On the hunt for unique man cave ideas? Yes yes, we know that the term 'man cave' is not the coolest in the world of interiors, but we do think it's a great concept. A cozy sanctuary to escape to where you can crack on with hobbies or DIY or just chill out away from kids and pets and... the rest of the world.
Living room ideas are forever welcome, but seize the moment to discover an inspiring edit of man room ideas that will make you want to instantly add a dedicated space to your home. From dark and moody decor ideas to ridiculously comfortable seating choices, and drinks storage that will make you the envy of all your mates, here you will find ideas to suit any man, any style, and any budget.
Stuart Clark, home expert, Victory Blinds, says: 'Work hard, play even harder! Design a man cave for entertaining both yourself and your friends/family. It’s your choice what games you want to feature in your man cave decor - a table tennis table, darts boards, or a ping pong table. Create a space to blow off steam and have some fun!'
1. Stay motivated with a cool gallery wall
Create a personalized escape space with a gallery wall idea that displays your passion with pride (and without any judgment!)
Amy Stansfield, interiors writer, Wallsauce.com, says: ‘Stick with a theme: After all, a man cave space is your room of retreat and should represent your passions. If you are a huge NFL fan, display your favorite team’s memorabilia on the walls – football shirts, a ball, etc.’
Tiffany Payne, director of marketing, Orangeries UK, suggests displaying a picture frame with hockey sticks, or hanging photos of loved ones or wonderful trips with friends.
2. Or create a fantasy escape room with a narrative wall mural design
Perhaps one for the major movie buffs and gamers in search of an experiential space that gets all the senses going…
Stansfield continues: ‘Or are you more into fantasy? Choose a fantasy themed wallpaper feature wall, like The Astronaut wallpaper mural, to set the mood.’
3. Flex those pecks in a home gym
As we venture evermore into a wellness-focused culture, feeling the burn at home with the convenience of a home gym is an ever-popular fitness industry trend. In the last five years, U.S. Google searches for ‘garage gym’ have increased by a whopping 62%.
Stuart Clark, home expert, Victory Blinds, says: ‘Turn your man cave into a personalized DIY home gym idea. Using your man cave as a fitness space is the perfect solution for saving money on gym fees and travel time. One top tip for your man cave gym in the garden is to make sure you let lots of natural light in through the window. This will maximize productivity whilst working out!’
Choose the best home gym machine to max-out workouts and discover the best you inside and out.
4. Go retro for a sophisticated look and feel
Dapper gents need a suave pad in which to conduct matters of the mustache. Channel a glamorous '50s - '60s aesthetic with sleek lines on furniture, mid-century modern decor ideas, and a grown-up palette of mustard, olive, walnut, and teal.
Andre Kazimierski, CEO, Improovy Painters St Louis, says: ‘In my experience, man caves with a classy, retro or vintage feel are the most fun to install and spend time in. If you have or want a bar, installing some retro-style swivel chairs is a great touch, along with a pinball machine or vintage arcade game. It’s fun to source vintage movie posters as well, to frame for the walls.’
5. Stay on ‘home turf’ with a golf simulator
Invite the team over, and tee up like a pro, with an indoor golf simulator that will keep everyone entertained, and out of mischief all year round.
Perfect for a truly customized man cave, Carl’s Place builds custom indoor golf and home entertainment systems - whether the designated space is in an existing or new shed on the property, in the garage, basement or attic, or even as part of a new addition to the home.
The engineering team works with customers to identify what space is available and then drafts comprehensive, customized designs to fit their exact needs. For the DIY-ers, Carl’s Place also offers pre-measured enclosure packages that can be easily installed in the customer’s existing space.
6. Turn your garage or basement into a man cave
Wondering how best to utilize your garage or basement idea? Turn it into the ultimate man cave of course!
German Mejia, owner, German Garage Doors, says: ‘Recently, we’ve seen a lot of garages converted into man caves or party rooms. If you have an empty garage that is already insulated, lit, and powered up, then you are one step away from converting it into a complete man cave dream. You can do many of the tasks on your own and create the ultimate space that you never thought imaginable. It’s a clean slate that you can do anything with!’
Mejia continues: ‘With a solid concrete base, you can experiment with garage floor ideas, create a design that works for what you’ll be using it for, and - because of how spacious garages are - you have a ton of room to max out functionality.’
7. Create a comfy space to watch the game with pals
Whatever your sporting preference, make watching the game with pals an elevated event with a stadium-worthy set-up. For maxed-out entertaining and chillaxing, combine a projector screen, with the best couch, and atmospheric lighting, and you’ll be rewarded with a snug set-up that amps up the big game atmosphere every time. And to seal the deal, how about a fresh, cold beer on tap with a retro-style Northstar keg fridge from Elmira Stove Works?
8. Get your barista skills frothing with a coffee station
Create a buzzing cafe culture in the exclusivity of your man cave with a dedicated coffee bar idea that’s open all hours, from wake-up espressos to bedtime infusions.
For a refined experience, try the Wolf Built-In Coffee System, perfect for creating café-quality beverages, including brewed coffee, lattes, macchiatos, and other specialty drinks, within the comfort of your home. From the grind of the bean to the strength of the brew, you can easily customize every cup to your liking.
Or if you’re feeling inventive, try a DIY coffee bar idea, to save money and help you quit the chain store-bought caffeine addiction.
9. Pick out the perfect decor for your man cave
The right decor can make or break the man cave look. Think deep, earthy tones of blue, grey, green, and brown and tactile materials like wood, metal, and leather (real or faux) and you won't go far wrong.
The size of the space and the level of natural light available will all play a part in your decor choices (as will your personal taste) but take inspiration from the options below.
