Cool Man Cave Furniture

Finding the right furniture is essential for creating the right mood for your space. So, not just any old junk will do. Your Man Cave has limited space and each square inch is valuable, not a dumping ground for grandma’s old couch.

Remember that the Man Cave is a happy place and you are not going to be happy if you are not proud of the things you fill your space with. So buy right the first time by doing your research and know what you like.

You need Cool Man Cave furniture that is going to fit into one or more of the following categories.

Stylish Man Cave Furniture – Give Your Space Some Style

Everyone has different taste in decor. The decor is as individual as a fingerprint. Think about what you want to have your Man Cave. Most people picture a Man Cave as a finished basement that is designed to be a home theatre. This makes a perfectly awesome retreat, but really this is just one of many different themes or uses for the finished space. Search the internet and websites like Pinterest to find things you really like and discover your style.

Take screenshots and notes so you will have a reference and a way to refresh your memory on the go. Do this in advance of going shopping. With so many choices you really need a game plan and a vision.

So let’s talk style, starting with categories of furniture.

Think about what category appeals to you from the list below. There is some overlap between styles and some current pieces are inspired by trends both past and current.

Getting confused? Think of it this way. Authentic antique furniture will not have metal and glass incorporated into the design because that was not a material that was readily available to use. A current piece could have an antique look, but also have modern materials such as glass, metal, or compressed wood.

• Antique – Defined as furniture that is over 100 years old, usually made of wood.
• Traditional – This style will showcase a wood construction and wood carved details, this style is best represented as furniture build with craftmanship between 1700 to 1800.
• Vintage – This is usually used furniture that is still around because it has the best features of a specific decade. Similar to antique but not reaching the 100 year age requirement.
• Art Deco – Artistic in nature, this style features the use of funky patterns, glass, chrome, and mirrors.
• Rustic – The rustic look has been very popular in the last few years. The look is an appearance of rescued and salvaged barn board and other aged wood. The wood is not over processed so it keeps the look of its age and a  casual, warm feel. A lot of manufacturers create this look without using actual using aged wood.

• Retro – Vintage and retro are the same word right? Kinda, vintage is from the pass, retro is inspired by the pass.
• Modern – Uses materials like steel, vinyl, leather, and plastic. Colors are usually easy on the eyes because this style sticks with different shades of the same color, rather than different colors. This is called monochromatic color style.
• Contemporary – Modern and contemporary are closely related, however, contemporary refers to new styles of furniture made today. So current fads and styles.

Furniture With Function

Choose your furniture by the function you want it to serve. For example, If you are going to have a bar as a major feature in your Man Space your will want to have bar stools and a bar height table to keep the flow going. Bar height tables are also great for playing darts and pool because the person is close to a standing position when getting up for their turn.

If watching movies and TV is your vice, you will need a big comfy couch and recliners. The average time of a movie is 100mins and so your need good seating to enjoy the action all the way to the end. Some TV and movie watching furniture even have cup holders to keep track of your beverage in case your hands get too full.

Pull out Couch

A pullout couch can serve as a spare bed. These pull out couches have moved with the times and are a few styles are on the market.

A modern twist on the pull out couch are futons, very popular and practical.  Another sleeping solution is a chair that converts into a thick sleeping pad without any mechanical parts.

Murphy bed

A Murphy bed is a fold up bed that looks like a bookshelf when it is folded up against the wall. This style of bed is available to fold up either vertical or horizontal. This bed system can be purchased as an all in the box system or for a seasoned DIYer, a basic hardware kit and build plans are available.

Fold Out Furniture

Since we are on the topic of Fold Out Furniture. Fold out items that can be of use to you in your space can be very creative. If you think about these items in your design phase you can really save space. For example, a laundry room can be equipped with a fold out ironing board or clothes drying rack.

Fold out desk and tables are a good way to have a flat surface when you need it and disguises as a slim cabinet when you don’t.

This makes your room very useable and practical but tucks away to make it feel spacious on a day to day basis.

Comfortable Man Cave Furniture

If your Man Cave is a refuge for relaxation, it is just not going to work if you can not get comfortable and probably even take an occasional nap. No home theater is complete without fantastic seating.

Sectional Couches

Sectionals couches are a very good option for your Man Cave. The couch is usually built into two or three pieces. This will allow you to be able to get it into the basement or any other room of your house.

Mesure closely and ask the furniture shop about their return policy. It is a very common practice to refuse delivery if your couch or chair won’t fit into your space. Luckily since the rise of popularity, the marketplace is much more accommodating to smaller places. (or hard to get into places).

Recliner

Of course, everyone knows the classic lazy boy recliner. The recliner, in general, has a very good reputation and is the winning style of chair for watching long movies or TV shows. It allows you to change positions and this transforms into long-lasting comfort. Your ability to sit through long movies that will impress even the most professional and seasoned couch potato.

Extra Seats

If space is a problem you can sacrifice comfort and have stackable bar stools or fold up chairs. These are great because you take them out when you need them and tuck them away when you don’t. These chairs are perfectly comfortable as long as you are not sitting in one place for hours on end.

