Man caves give guys a chance to celebrate all things masculine

Steve Lechnir loves his wife, Elissa, but sometimes, he needs some alone time.

A few minutes to decompress after work, unwind and maybe watch a baseball game.

Enter Lechnir's man cave, or mantuary, the little room off the kitchen where he can shut himself off from the rest of the world, put his feet on the couch if he wants and watch a game without worrying about commandeering the television.

It was a major selling point for the house, says Elissa, who teaches piano at home. Because she often has students over until 8:30 p.m., Steve needed a place where he could watch television, surf the Internet, admire his Green Bay Packer memorabilia -- in private.

"I need a place to go where I'm not bothering them and they're not bothering me. This room seemed perfect for that space," Steve Lechnir says.

Thanks to a desire to stay home and spend as little money as possible or a need for some alone time away from the wife and kids, more guys are creating their own space at home, says Mike Yost, owner of the Web site mancavesite.org.

These man caves have bars, big-screen televisions, computers, video game systems, poker tables, pool tables and more. If you can imagine it, some guy's got it, Yost says.

When guys get married, they make compromises which often means the loss of their space and certain prized possessions, says Jason Cameron, co-host and builder on the DIY Network show "Man Caves."

Each episode has Cameron and co-host Tony Siragusa remodeling a basement, garage or bedroom into the ultimate man cave.

Usually, they're themed. One episode shows how they turned the basement of Rod McKenzie's New Jersey house into a Vegas-themed poker room. He's got two 10 seat poker tables, closed-circuit television, a bar and lots of vintage Vegas art, McKenzie says.

Lechnir is a big fan of his room, he says. He's got a bar, a couch that turns into a pullout bed, a chair with an ottoman, a 42-inch plasma television, his Green Bay Packers helmet, jerseys and his bowling pins and trophies.

"I think it's kind of a manly kind of thing. I really enjoy the privacy in there, I'm a big fan of it actually," Lechnir says.

MAN CAVE BASICS

Man caves -- also known as mantuaries -- are, by their nature, singular spaces as vastly different as the cave dwellers who made them.

After all, they are based on what a guy likes, what he's passionate about, says Jason Cameron, builder and co-host of DIY Network's "Man Caves."

But, there are some things that are just universal among men so there are a handful of characteristics that an explorer will find in almost any man cave, experts say. And these are the basics which any man cave builder might want to include in his sanctuary.

First, is food and drink. The very basic would be a small refrigerator to store sodas or beers, even a few snacks, says Mike Yost, who operates the Web site mancavesite.org. Kegorators are a popular item, too. Any home improvement store will carry a conversion kit to turn a refrigerator into a constant source of draft beer, Yost says.

Second, television. Guys like big, flat screen TVs, Cameron says. They have universal appeal.

Then you need a comfortable place to sit, whether it's a recliner, a table, bar or couch. That depends on the direction the guy wants to take, Cameron says. For instance, a guy who wants a poker room will have different needs than a guy who wants a place to watch sports.

A door, or some way to shut out the rest of the world, is a necessity, too. That's what makes garages and basements the perfect locations for man caves, Cameron says.

For anyone considering turning a room into their very own at-home sanctuary, Cameron suggests they first make a budget.

"You have to be realistic. Know what you want," he advises.

Sit down and make a list of everything you want your room to be: A game room? A poker den? A sports bar? A place to play your Xbox?

Lots of guys build their man caves over a period of time, Yost says. For some ideas, watch the DIY Network show or visit mancavesite.org.

-- By SONYA PADGETT

Contact reporter Sonya Padgett at spadgett@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4564.