Homeowner Rhys Mann turned a dilapidated outbuilding into an uber-cool American-style man cave. The signs, wood-effect walls, and a color palette of earthy tones are great ways to create a masculine-style space.
10. Chose a masculine, yet stylish wallpaper
This Mini Moderns Pluto Wallpaper from John Lewis in the Lido and Copper colorway has a striking geometric print that would be perfect as a feature wall when paired with deep blue walls.
The copper accents in the paper are enough to add a touch of brightness without distracting from a cozy, cave-like feel and would look great when paired with copper-toned industrial-style accessories.
Be inspired by plenty more wallpaper ideas for an instant space update.
11. Embrace exposed brick for an industrial vibe
You can DIY an exposed brick wall if have the right setup to do so in your home, just check out our guide to exposed brick walls for a step-by-step. But if you're not lucky enough to have an exposed brick wall in your man cave, then create the illusion with brick-effect wallpaper.
For a similar look, try Brick wall wallpaper in old-style from Rebel Walls.
12. Layer up different tones for a cohesive look
If you are looking for easy man cave ideas and a simple place to start, picking a simple color palette is a good first step. Choose various tones of the same deep shade of green, brown, blue, or grey to keep things feeling cozy but still fresh, and choose a multitude of textures to create a sense of depth.
13. Create displays with open storage systems
This String storage system in walnut and black is the perfect man cave idea if you are looking for stylish but practical storage. It touches on the industrial and Scandi trends but is also minimalist enough to not feel too imposing in smaller spaces.
14. Always have some space for drinks
If you want your man cave or basement idea to have a wine cellar feel, then you'll need a sophisticated wine storage system.
This Dutchbone vintage French-style wine cabinet in solid fir wood from Cuckooland is perfect for those who want their man cave to feel a little more grown-up. You could also add one of the best wine fridges too.
15. Or get a drinks trolley for easy access to night caps
Not all man caves have space for their own built-in bar, but a compact drinks trolley or DIY bar cart is a great alternative and a staple of a sophisticated man cave.
Copy this man cave idea and make your drinks trolley so stylish it becomes a feature of the room – decorate the top with nice glasses and even prints and houseplants if you have room.
16. Add some personality with funky lighting
There are some trends from the 1980s that are better best forgotten (like shell suits and oversize shoulder pads), but neon lights are back and make a great style statement and are a great man cave idea.
Save big bucks and learn how to make a DIY neon LED rope sign in five easy steps.
17. Embrace industrial style
Industrial style and man caves just go hand in hand – it's the best vibe to stick to if you want to create a really contemporary space that isn't fussy and won't look cluttered.
The key to the trend is lots of metals and clean lines but all mixing in natural fabrics like wood and leather to soften the space. This nook shows how it's done.
18. Turn a man cave into a cinema room
If you want to use your man cave as a home cinema, then it’s worth investing in the best home theatre system for a truly immersive cinema experience. You can really up the experience by hosting movie nights, you could even go all out and a popcorn machine to your man cave.
19. Create the ultimate games room in a man cave
Now, this is a man cave idea that surely everyone will like. Add a space for games, whether it be classic pool or some retro arcade games will take the space from basically a glorified garage to a proper chill-out space.
20. Invest in the right seating for serious gaming
If you’re planning to use your man cave for some serious gaming, then a gaming chair is a must. The XT Racing Prime Series Premium Gaming Chair reclines, features a removable headrest pillow and back cushion, and is height adjustable. Offering comfort and support for the whole body, this chair will help to achieve a completely immersive gaming experience.
21. Incorporate a home office
But not all man cave ideas have to be about play, a man cave is a great spot to add a masculine home office idea. Especially with so many more of us working from home now, a workspace away from the rest of your house is a great addition. All it needs is a desk and a chair and maybe some storage for papers and stationery.
*Top tip... Keep your work area cohesive with the rest of the room so your man cave doesn't just turn into an office.
22. Use pin boards for practicality and style
Mix wall art with functional pinboards like these from Oliver Bonas. Available in rectangular, circular, and semi-circular configurations, these boards will add visual interest to bare walls, and provide a useful way to organize reminders, notes, and photos.
These boards also provide great color palette inspiration – every room scheme has to start somewhere.
23. Add in a sofa for comfort
If you are looking for man cave ideas for a larger space, then it’s worth considering a sofa. It will make a larger space feel homely and inviting while offering extreme comfort.
Choosing muted, earthy tones will help to achieve a masculine look, and going for a leather sofa option will help to add texture to the space.
24. Create more seating with some grown-up bean bags
No longer just a design trope of teenagers’ bedrooms, beanbags are perfectly stylish additions to a grown-up scheme and a really easy man cave idea. Go for a leather look in tan, black, or gray, to really play up the stylish masculinity of a man cave.
25. Go bold with a statement design piece
Create a real designer feel in your man cave with a statement armchair. This Coquille Leather Egg Chair from Maisons du Monde is comfortable, quirky, and gently distressed for a worn-in, vintage look.
Where should you locate your man cave?
Wondering where exactly can a man cave go? Well, man caves can come in all shapes and forms (the least probable option being in an actual cave). If you want to include a space like this in your home, then you need to think carefully about the location.
You'll either need to sacrifice an existing room (like an underused spare bedroom), convert existing space (like a loft room or garage conversion) or add space on (through an extension or adding a garden room).
What should every man cave have?
The most desired man cave essentials include:
1. An entertainment center
2. Comfortable seating, such as a large couch, or reclining seats with cup holders
3. A games room element - a biliards table, poker table, or pool table are popular choices
4. A home bar, or at the very least, a beer fridge
5. A gaming station or rig