In Search of the Perfect Man Cave

Man caves have been around since the dawn of time. I can see it now.... prehistoric men coming home after long days of hunting and gathering, and they just want a quiet place to relax and invent the wheel. The only problem is they're sharing their caves with all the members of their families! Bummer.

Well, times have changed. Although we don't actually live in caves anymore, we still want man caves to escape to just the same. As I write this blog, my husband of twenty-some years is in the garage where he is fixing or making something. The reason I can’t tell you exactly what he's doing is that I leave him alone when he's down there. I hear the radio playing "Car Talk" sometimes. Occasional I may hear the growling of power tools. Perhaps every now and then, I might hear the grunts and uggs of friends or neighbors stopping by to see how his newest project is going.

When I'm helping families find their dream homes, I realize that man caves are an important piece of the puzzle. Important and sometimes unpredictable! How will mom and dad use hobby and leisure space? Bedroom, bathroom and kitchen requirements vary far less from family to family than man cave requirements. Don't believe it? Maybe the term man cave is putting you off. Maybe it's too specific.

Usually it's the recreation room or bedroom in the basement. Fireplaces, woodstoves, darker colors and a closely located bathroom are a plus when picking out viable spaces for the man cave. I see the man of the family checking out these spaces… figuring out if there's room for a pool table, his favorite recliner and a large screen TV to watch football or favorite movies on. Many times measurements are taken and he talks in hushed tones about how he will decorate this sacred space. There may be talk of posters, favorite sports team memorabilia, a wet bar and possibly a foosball table.

A garage can also make a perfect man cave. You can have it open to the world or closed off for private time. Put your favorite car in there, whether it's your Dad's old 1957 Lincoln that needs work or your new Mercedes that you only drive on special occasions. We have a 1974 Corvette living in half the garage right now that my husband and son built from the ground up. It's almost complete, but not quite, and has been this way for over a year. I'm not too worried about it as the garage is his domain and he'll finish the project when he's good and ready. Here's what needs to be in a garage: great tools and a toolbox, antique signs and/or calendars you get from auto shops, good lighting, a fire extinguisher, a stereo and cold drinks.

By the way, man caves aren't just for men. I've worked with many families where the woman is the one decorating the basement in Redskins colors and making sure there is room for her favorite recliner to watch sports and play her video games. Hey! We all need our personal space, right?

My husband's best friend just pulled up in our driveway. He didn’t come to the front door, but knew to go straight to the garage. Should I be nice and bring them some lemonade and chips? Sure. Why not.

Ellen Moyer
Realtor RE/MAX Allegiance
www.ellenmoyer.com
ellen.moyer@rmxtalk.com