A New Man Cave

This article is from
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

Best Man Cave Wall Coverings - 2/10

Excerpt from the post by
Eric Brennan via Associated Content, Inc.:Top Three Man Cave Wall Coverings
Mistakes from original have been corrected - Shroudo.

man cave improvements

Top Three Man Cave Wall Coverings
A man cave isn't complete without some basic male influenced wall coverings. With just plain white walls a man cave is just, a basement. With a little imagination and some basic ideas, you can cover your man cave walls with some pretty interesting stuff!

Most man caves end up with three basic wall coverings. While these man cave wall coverings are similar, they can however be broadened in style to encompass taste and style to suit any taste.

Wainscoting is probably one of the most commonly used wall coverings in any man cave.  From sports bars to downstairs dens, wainscoting has become a staple for many man caves across the world. Wainscoting is simple to install. It comes in prepackaged boxes of pre-routered wood panels. The tongue and groove panels easily assemble and can be attached in the tongue with a finish nail, covering the nail with the next piece.

Wainscoting can also be covered easily in a multitude of colors and stains. From white to black and every color in between, wainscoting can do it all. Color isn't its only perk. There are literally hundreds of styles, shapes, rosettes and sizes for wainscoting; it makes it hard to pass up this stylish and economical wall covering for your man cave. Add a decorative chair rail, and you've got a man cave to rival any cozy pub.

Wood is fantastic. Not only does it provide warmth, it provides depth, style and class that show off your man cave in style. Wood inlays, chair rails, trim; crown molding, base and ceiling roses can bring any combination of custom woodworking you desire. Wood is style versatile.

• Combined with modern appliances, wood becomes modern and sleek. 
• Add wood to light colors and you have a bright and cozy feel. 
• Add wood to antiques it looks old, 
• and again add wood to any downstairs game room to make any man cave women friendly too.

Sports memorabilia is probably the biggest man cave wall covering style there is. Every man cave has at least some area dedicated to sports, sports stuff or anything sports orientated. What's great about sports wall coverings for your man cave is that they are versatile.

You can spend thousands on sports wall coverings for your man cave, or $20.

Sports stuff is everywhere and you're sure to find bargains at garage sales and flea markets. Or splurge and go for the real collectibles and sports memorabilia.

Alexa Rankings

mcc 1,484,540
ln13 1,872,300
pw 3,352,410
ff 2,633,504
fo 2,859,432
wm 7,466,219
aqh 2,527,831

Blogged with the Flock Browser

2/19 mcc 1,436,829
2/20 mcc 1,382,353
2/21 mcc 1,351,818
2/22 1,351,533
2/23 1,352,579
2/24 1,300,000
2/25 1,256,632
2/26 1,220,000
2/27 1,220,000
2/28 1,136,880
3/1 1,120,000
3/2 1,112,000
3/3 1,055,508
3/8 973,599
3/9 954,070
3/12 910,000
3/14 876,815
3/19 796,424

A man’s castle isn’t his home — it’s his cave.

These excerpts are from the post by Jennifer Davies via UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
Original post - There's no place like man cave 2010/feb/07

Man cave report

If you have a man cave, you can make it as ugly as you want and no one can say anything.

[Robert Arnold prepared to enjoy a beer in what he calls his bar at his Oceanside home. Arnold created the man cave in one-third of his three-car garage, where he invites friends and neighbors to watch the Super Bowl.]
Aman’s castle isn’t his home — it’s his cave.

His man cave, to be exact.

These testosterone-fueled spaces — also known as manlands — can be

• a garage, 
• a basement, 
• a bonus room, 
• a shed or 
• even a backyard.  

But whatever the location, they all have common themes.
Want to guess what they are?

Beer, TV, sports — and probably in that order.

It’s the place where you can hang the obscenely large flat-screen TV, proudly display your extensive bobblehead collection and relax in the mottled velour recliner from your bachelor days while knocking back a beer — or six.

From home-improvement shows devoted to man caves to businesses offering a range of guy things like personalized mugs and bar signs, man caves are getting their moment in the sun. Last year, a poll by servicemagic.com, a home-improvement marketplace, found that 

• 40 percent of homeowners surveyed said their home had a man cave, 
• while 13 percent said their man cave is in the works.

So what’s the allure of these macho spaces? Duh.

Beer, TV, and sports — and probably in that order — said Jason Cameron, co-host of DIY Network’s “Man Caves,” a home-remodeling show that focuses on creating to-die-for manly spaces.

“Guys are simple. We are very simple creatures,” Cameron said, adding, “I wish could give you a deeper meaning.”

