A Man’s World: Celebrate the Father in Your Life with a Man Cave

A MAN’S WORLD

Celebrate the Father in Your Life with a Man Cave

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By Kathleen Moran, House and Home Writer

In the midst of these challenging times, it seems hard to believe that Father’s Day is just around the corner. Nevertheless, be sure to think outside the box and show appreciation for the important father figures in your life with the gift of a man cave.

DESIGNING

According to Bradley Gendel, a project manager with Cloud Brothers in South Bend, one of the first steps in designing the perfect man cave is the planning stage: “knowing what one intends to show off in the space as well as answering how and why the space will be used.” More often than not the basement is selected as the ideal location for such a project.

From there, it comes down to creating the desired look and feel. As Gendel pointed out, “honoring the man’s touch is often seen in the selection of warm hardwoods that offer a pub feel and the option for floating shelves for displaying such items as alcohol, collectible glasses and other memorabilia.”

Keeping in mind that a popular function of a man cave is entertaining friends, furniture can go a long way in welcoming guests. Atlee Miller with Dutchman Log Furniture in Shipshewana encourages customers to “think of pieces like rockers, recliners, small game tables for playing cards and electric fireplaces.”

Another option is a bar with accompanying bar stools. Not only does this make a great place for eating and drinking, “a bar offers an area for extra storage with its built-in shelves, drawers and option for a mini fridge.”

ENTERTAINMENT

Home entertainment options are certainly a key component in one’s entertaining needs. Joel Wesco and his team at ALLEGRO Home Entertainment in Granger can covertly integrate home theater equipment in an existing basement area. “We can create tailored solutions in challenging spaces such as automating a hidden TV to come out of a

LOCATION

Depending on one’s intentions, a couple hundred square feet should suffice when setting up a man cave in a garage, which Rick Otto, vice president of sales with Coach House Garages, described as a conditioned space outside the home. “When planning, determine whether there is a need for appliances, which would dictate location in proximity to electrical hookups.”

As concrete is the likely flooring option within a garage, “connections can be put into sleeves in the concrete for a do-it-yourself plumbing project if desired.” Furthermore, given factors like moisture and condensation, opting for an electric heat source in the colder months rather than a gas heater will allow for year-round use. “Equally relevant, be sure to avoid ventless heaters,” he warned, that can leak harmful emissions into the air.

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cabinet or ceiling. With the addition of invisible speakers, we can create an immersive experience that seemingly appears out of nowhere.”

Big TVs and even bigger projection screens can put one in the game or even a live concert when space is not an issue. “For the die hard sports fan, switch on sports mode to transform one large screen into multiple without missing a moment of your favorite games.” n

RESOURCES:

ALLEGRO Home Entertainment, Granger, 574-255-4434, www.discoverallegro.com Cloud Brothers, South Bend, 574-289-0395, www.cloudbrothers.com Coach House Garages, 574-534-1400, www.coachhousegarages.com Dutchman Log Furniture, Shipshewana, 260-768-4140, www.dutchmanlogfurtniture.com