Mancave

From Builditwiki

Every man needs his castle, his refuge from a world filled with the likes of Oprah and the Lifetime channel. You want to talk about your feelings, go spend $200 an hour on a shrink. You want to act on your feelings, go spend $200 at Home Depot and make a your first down payment on your very own Mancave. A place where beer, football and manliness rule.

requirements:

• finished or semi-finished basement (or other rough area where the less manly don't often go)

• a strong desire to be manly

• an ability to justify spending hundreds or thousands of dollars to the lady of the house.

[edit] How to start

As with any sovereign nation-state, a good start should begin with a Declaration of Independence. In this case it should be a declaration of mancave. In other words, define your space and your objectives. Set some limits. Decide if mancave is going to be more like a refined hunting lodge or your local dive bar. Just don't be something you are not and don't try to make the space into something it is not. And remember, shopping is for girls, so if you find yourself spending hours browsing nicknacks for your mancave shelves... then maybe you need to reconsider a few things.

[edit] What you are starting with

If you have a cheap looking wood paneled space to start with and you don't want to get into a serious effort, then just go with it. Most important, don't be prissy. After all this is mancave. Focus on what is important to you. Beer, TV, Billiards, Beer... maybe a dart board or two. Or maybe computer games are your thing. Either way make sure you have what you need for extended periods of time, because a journey to mancave shouldn't be just trip to another room in your house, treat it like you are on a mission... maybe just a mission in the next game on your PS3, but that is a mission right?

[edit] Your Mancave budget

Remember, this is serious. A good mancave might be where you spend a lot of your indoor hours, so it deserves some consideration. But don't go overboard. This is a place to show men can be happy without breaking the bank. The last thing you want is to get into a spending contest with your woman, because you will lose either way. So, once you have decided what is most important to you, such as a big tv or a pool table, or a bar, or all of the above, then start budgeting for it. Give yourself a goal and achieve it.

[edit] Friends are important

If you have friends then don't lose them, if you don't have friends, then go make some. What's the point of mancave if it has no citizens? Oh and don't talk incessantly about mancave, especially until it is open for business. Women talk, men do. Plan a regular poker game or Sunday football watching. And don't worry if mancave isn't ready... mancave isn't about perfection, it is about attitude.

Part of being a man is to attract women, not repel them. Mancave should not be a stinky dungeon, but rather a place where women will feel comfortable bringing you drinks... err I mean sitting down and watching the game with you. To be a true king, then women and children should be made to feel welcome in your domain.

[edit] Okay so lets get down to the mancave projects

• Finishing a basement floor
• Basement insulation
• Build an entertainment Center
• Build a bar
• Build a shelf
• Build a beer fridge
• Build a cue stick rack
• Find the right pool table

add your own... write whatever you want, its a wiki darn it!