Resilience Man Cave Furniture

You may have a party in your Man Cave or build a classic car. One thing is for sure and that is your going to make a mess from time to time.

Think about the materials your furniture is made out off, Can it be cleaned? Will it withstand a 300lbs man? Will that table scratch? Think about what is important to your and purchase accordingly.

There is nowhere more important to have tough stuff than if your Man Cave is a Man Garage. The Man Garage comes with its own set of rules. Of course, you can make it what you want, but if you are working on cars, it is going to more than likely be a boots on, beer fridge, and greasy hands environment.  So it does not hurt to have a couple stools around that is rated for 500lbs!

Why not make your Man Garage the envy of the neighborhood by doing a finished garage floor, and retro metal signs.

 

Cheap Man Cave Furniture – Used Stuff

Just because it is used does not mean it is not cool and functional, many people love vintage. High-quality items are sometimes very tough, built with good materials and craftsmanship. Maybe you don’t want to buy an expensive table to play poker on because you know it will get scratched and dented, what is the solution? Buy a good used table and get all the quality at a fraction of the price and probably with a couple dings already so you won’t feel bad and that first boys night.

Wood is a fantastic material, scratch, dent and abuses it for years and it can still be brought to life with some basic DIY skills. Some items that make great projects are bookshelves, coffee tables, or bar stools.

How To Find Vintage Furniture

Finding vintage furniture is not hard, people are always trying to get rid of stuff. The hard part is to not drag junk home and have to get rid of it yourself in the not so distant future.

Here are some places you can find vintage furniture for sale.  

• Kijiji or Craigslist and Facebook selling groups – this is a widely used marketplace for people who are downsizing or upgrading.
• Estate sales or Yardsales – You may feel the pressure. These sales are very time sensitive and you may feel the need to make a move, but remember, the seller is also under time restrictions to make the sale.
• Thrift stores – There are many different thrift store chains and privately owned stores. This type of vintage shopping is very casual and you may come and go as you please, unlike the two above options that do not oblige to normal business hours. Thrift Stores are business with overhead and the drive to make a profit. The prices will reflect this.

Here are some tips to make sure you are happy with what you buy. 

• Have a plan –  Know what you want, know what the vintage seller has. For example, If you know you want a real wood desk, ask the seller questions. You can also ask where it was originally purchased and at what price. Don’t be scared to be nosy, the seller has no reason to be offended by in-depth questions about the item.
• Too Many Questions – Too many questions can ruin your chance at a deal. If you ask too many questions online and someone else is willing to buy question free, the seller will probably do what is easiest for them. Also by asking questions about the original price, the seller may start to feel like they need more money to offset their losses, or at very least firm up the asking price.  
• Pressure sales – If you are meeting someone from Kijiji or at a yard sale you will have to make a decision pretty quick on whether you want the item or not. The best way to handle this is to have an expectation and if you are not happy at first glance for whatever reason, just walk away. Realize that it is hard to walk away, its human nature, you have put effort into pursuing this item and meeting up with the person and you do not want to walk away empty-handed.  But do walk away, you will know when you have found what you were looking for.
• Price or Value – Buying vintage comes with a roller coaster of pricing. If a thrift shop has a valuable item the price will be high. The same item may be on Kijiji for 1/4 the price because of the seller’s motivation. If the seller is moving, everything must go, the value is sometimes put on hold and overlooked, and prices are shockingly good. Some thrift stores will take advantage of this timing and buy vintage items to put in their store location for resale.
• Price Drop Trap – If the seller really wants to get rid of something and they start to get the feeling that you are not going to take it, they may drop the price to try to motivate you. This may be a hard offer to refuse but stick to the gameplan, if it is not what you want don’t take it at any price. You can also play the card of disinterest to feel the seller out and try to get a price drop if you know you want what they have, use your poker face.
• Clean and Well Taken Care Of – This is a complex topic. You can get a great deal on something that needs a good wipe down, or scratch repair. So in certain cases, this will work out for a buyer. But other times, that dirt and scratch is a clue to a neglected piece, and other problems may arise, tread carefully. On the other hand, a clean and flawless item may have the illusion of value and quality but that is not the case. So look through the presentation and see what is really there.

The best advice I can give about buying vintage is to know what you want and know what you will spend. Be patience until you see what you want. “Float like a butterfly, Sting like a bee”

Man Cave Bars – So Many Styles To Choose From

A lot of Man Caves are intended for fun times and entertaining. If this is the case for yours, you will definitely need a bar! A pub style bar is a built-in item but if you have something smaller or pre-built in mind you are in luck, the selection is amazing.

A furniture style bar can have many benefits. First, you will not have to build it. Only the most extreme DIYers can take on this project of building a bar, and get the results that will impress. Paying a contractor is a great option, but the bills can stack up fast.

Secondly, a built-in bar takes up a lot of space. If you have space, I would encourage you to go for it! Having a full-size bar will have your friends begging to come over every weekend. I would suggest building a bar that takes up no more than 1/10 of your floor space. This is a good ratio to retain the feel of an uncluttered space.

Good news for people with smaller space, many styles of bars and liquor stations are on the market. Perfectly sized to fit into your home like any other piece of furniture. This would make a great addition to any Man Cave.