Urban Dictionary.com defines a Man cave as: A room, space, corner or area of a dwelling that is specifically reserved for a male person to be in solitary condition, away from the rest of the household in order to work, play, involve himself in certain hobbies, activities without interruption. This area is usually decorated by the male that uses it without interference from any female influence.
Sorry ladies but Urban Dictionary said “Without interference from any female influence.” I didn’t write the rules, I just follow them.
The Big Screen TV
It used to be fifty inches of plasma perfection was the epitome of TV viewing. Now the sky is the limit. They are coming out with super high definition curved TVs of unlimited size and who know what’s next? The criterion for a top-shelf man cave is whatever is the biggest and newest.
The Wet Bar
Not just a bar but wet as well will do. You must have at least a sink with running water and a fridge. If you have a kegerator (a refrigerator with a tap in the door running from the beer-keg inside) then you are the man. You have to be careful with a kegerator though as you will find your neighbors stopping by way too often for comfort. Many men I know have eventually gotten rid of their kegerator for just this reason, though any top-notch Man Cave should at least start out with one.
The Chair
Not just any chair but a recliner is a must, preferably multiple ones. How else are you going to watch that 100” super high-def, curved, wide-screen behemoth of a TV you just installed? You have to have multiple recliners because, though it is called a man cave which suggests the singular, you really do want company to share in your magnificence.
The Sound?
There is no way you are spending your children’s inheritance on the newest monster TV and then not installing an equally awesome sound system. You must have surround sound with at least 5 speakers and a window-rattling subwoofer to complete the audio-visual experience. How else are you going to get that “Game day” experience without a hundred or so decibels of Al Michaels on Sunday Night Football?
The Games
If you have enough room a pool table would be nice. So would a ping pong table, poker table, shuffleboard table, and any other table you can imagine. Of course, for most of us space is limited so at least a foosball table would be nice. You can always throw a dart board up on a wall and call it your game room if that’s all you can fit.
The Shrines
Every Man cave should have at least one piece of valuable sports paraphernalia prominently displayed. This could range from an official football jersey in a shadow box, a memento from a NASCAR race, or an official football or baseball on the bar. Whatever it is, it really should be signed by a hometown sports hero if possible. You don’t have to plaster the room with posters or ball caps; a little subtlety goes a long way. To add just the right touch of class though, that shadow box on the wall should have a light on it and the football or baseball should be displayed in a clear box like the museum-quality piece it is.