After a guy gets married, his manhood can take a hit, Cameron said. Manlands bring men back to “a time when you could all sit around and drink beer without worrying if you spilled.”

Billy Chandruang of Rancho Santa Fe was planning on turning his backyard into an entertainment area for himself and his wife. But when they split up, he made it into an outdoor man cave replete with sports memorabilia and waterproof plasma TVs so visitors can sit in the pool or hot tub and watch a game.

“If you have a man cave, you can make it as ugly as you want and no one can say anything,” Chandruang said. “Guys like seeing stuff like neon signs that say Bud Lite with a Jets helmet.”

Of course, men have always craved private spaces.

In the past, that meant the library or the drawing room for men of means, said Jay Mechling, a retired American studies professor from the University of California Davis who taught a course on the lives of men. As America became more affluent, it meant more men could have a room of their own.

“As homes have gotten bigger, it means everyone can have their own space,” Mechling said.

• On the East Coast, it was the basement that housed amenities such as pool tables.
• On the West Coast, many garages served the rec-room function for the family.

What’s different about today’s man caves is how elaborate they can be — man caves on steroids, if you will. Nowadays, many of these spaces come with high-end furnishings and top-of-the-line electronics from flat-screen TVs to video game consoles to surround-sound systems.

“Technology is a huge part of this,” Cameron said.

With those types of upgrades, you might think that the struggling economy would stall the growth of man caves. But many devotees say that isn’t the case.


Arnold said he saves money with his man cave because he isn’t going out to bars and paying their marked-up prices.

Travis Esquibel, owner of Tap That, an Oceanside kegerator company, said he had thought the bulk of his business would be renting out kegerators for special events. Driven by the large man-cave market, he now makes most of his money from selling and servicing kegerators.

Another benefit for married men and for those of a certain age is that it’s more relaxing to stay closer to home.

How to Create a Man Cave on Any Budget

These excerpts are from the post by Ryan John Lesnau via interiordecorating.suite101.com

Creating a Personal Space for Men to Relax with Friends on a Budget.

A Man Cave offers men with a sanctuary that allows them to follow their interests in a personalized environment.
Since the beginning of time, men have always needed a place to call their own. They need a place where they are able to enjoy the more masculine things in life without being judged by others that may be around.
Over the past couple of years the Man Cave has become a new addition to many houses, a refuge where men are able to create a face for themselves. By following these simple steps, men will be able to have their own Man Cave no matter what their budget is.

10 Tips on Hiring a Remodeling Contractor

Content sources [How to Hire Your Dream Remodeler by Tom Higgins, Superior Products Home Improvement, Littleton, Colorado] and the [National Association of Home Builders] Graphic sources [JAFCO Company - General Contractor - Seattle, Washington] and [San Diego Home Remodeling]

man cave advice

Has your Man Cave Dream Plan grown beyond a gallon or two of paint into an extensive remodeling project? Then I want you to take some time and consider a few things as you look to hire a contractor.

10 Tips on Hiring a Remodeling Contractor.

1. Establish good two-way communication with the remodeler. It's essential to have good communication for a smooth remodeling project. Does the remodeler listen? Does he or she answer questions clearly and candidly? Can you reach him when you need to? Does he return phone calls promptly? Does he let you know when problems arise and work with you on solving them?
   

The Swimsuit Edition is here!

man cave beauties

The lovely wife of tennis star Andy Roddick, Brooklyn Decker graces the cover of the 2010 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition.
Bonus SI Video Also featuring - Bar Refaeli - and - Body Painting.

Pick one up today.


'nough said.

Super Bowl 44 Prediction Time

A Quick Prediction for Super Bowl 44.

Man Cave Classic - Schwarz

Man Cave classic

Uploaded to flickr.com on January 10, 2010 by Ken Schwarz

Citation: graphic sources [Ken Schwarz] and [CC BY-NC-ND 2.0]

Blog Work Feb 6

man cave high five

I found a very helpful blog post today. Having failed at the sitemap step for my blog, finally I came upon Blogger tips: Submit Your Blogspot Sitemap to Google Search Engine

Xavier Chia's instructions on submitting a blogspot sitemap were just what I needed. The post was clearly written and straight to the point.
So, with this new info in tow, I submitted a sitemap to Google. Hopefully this will lead to the Man Cave Chronicle getting indexed.

Blizzard 2010 - 18 inches and still snowing!

Blizzard 2010 . . .

Now, Here's what I should have had on hand this weekend!

