Man cave ideas can turn under-used spaces into dedicated hideaways that you don’t have to go to the man-cave shed at the bottom of the garden to access. The room you choose for your man cave will depend on how you – or your man – want to use the space. Do you fancy creating a home office, library, dining room, TV or games room? Do you want to convert a conservatory or make use of a cellar or basement?
Decide if your man cave will be for work, rest or play – or a bit of each. Perhaps you’d like to be able to use the space to work from home, but would also like it to be useable when you fancy a break from work too. May be you want a relaxing bolt-hole away from the hubbub of the rest of the house, or like the idea of a broader man cave entertaining space that you can use with friends.
Let the function of the space direct your choice of man cave furniture. Don’t hold back: seek out a traditional gentleman’s desk and chair, bookcase storage and lighting. Consider low-slung, laid-back modern seating or library-style leather Chesterfields. Create a man-cave reading space with a classic winged armchair and standard floor lamp, or go for modern designer seating with low-hanging pendants for glorious task lighting.
Create a man-cave entertainment hub with wall-mounted TV or home cinema and seating designed for relaxed easy viewing. And what about including a man-cave bar and – of course – man-cave signs? How you use your man cave will suggest colour schemes and textures while personal preference will determine the feel and ambience.
Create a cocooning effect with dark toning shades and rich natural materials for TV and film watching. In a home office, look for pieces that will invigorate and inspire you: modern streamlined desks and seating, clean-lined organised storage and decorative artwork. Most of all, enjoy the freedom to create a look and feel that is totally different from the rest of your home.
Man cave home office with flagged floor and organised storage
This artist's studio is chic, smart and inspiring. It is also practical and a pleasure to use. Whitewashed walls keep the compact space bright and cheerful, with the desk positioned opposite a window for maximum natural light. Wall-hung lighting is easily adjustable for any task, whether working at the desk or browsing the bookshelves. Built-in cabinets above eye level provide ample storage that is easily accessible while not taking up any floor space.
Artwork
Rory Dobner
Man cave library with oak shelves, parquet flooring and leather chairs
Channel the gentleman's club look with a man cave featuring parquet flooring, bookcases, leather armchairs and - why not? - a piano... This library space, with its deep grey walls, warming woods and time-worn leather, is the perfect place for relaxed reading, playing or contemplating. The decorating scheme is calming and comforting and produces a very special atmosphere in the space.
Leather chairs
Nimmo & Spooner
Man cave with stone floor, smart seating and desk area
Use a touch of industrial style in your man cave and bring a sophisticated edge to a room scheme. In this compact space a stone floor, wood and metal furniture and pared-back lighting bring a masculine edge to a comfortable Chesterfield-style sofa and patterned rug. A neon light, canvas print and antlers are the game-changers here.
Man cave TV room with easy lounging area
Make the TV the star in an entertainment-hub man cave. In this space, painted battens have been used to create a feature wall that functions to frame the set and centre the furnishings. A smart corner sofa in mid blue creates a cosy sitting area with handy side tables, while a media unit at the window also incorporates handy storage. The combination of muted shades creates a relaxed feel.
Side tables
Sigmar
Rug
Tim Page Carpets
Man cave with cabin-style storage and classic desk space
Solid wood and wood veneer, stripped or varnished, makes a fabulous material for a man-cave home office. In this cabin-style room, the metal finishes on desktop, lamp and storage are the perfect companion pieces to the wood.
Desk, chair, lamp
One World Trading Co
Man cave living room with corner sofa and wood flooring
Keep a space clean and simple for a man cave designed for chilling out. The white walls, undressed windows, stripped floor and dark seating in this smart living room create the perfect retreat from the everyday. A smiley cushion shines out from the centre of the scheme, while a traditional overmantel mirror helps keeps light levels high.
Similar sofa
Loaf
Similar cushion
Emoji Shop
Mirror
The French Bedroom Company
Man cave with inspiring garden view and streamlined desk
Turn a garden room into study area by placing a desk in the lightest, brightest spot. A garden building is the perfect spot for a getting-away-from-it-all den that provides an inspirational working space away from the busier parts of the house.
Desk
Another Country
Man cave conservatory entertaining space with wine store
Turn a conservatory into a man cave with a wall-hung wine store, refectory-style dining table and bench seating. This side-return extension is the simplest of settings with its painted brick walls, glazed roof and easy garden access. A wall-hung adjustable lamp is a brilliant solution to the problem of glazed roof lighting.
Similar table
Laura Ashley
Similar ladder
The White Company
Man cave basement work space with pendant light trio
Bare brick walls have the feel of a cellar or basement space, but you can get the look with brick-design wallpaper in any room in your home. A linear design in this atmospheric space is achieved by a long, impressive table and rows of designer chairs, mirrored above by a trio of pendant lights.
Table
Tablemakers
Light shades
Original TBC
Man cave with homely leather sofa and chess set
Create a man-cave space by mixing metal, wood and leather. It's a combination of materials that creates an industrial-style den with all the benefits of well used, time-worn leather, practical pared-back storage and scrubbed wood. This is a space for lounging, storing and entertaining and the chess set is an inspired addition.
Sofa and shelving
Flamant
