives, ropes, a hammer, matches, plastic sheets (on roll, ideally)
- BK Häcken T-shirt on the wall

And no carpeting, for heavens sake!

Aesop the God Awful wrote:
My ideal mancave would have:

- Some kind of workbench (preferably in metal)
- Large freezer
- Empty oil barrel
- Sink, with garbage disposer
- Solid sturdy hook in the ceiling
- Cabinet with misc chemicals
- Cupboard with knives, ropes, a hammer, matches, plastic sheets (on roll, ideally)
- BK Häcken T-shirt on the wall

And no carpeting, for heavens sake!

Jeebus, are you trying to hide the evidence/bodies??