With Father's Day just around the corner, one thing that many dads want is a day to kick back and relax, and what better place to do that than his very own man cave! Whether he already has a man cave, or in the process of creating one, following these simple tips can help create a stylish yet relaxing space perfect for the wonderful man in your life!
1. Choose a Theme
When choosing a theme for the man cave, it's important to first determine what the room will be used for. Will it be his favorite spot to watch the game with his buddies, a personal home theater to watch his favorite flicks, or maybe a cool hangout spot to relax and listen to his favorite tunes? This will give you a clear direction on how to style the room and make it a space he will truly enjoy.
I find that when doing rooms with a specific theme, it's important to find a good balance of how much of the theme to display since so you don't go too over the top and have it come off looking cheesy. The best way to incorporate a theme in a room is to integrate the components of the theme throughout the room. In other words, instead of the theme being so literal, break down the theme and integrate the components in different areas of the room, so instead of it being so obvious, you get the essence of the theme instead. I'll give examples of how to do this further.
2. Pick a Neutral Palette
Warm, neutral colors work best. For a more masculine feel, go with tans, browns, and grays. Color is a great way to incorporate a theme in a room, especially a sports theme. Choose a neutral color for your walls and then add in the team colors as an accent. For example, my husband is a Houston Texans fan, so instead of painting our walls red, white and blue, I could go for a warm grey color on the walls and then add pops red and blue as an accent as you see in this color swatch.
3. Play Up on Texture
Adding textural elements is a great way to add depth and visual interest to a room. Natural elements such as metal, wood, and leather are great ways to add another layer of interest to your man cave. My friend's husband is a huge Michigan State basketball fan and she's working on his man cave. I suggested that she add a honey oak wooden coffee table (to resemble the look of the wood floors of a basketball court), and a cognac leather chair which is the same color as a basketball. So you now get the feel of the basketball theme without it saying "THIS IS A BASKETBALL ROOM!" by having jerseys in every corner of the room!
This reclining cognac chair and contemporary style wooden table would be the perfect way to subtly convey a basketball theme in addition to the sports memorabilia.
4. Choose the Right Furniture
Since your man will be spending a lot of time in his man cave, it's important to choose furniture that is comfortable and durable. Choose sofas with deep seating to accommodate their longer limbs, and a place for them to put their feet up on, such as an ottoman. And since he'll probably be enjoying some snacks, make sure that it's made of a material that is easy to clean, such as leather. Be sure to also include a wet bar to make it convenient for him to get those snacks and drinks from.
5. Add a Unique Element
Give the man cave a personal touch by adding something unique to the room, which will also show the man in your life that the room was made just for him. Think about his hobbies, interests, and even his occupation as a source of inspiration. This is great when looking for artwork or accent pieces that can also serve as a focal point in the room and tie in the theme. For example, my dad is an architect in the Detroit area, so I could add a beautiful black and white photo of one of the historic buildings in downtown Detroit (what a great Father's day gift idea!). For my husband, who is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, I could incorporate the fraternity colors by finding some black and gold accent pieces to display on a side table or shelving. For a music lover, printing and framing a quote or song lyric from his favorite artist could be another example of how to subtly incorporate the theme in the room.
The collection of guitars is a great focal point for this man cave studio, and this vintage car wall art adds a unique touch for the car lover in your life!
If you don't have a dedicated room to create a "man cave", you can still use these tips in other rooms such as an office, garage, or family room to give him his own place to shine. Hopefully these tips will help to give dad or that special man in your life a place to enjoy and that he can appreciate because it was designed with him in mind!
How will you use these tips for your man cave? Feel free to share your ideas or ask questions!