* A guest post by Tim Jordan.
There can be no man who has never dreamed of owning their very own ‘fortress of manlitude’. A bastion of blokeyness to where we can retire after a long day at work to play video games and drink cold beer whilst listening to obnoxiously loud music and watching live sports on a television the size of a small sofa. Most men love sports so it’s no surprise they want to watch it in a comfortable space, especially if they have a lot riding on a game. Sports betting has become more and more popular in recent years, especially when there are resources like Illinois sports betting making it easier for all kinds of bets. With a man cave, they can do all of the bettings, celebrating, and even whining about a loss, all without fear of being disturbed by your significant other. The man cave is a pop culture reference point that has been indoctrinating impressionable men for years through the medium of TV sitcoms such as Home Improvement, Friends and How I Met Your Mother. But is the idea of owning your very own manquarium really so far-fetched? Not at-all, as long as you have the money, time and space.
Of course, bandying the ‘Man Cave’ term around could conjure vaguely misogynistic connotations of sweaty personal gyms full of comically oversized bar-bells that would prove ‘too heavy for the fairer sex’. But if anything the idea of a male sanctuary (‘manctuary’?) is essentially the antithesis of a gym. A good man cave should be a temple to sloth, gluttony and fun, a space where men can indulge in overwhelmingly slovenly pursuits with complete impunity. And if the other half wants to join in on the fun, the more the merrier!
Unfortunately, a stigma has been branded upon the idea of ‘manhood’ of late, but just because you’re a ‘lad’ doesn’t mean you have to be a bottom-feeding, misogynistic meathead. The prevalence of the metrosexual’ appears to have diluted the male population, to the extent that we have almost lost our identity. Also, there’s the middle-class guilt factor to contest with when you’re spending potential thousands on converting a spare room into your very own bat-cave of mandom. But then we could all use a temporary escape hatch every now and then and you can’t build a man cave out of thin air, so here we’ll be examining a few of the prime candidates.
The Garage
Very few homes these days come fitted with a garage and fewer still actually use these garages for their intended purpose. In fact, it’s estimated that less than 50% of UK home owners use their garages to store their cars, so if you have somewhere else to store your junk (might I suggest the tip?) there is no space more fitting. The only negative point of using the garage as your man cave will be the temperature, as it will get incredibly cold in the winter months. You have two options for heating a garage; insulation the garage completely (which would prove costly but effective) or purchasing an Electric Radiator, which can be cost-effective and energy efficient.
The Attic/Loft
This is an area that is often taken for granted and (as with the garage) is the kind of space where you’ll find forgotten toys, old instruction manuals for games consoles you don’t own anymore and cables, LOTS of cables. The great thing about an attic is that (unlike most garages) there should already be a fair amount of insulation and ample sources of power. The floor could be incredibly unstable though so it will need to be reinforced. Another downside of an attic space is that it will generally be rather small and cramped, which are not features you expect from a man cave. I mean, if it’s really that cramped where are you going to put your 60inch TV!?
Conservatory
Even fewer homes have access to conservatories than they do garages, so this might be a long-shot, but a conservatory could also quite feasibly be the most flexible option available for your man cave. As with the garage though it would require a lot of electric heating unless you installed some conservatory insulation. Similarly, a conservatory can become unbearably hot in the summer even with just a little sun, so that insulation is really going to help make your mancave usable all year round. Installing air conditioning wouldn’t go amiss either because, as I said earlier, the idea is not for your man cave to be some sweaty hovel. Just head to somewhere that installs air conditioning like Diamond Blue Air and you’ll have a conservatory to call your own in no time.
The Spare Room
The classic spare room is empty 99% of the year apart from that one weekend you have friends over or the parents decide to pop by for a visit. As such, the idea of actually putting the room to a good use has probably already crossed your mind. A spare room will include everything you’ll need to get started; outlets, radiators, a decent size and it will probably already be furnished to boot! All you need to supply is the gear!
The Gear
Ok now we’re talking. First you have to think about the epicentre of the room, which will undoubtedly be the television. Don’t forget a decent stereo sytem or even a surround sound system. Loads of men watch movies or games that take place in space, both of which often scream for a great surrount setup in order to hear all the action happening around you as it comes onscreen. You’ll also want as many games consoles as possible and a fridge for storing beer. If there’s room, also think about pool tables and dart boards, maybe even a table hockey machine! When it comes to fitting everything in a man cave you’ll be working from a ‘bigger is better’ perspective. Any screen less than 48 inches is an absolute write-off! You might be surprised just how affordable huge HD televisions are these days, that is unless you want to go 3D or go for a ‘smart TV’ though, as a large enough TV with these features would set you back potential thousands. The possibilities are only as limited as your wallet, your room, and your testosterone!
**Tim Jordan has his very own man cave (setup in his garage) which includes a 70 inch TV, every games console under the sun and a Simpsons Pinball table!