Every man desires a room in the house to call their own. They dream of a place where they can unwind, where they can watch some television or a movie. They dream of a place where they can feel like master and commander. That place would be the Man Cave.
This list comprises twelve must-have items in any good Man Cave. These are things that won’t require any reconstruction or rebuilding of the room. These are simply items you can bring in and start enjoying immediately in your new testosterone-fueled clubhouse. Viva la Man!
1) A Really Big Television
This is a must have right off the bat. Men love technology and usually it’s the bigger the better, so what better item to procure right away than a huge hulking flat-screen television. Whether watching the game or an 80’s action movie, a good HDTV will make you feel like you’re right in the middle of the action. A new 3D television would be even better, but not completely necessary.
2) A Surround-Sound System
This goes with the television like peanut butter goes with jelly. If you’re going to be immersed in your movie or game, you don’t want tiny, muffled sound to go with it. You want a full on audio experience coupled with your killer visuals. You don’t have to purchase the best surround-sound system there is to get a good experience. A simple setup will do nicely and will go a long way in your manly room.
3) A Fully Stocked Bar
Watching the game makes you thirsty for a cold one. Since you’re watching from the comfort of your Man Cave and not at the actual game, the only other way to get a beer is to go to the kitchen. Not if you set up a full bar complete with kegorator so that a nice cold brew is only a few feet away. Stock it with quality products so that you can play bartender when your friends come over.
4) A Vending Machine
Nothing adds to the coolness factor of a good Man Cave like some retro technology, and a vending machine is just a no-brainer to add in if you already went the full bar route. Stock it packed with salty chips, pretzels or beer nuts to go with those beers and make a little coin off of your friends in the process. It’s a win-win situation for all.
5) Neon Signs
Again, going with the whole bar theme, these just make good sense and guys love them. Grab some neon beer signs or check online for retro ones like gas signs and other cool manly types. The lighting will be reminiscent of an evening at your local favorite watering hole. They look cool shining their neon glow when all the other room’s lights are turned out too. Sometimes these can be expensive so really do some price shopping when grabbing a few of these, but just a couple will go a long way in increasing your Man Cave’s coolness factor.
6) Good Furniture
Men like chairs and couches that are comfortable, but not ones that look at home on “The Golden Girls.” Look for pieces that are more than just functional. Look for conversation starters. These go great in a Man Cave. Try to find funky type furniture made from other manly things, such as couches made from the rear ends of vintage cars, or other pieces of American male culture. Barber chairs work nicely as they are all chrome and usually have colors comparable to those of classic cars. There is no better way to enjoy a game or to watch your friends play billiards than to kick back in a sleek chromed out barbers’ chair.
7) Gaming Tables
Speaking of watching your friends play billiards, every decent Man Cave needs a good pool table. Man Caves are great for hanging out and watching games on television, but sometimes you need some really friendly competition. Throw in some vintage pinball machines or old arcade games to collect even more change from your friends, as well as to give your Man Cave that aged bar/pool hall feel. If you have the room, consider adding in a card table for those evenings spent sitting around playing poker.
8) A Good Humidor
Here’s the deal. Guys like smoking cigars when playing poker. Maybe all the smoke hides their poker face. However, you need some quality cigars to offer your friends as you play hand after hand of cards, and you need to keep those cigars fresh and ready to go. A good humidor allows you to do so and to let your friends know that you’re an expert on quality cigars.
9) A Vintage Jukebox
A great Man Cave needs some awesome tunes playing at all times. A vintage jukebox is a beautiful, manly piece of nostalgia that will make your place really stand out. You don’t need to spend a lot to own a good jukebox. Some name-brand jukeboxes can be purchased for around $500 and up. You can go with a really retro one where you can see the actual record being played and that has that classic look to or one of the newer ones that you can plug your mp3 player into.
10) Sports Memorabilia
Nothing screams Man Cave like sports memorabilia and collections of sports-related items such as ball cards, autographed balls, posters and assorted figurines and kick-knacks adorning shelves upon your wall. These are items which most male children instinctively keep up in their bedrooms, but as those children become adults, they aren’t allowed to do so anymore by their significant others. The Man Cave is the perfect solution to this because you can display your items proudly along with your favorite childhood banners and stickers. You can hang your favorite signed jersey above that comfy sports team recliner in the corner.
11) A Trophy Display
This is the place to display all those victories in your life that no one else seems to care about. Whether it’s from years of high school football or from your killer performance as a member of the local bowling league, you can display these monuments to your success right next to the rack of antlers you got from that hunting trip where you shot that ten-point buck. Some good advice to remember though is if you have a trophy wife, don’t place her photograph here. You will save yourself much heartache and perhaps a trip to the hospital.
12) Some Cool Posters
Posters are a necessity. As a kid, you covered your walls in them, but as with the sports stuff, your wife will not let you have them up in your bedroom. Decorate your Man Cave with as many movies related, or sports posters as you can. Don’t be tacky with it, pick out some good ones. You don’t want your Man Cave to look like the walls of some trashy wannabe restaurant, but you don’t want naked walls either. Just remember that you aren’t a kid anymore and that this is your Man Cave. Go nuts, but go nuts tastefully. Think along the lines of a retro Star Wars poster or a giant poster of John Riggins breaking through the middle in the Super Bowl, etc.
Last and definitely not least, perhaps the coolest item ever to be added to a man cave:
13) A Urinal
Enough said…
Tags: bar, basement, gaming tables, humidor, jukebox, man cave, neon signs, sports, surround sound, television, trophy, urinal, vending machine
