A New Man Cave

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http://www.nootbaarplumbing.com/blog/?p=7692

Thoughts on Man Caves

Carving Out A New Man Cave

For those men moving into a new home or rental unit, it’s important to get started on carving out a new man cave as soon as possible and maybe even before the first mover has shown up with the first box. After all, one of these man-specific rooms — hopefully complete with a home theater, big screen LCD or plasma TV and all the goodies — is practically a right nowadays, correct?

This can really be the case when one looks at the typical household today, which usually consists of a wife and at least two kids. It can quickly become evident that there probably won’t be too many places in the house that a man will be able to call his own personal space. This isn’t to complain about the situation but rather to point out the need for a little space on occasion for the man of the house.

And even if there wasn’t something like a cave before maybe the kids have finally moved out and gone to college or are out on their own and discovering how hard it is to get up on time and go to work, for example. Maybe there’s now a room that will make for a good cave. It might be full of stuff right now — for example, who needs four home space heaters? — But it will soon become the cave of a man’s dreams.

There may even be some nice space out in the garage that the boy and his former band used to play in. They walled off a nice room and they put carpeting down, so half the job is done. Just move that old Epiphone electric guitar out of the way, or hang it up on the wall, and then get cracking on lining up a really nice TV set, at minimum.

There are a few things that should go into any new cave designed for a man, most people who know about such things would say. For one, there’s got to be at least one really nice lounge chair or even a theater chair if someone has the money for that kind of stuff. Also, the television needs to be at least 44 inches in size, although TVs in the 50 range are much better.

It’s also the case that a good quality home theater system goes along with the TV and the lounger. Add in a small refrigerator for cold drinks and maybe even one of those theater popcorn makers and everything is almost there. And if the budget can’t quite handle all that, consider holding a garage sale and unloading that alpine skiing equipment that was used precisely one time 10 years ago.

No man, if pressed, would ever say that he’s anything but focused on his family and that a cave is nothing more than a place where he can find some temporary respite. There’s nothing wrong with that, and it’s better that he spends his Sundays in there watching the football game than actually out there trying to recapture his lost youth by maybe playing it, right?

A Boston Bruin Man Cave

This article is from The Boston Globe When not on the ice, Dennis Wideman is hanging in his pad - The Boston Globe
By Globe Staff writer:
Christopher Muther
© Copyright 2010 Globe Newspaper Company.

Sports Celebrity Man Cave

When not on the ice, he’s hanging in his pad

To hear Boston Bruins defenseman Dennis Wideman tell it, decorating his North End bachelor pad was a quick, but not necessarily painless project.

“I try to make things like that as easy as possible,’’ he says. “I don’t particularly enjoy furnishing an apartment. I have the time, but I just don’t like thinking about furniture.’’

His decorator, Waltham-based Erin Polansky, has a slightly different take on the experience, however.

“At first he was pretty indifferent to the process,’’ she says. “I think that’s the reaction some people have when they first start working with a decorator. But as we got into it more, it was clear that there were some things that were important to him.’’

The first thing Wideman wanted to change about the condo - which has dramatic views of TD Garden and the Zakim Bridge - was the wall color. The stark white left him feeling cold, so Polansky warmed up the walls with beige. White doors were replaced with cherry-stained wood to give the two-bedroom condo more personality and a more masculine feel.

But despite his stated indifference toward redecorating - and let’s be honest, not many pro hockey players, save Sean Avery, would own up to an interest in style - Wideman was clear on one item he wanted to have a place of honor in his home.

“I’ve always wanted a pool table,’’ he says. “I have a big island that I can use as a kitchen table, so I knew if I got a dining room table, I wouldn’t use it at all. I figured I’d use a pool table a lot more than a kitchen table.’’

Wideman uses the billiards table two to three times a week, although if he went to an actual pool hall he’d swiftly be defeated by professionals. He’s more skilled at the other game in his condo - the arcade-size video game Big Buck Hunter, which he managed to purchase through a contact in the bar industry. In the hockey off-season, Wideman sees real bucks when he returns home to Canada, where he lives on a lake in Northern Ontario.

“It’s definitely a bit of a man cave," says Polansky. “But I think there are some things that we did that make it a little more than the usual bachelor pad. We found a really cool [industrial] light to go over the pool table. It’s a modern take on the lighting in a pool hall."

She said that Wideman also took an interest in the art for the condo, including a painting by local artist Amber Ghory which hangs near the beloved pool table.

