Back Into The Cave

Several hundred thousand years ago (or maybe several million years ago), man came out of his cave. Around 1992, man started going back into his cave.

Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary (m-w.com) says the first known use of a “man cave” was in 1992. It is defined as a “room or space (den, basement, garage) designed according to the man of the house and is used as his personal area for hobbies and leisure activities.”

Basically, it’s where men can seek refuge from the outside world and where furniture and other assorted items find a second life.

Further reading shows that the area is free from any female influence, since every guy needs a space to call his own — a sanctuary where boys can be boys to drink a beer, smoke a cigar, improve his short game on an indoor putting green or watch the big game on a giant high-definition, flat-screen television.

Sounds good to me.

Andi Ahart, a real estate agent for Re/Max Advantage, has been showing and selling homes for 12 years. She has seen many man caves.

“A man cave can be anywhere in the home,” she said. “It depends on the individual and what they want from the room. It can be as simple as a room with refrigerator and pool table or something more elaborate with several televisions and a sophisticated sound system.

“At the same time, I have seen an adjacent casita that has been renovated with hardwood floors, spa and hot tub, granite counter tops, crown molding, poker tables, and sophisticated filtration systems in order to smoke cigars. The room is reflective of the man who is turning it into his personal space.”

Ahart recently showed a home where she noticed that one of the rooms had 20 outlets suggesting a host of computers to play video games or a man cave with enough televisions so as not to miss a single football game.

Over the years, Ahart has seen homes get larger with the addition of what is called a “bonus room.” In some model homes, these rooms are designed and laid out as man caves.

“It’s surprising that many man caves are desired by older buyers who are retired and where all the children have left home,” she said. “These buyers can now create their own world and for the men, it’s a room or something other than just a regular den.”

So does a man cave translate into a good resale tool?

“It depends on who is buying the house,” Ahart said. “Some may like the layout of the home, but the man cave may not fit into the lifestyle of the family wanting to buy the home. After all these years, I’ve learned that what is desirable to one person is far from perfect for someone else.”

And that rings true to Tom Blanchard, co-owner of Tbone Art Co. He specializes in creating customized art from such items as guitars, drums or pianos. He has worked in many man caves, but prefers the term man space or studio. He finds nothing wrong with having a man cave, but feels that at a certain age, a man needs more than just a cave; it should be a space that truly reflects him.

“A man cave is too limiting,” he said. “You say those two words and you think of a beer keg and foosball. The room should be a personal retreat with special keepsakes.

“I ask my customers to visualize the room and move forward. Select a focal point or theme and build around it. I see a lot of stone and dark wood and lit ceilings. At the same time, I suggest elements of feng shui to harmonize the environment.”

Blanchard said just about any room can have an audio system to accommodate a custom in-home theater that is soundproofed and decorated with favorite movie posters along the wall. Or special cabinets can be built to hold select whiskeys, cigars or wines.

He doesn’t believe the room should reflect a fraternity house from 20 years ago, but should instead reflect the person as he is now and how he has reached this point in his life.

“While some man caves are off-limits to women,” he said, “I believe the space should be comfortable and inviting and multifunctional for everyone.”

However, if it must be a man cave with an emphasis on “man” or “cave,” visit the official website: mancavesite.org. Its motto is, “Taking back the world, one cave at a time.”