Gentlemen of every generation have jumped at the opportunity to section off territory as their own. That theme applies even more so in the household. The man cave is a land grab of a domestic variety. It usually dedicates a basement, garage, or otherwise secondary space in the home to men, and specifically, men’s entertainment and leisure.

The man cave, as an idea, is probably as ancient as, well, the cavemen. Men just need space for their manly sounds, smells, and things. Sitcom cliches and suburban sprawl have helped to develop the current rendition of the boys only clubhouse, featuring vast spaces adorned with football gear and neon signs.

A man cave can take many forms, though. Steer functionality of the space toward productivity by adding a home office workspace, exercise equipment, or a tool bench. Don’t get too comfortable, as families grow, man cave space is a common casualty in creating playrooms or nurseries or outdoor for fishing, camping and outdoor gear use cabelas promo code 10% off at www.cabelas.com FREE Shipping on Orders $50+ outdoor clothing outdoor supplies

Essential things needed for a Man Cave

Couch

Seating is paramount to the hosting ability of any man cave. Comfort takes priority over style in this room more than any other in the house.

TV

It’s said that a good hosting space needs a conversation piece. In a good man cave, the conversation piece, and conversation killer, is the TV. As it should be.

Bar

As simple as a Mad Men whiskey stand, or as complete as a stocked wet bar, a man cave isn’t complete without alcohol available.

Lighting

It’s called a man cave for a reason. Look for casual bar room lighting, often hanging from the ceiling or strung in a line along edges of the room.

Sound

Audio is a key element to any entertainment space, let alone one meant for the explosions and bass lines of a man cave. Surround sound is a standard, with cords neatly hidden or otherwise addressed. There’s nothing worse than a man cave that looks to have been built by a boy.

Gaming system

A little competition is as manly as a mustache. Staying up-to-date on recent Madden releases is one way to keep football pumping through the summer.

Memorabilia

The most common choice of man cave decor, sports memorabilia provides a common color scheme to build around.

Games

Bar games are even more fun played in places that aren’t bars. Shooting pool without the threat of bumped elbows, throwing darts without clueless walk-throughs, and owning your whole neighborhood in foosball are all worth investing in.

Fridge

Depending on how far a man cave is from the kitchen or garage refrigerators, one may be needed to satiate guests with beer, water, etc. The true gems, though, are the treats that find their way to the freezer of man cave refrigerators. Bagel bites for life.

Specialty food

No one’s expecting Thanksgiving dinner to come from the man cave kitchen. Keep it simple with a panini maker or popcorn machine.

Extras

Planning for a man cave during the design phase of a new property is most ideal. In this scenario, make space for a dish washer and/or bathroom, and map out proper air treatment to help filter out chili remnants.