But Wideman says what pleases him most about the space is its “Boston feel.’’
“When I was traded here [from St. Louis], I knew I wanted to live in a place that felt like Boston,’’ Wideman says. “I like this place because it has exposed brick and beams. If I’m going to live in Boston, I want to have the full experience.’’

==>Follow Dennis on Facebook <==
Career Stats in the jump!

Man Cave Classic - The Mosby Home Theater

Man cave classic

Glenn J. Mosby crafted this Man Cave back in 2006, before the term Man Cave was as popular as it is now. Back then it was just one hell of a home theater/media room. I'm not sure if he's still creating these masterpieces, but you can check out his site and throw him an email.

The Space:
An 11-by-26-foot rectangular space that holds a bath, a walk-in equipment closet, and a home theater with a wet bar.
Height from the bottom of the floor joists of the home's first floor to the basement floor is approximately 7 feet.

Recognition:
Featured in the June 2006 Issue of Home Theater Magazine in the Audio Video Interiors Supplement
One of Four Best Home Theaters of the Year by the Home Theater Buyer's Guide 2007

The Guts and Cost:
Couch and Tables $3,000
Entertainment Cabinet $2,000
Mitsubishi WS-55908 Diamond HDTV $4,500
Denon AVR-5803 THX Ultra-2 A/V Receiver
$4,000 Polk Audio RTi200i Front, CS400 Center, FX500i Surround, and RC60i Rear Speakers $3,000
MartinLogan Descent Subwoofer $3,000
Pioneer Elite DV-47Ai DVD/SACD Player $1,000
Monster Power HTS3600 Surge Protector $500
Sony CDP-M555ES 400-Disc CD Changer $700
Monster Cables and Speaker Wiring $550
Lutron Dimmers $350
Columns, Plants, Paint, and Accessories $500
Polk Audio Atrium Outdoor Speaker $450
Polk Audio RC60i Speaker $300
Niles SPS4 Speaker Selector $100
Niles VCS2D Imp Volume Control $200
DVDO i-Scan HD Processing Scaler $1,250
Escient Fireball DVDM-100 Disc Manager $2,250
Sony DVPCX777ES DVD Changer $950
Universal Remote Control MX-3000 Remote $1,000
TOTAL $29,600
*Prices are circa 2006

The Creator:
Glenn J. Mosby

With a scrolling sign at the bottom of the stairs that boldly states: "Reality Ends Here!", this is truly, a Man Cave Classic.

The Puppy Porthole

man cave genius ideas

While visiting the UnderGroundReign!™, I saw this and had to repost it here.
It's the Puppy Porthole!

What a great F 'ing idea!!
I've got to find out where I can get one of these for Bob, the Man Cave Collie.
If I do, you know I'll post it right here.
Shroudo

Rock the Man Cave with Brick Veneers

These excerpts are from the post by Swurching The Latest Happenings
Original post - Brick Siding Looks And Feels Like Actual Brick Yet Is Much Less Expensive Date: 12 Feb 2010

Man Cave Improvements

Veneer is a term that refers to the surface of any material and is also known as facing. Faux brick is basically a veneer that is made up of a thin brick layer on the front of a structure. This may appear on the interior or the exterior. The cost of this product is much more affordable than to actually build with brick and therefore is more economically to decorate with.

Facing is a term used to identify the application of a material to a wall surface.

This material is often used on both exterior and interior walls. Veneer provides a textured finish and creates a richer appearance than a standard flat painted wall. Both brick and wood are common faced walls.

Veneer brick is often used to create a rustic image,but it also lends itself well to contemporary or classic decors as well. You are not limited to the way this material will look. Using the right accents and other materials you can create any setting you desire.

Veneer is applied in a similar manner to laying tile. The surface the material is going to be applied to needs to be cleaned and then there is mortar spread onto the wall. At this point the brick is set in place on top of the mortar. While the brick is drying, plastic is used to keep the spacing uniform. When the mortar has dried then the brick is grouted.

One decorating accent that this material looks good with is a fireplace. Setting the veneer up around the fireplace provides the image of the chimney running up the wall. This approach also works well to encase a wood burning stove.

The right type of brick applied with some plaster can provide the image of an old factory wall and looks particularly well in a man cave or a newly created wine cellar.

Natural stone is a building material that resembles complete brick, but is similar to tiles. These brick veneer wall materials are applied to a standard flat wall surface in a comparable manner to tile. Veneer provides a rustic image to any area and looks particularly smart around a fireplace or in a wine cellar.

Jim Beam Recliner Contest

Man cave contest!

Contest Ended to Win a Jim Beam Recliner!

Must be 21 or older to enter.

Contest ends March 7, 2010

Check Results Here --> BEAM