To Man Cave or Not to Man Cave That Is the Question
Being a man this might be a difficult post to write while remaining objective, but I am going to try my darnedest to do just that. I think I will try to look at the issue of a man cave from the woman’s perspective first, offer a voice as to why that spare room in the basement, the garage or that shed in the backyard, shouldn’t be turned into a man cave. I have spent a considerable amount of time researching the feminine perspective on the subject and will try to accurately report some of their positions on the topic. Just remember people, don’t shoot the messenger.
Man Caves throw off the décor themes of the home that they are trying to accomplish.
Women spend a lot of time finding just the right elements to accessorize the house. Women put a lot of thought into those throw pillows on the couch and the vases of dried flora that take up the side tables. That dish of potpourri that helps keep the room smelling good just wouldn’t look quite as good on that old glass covered wagon wheel coffee table down in the basement.
Man Caves tend to get some of the best household resources and women can’t share in them.
The TV with the biggest screen usually ends up the man cave and women would prefer it if that big screen TV was put into the family room so that they can spend a little quality screen time with their man. Of course, the TV in the family room will always display Dancing with The Stars over Monday Night Football every time. But that is OK because there are several throw pillows to grab and hug during those real emotional moments of elegant footwork.
Man Caves promote escapism opportunities from the family.
This one I have seen a lot in my research. The escape to a man cave can send negative signals to the members of the family. Children might think that daddy is not happy and that they are the cause of the unhappiness. Wives might think that their husbands are not happy with them and need to get away from them. Or in extreme cases, that man caves are sexist. It represents how the home is the sole domain of the female and the man cave is the only means of escaping that feminine dominion.
While there are a few more reasons as to why some women are against the concept of a man cave in their homes, they are mostly just variations on the main three listed above. To some these are all good reasons and completely valid points against remodelling a part of your home to include a man cave.
In all fairness, I am now going to offer a few of the top reasons as to why men feel that they need a man cave in their home and lives. Once again I will try to remain neutral in my reporting and not just because I do not want to sleep on the couch tonight or anytime the wife rereads this article.
Man Caves are just a place to unwind.
After a long, hard day at the office or on the job site a man just wants a place to go where he can put his feet up and relax for a little while. Sure, he could always just go into the kitchen or living room and crack a cold one but often there are certain rules that must be adhered to first. For the most part rules are good and they help to make sure things run smoothly but generally speaking, man caves come with very few rules. In a man cave throw pillows are not accessories to the ambiance of the room but rather, they soak up spilt beer.
Man Caves are the perfect space to display cherished possessions.
We men, at times, can become obsessed with some pretty strange things. Everything from collections of bowling trophies that were hard fought victories on the lanes throughout our life to the heads of animals we hunted ourselves or dreamed of hunting. These obscure little treasures that bring us pleasure deserve a place to be proudly displayed with honor so that others can enjoy and appreciate the efforts involved in amassing such an amazing testament to our prowess. Yes, we completely agree that our beer bottle cap collection doesn’t look quite right next to your collection of Spoons from Around the World in the formal dining room.
Man Caves can be used for game rooms and to host parties.
Let’s face it when men get together to play poker or gather for other manly congregations, alcohol will be consumed, things will be smoked and foods will get messy. This is just a reality that women have come to expect even if coasters are used and table etiquette is applied. Men are messy and not on purpose even if we are suspected otherwise. A man cave is the perfect space in which to allow us men to wallow in our own filth and not dirty and stink up the finely crafted décor in the rest of the home.
Regardless of which side you come down on the man cave debate, TOTL Building & Design can help you out. We can help you design your basement remodel into the perfect solution for your shrine to manliness. Or if it is time to convert that dirty, stinking rec room back into a family room for the expanding family, we are here to help with that basement renovation.