Gotta Get a Rockwell JAWHORSE

man cave tools

Rockwell RK9000 Jawhorse
When you have a job to do that requires a second set of hands, you can turn to the Rockwell RK9000 Jawhorse portable workstation clamping system.

Whether you're sheetrocking, setting fence posts, or constructing an outdoor playhouse for your children, this unique hands-free portable workstation will help you get the job done.
It's a great helping hand during man cave conversions.

New on DVD - Surrogates - Bruce Willis

man cave movie alert

Surrogates
SCIENCE FICTION/ACTION
Rated PG-13 (Violence, Profanity, Sexual Situations)
Cast: Bruce Willis, Radha Mitchell, Rosamund Pike, Boris Kodjoe, James Cromwell, Ving Rhames, Jack Noseworthy
Director: Jonathan Mostow
U.S. Distributor: Touchstone Pictures

More Bruce Willis @ The Man Cave Chronicle Online Store

Pants on the Ground - General Larry Platt - An MCC Keeper!

man cave viral video

Lookin' like a fool with your pants on the ground.

General Larry Platt transcended the age gap and the race gap in one single, self-expressive swoop.
And it seems that the control heads over at Idol thought they were airing just another blooper audition, but... they got it wrong.  Thanks to the web, Larry Platt's Idol gaff has turned into a viral sensation.
Watch the video after the jump:

Underwood to sing National Anthem at Super Bowl XLIV

Four-time Grammy Award winner, Carrie Underwood will sing the National Anthem at Super Bowl XLIV.
Read the full release from NFL.com

Blog Work Jan 28

Pushing my way to a complete overhaul of the blog site that I started with.  Blogger only gives you a little over 10 blog templates to choose from, so I needed to dig in and experiment.  I've spent the last 2 days working on xml and css designing and incorporating them into a blog.  I tried searching for free blog templates on the web, but nothing seemed to say "Man Cave".  So, as of right now I've tweaked enough of the site to let it sit as is for a bit.  Now I will turn my attention to grabbing some relevant content from news stories and sites and posting them.  My thoughts are that if I can blog a good amount it will help raise my ranking, which is at NA right now.  I visited a few high placed sites this evening which brought on a feeling of inadequacy.  This had me second guessing this whole endeavor. 
Went and brought home some Bud Ices of which are making me yawn at 1:13am. 
I do need some sleep; been averaging 4 to 5 hours a night for awhile now.

Zzzzzzzz

Asleep at the wheel,
-Shroudo

The Man Cave Chronicle -- ONLINE STORE

10 Things to Consider in a Basement / Man Cave Conversion -The Man Cave Chronicle

man cave advice

So, you want to convert that old basement into your new Man Cave? Sounds good.

But, you don't want to lose any of your home's value while you do it? Sounds even better!
Gotta love a win-win situation, am I right?

I found an article that might help you get there.

Listing the top ten things to consider on your way to your Man Cave, Mike Blank, CGR CAPS, over at Lancaster PA Remodeling Tips & Tricks, penned a nice piece on this subject.

--excerpt--

... Create the sanctuary of your dreams and enhance your home value at the same time by renovating your basement into the ultimate guy retreat. Here are the top 10 things you’ll need to turn your basement into the ultimate man cave: ...

AMAZING POOL TABLE TRICK SHOTS - The Man Cave Chronicle

man cave talent showcase

When I was young, shooting pool with my friends was one of our favorite things to do.  Well, actually in that archaic era before the entertainment world went hi tech, we didn't have many things to
do.  We had Atari, ping pong and air hockey.  Ahh, remember air hockey?

But I digress.

Today I found a video showcasing some amazing pool table trick shots that I wanted to share with you. 
If you've got 5 minutes, check it out.    
These guys are good . . .they're real good ---- especially the coke bottle trick.

Now that I think about it, if I would have only practiced more, I could have really impressed the chicks with tricks like these.  And won a few bucks at the bar, too.

Don't sink the 8 ball,
Shroudo

---

Interested in adding a pool table to your Man Cave?Check out this best seller from Amazon
the Minnesota Fats MFT400-7.5U Saratoga 7.5-Foot Billiard Table

or stop in The NEW Man Cave Chronicle Store.

MAN CAVE GEAR - The Man Cave Chronicle

This is the first entry in a column I'm calling MAN CAVE GEAR MONDAY.

• Highlighting Man Cave Merchandise, Furniture, Electronics, Accessories, Toys, etc.
• I will be posting new entries every Monday, hopefully.
• I would also like to add readers' Man Cave pictures to a gallery.
  

I'm sure this will evolve over time.
So, without more delay, here is the first installment of Man Cave Gear Monday