After constructing your backyard retreat, you are going to need to equip it to serve your requirements. Below are some fantastic ideas for your cool new outdoor man cave.
Tools, furniture, cutlery, appliances, connectivity, and entertainment products encompass just a few of such needs. Of course, it is important to remember that the items can differ from person to person, just like what is perceived as a “need”.
The man cave is meant to be a stress-free zone so you should set up in a manner that caters to your specific whims. Whether for work, relaxation, or entertaining guests, we will help you get started with a few tips and ideas that will really bring your sacred sanctuary to life. Here we go.
Housing your wheels
Whether you drive a car, ride a bicycle, or skateboard, it is always a neat idea to have a way to protect and secure your means of transport.
If cars can access the man cave, installing a car shed or port next to it would not be the worst idea. This is especially true if you already have no, or limited, garage space. A decent car shed will protect your car, or motorcycle, from suffering the full brunt of elements such as excessive sunlight, snowstorms, or hail. I would seriously consider this. Find good deals on Amazon.
If you are a cyclist, Amazon also has a great selection of bike racks to help you easily store and secure your bicycles.
Cooking and dining
“A man’s gotta eat”. Truer words have never been spoken. Depending on your situation, having a kitchenette in your cave may be a necessity. This is especially true if regular access to the main house kitchen is not possible. Guys who are too lazy to make the 50-foot trek to their REAL kitchen should also feel free to borrow this justification.
Naturally, you will need a stove and some cutlery to prepare your manly meals. Head over to Amazon.com for great deals on gas stoves and various kitchen appliances.
Don’t expect your wife to willingly hand over her precious cutlery, though. Avoid the drama and purchase your own set. The 53-piece stainless steel from HaWare (available on Amazon) is a good bet. Spoons, forks, steak knives, the whole deal. Comfortably prepare meals for up to eight people and dine like the king you always knew you were.
A wood-fire pizza oven is also a great addition to your man cave. Check out this inspirational setup on Pinterest.
Hanover Traditions’ outdoor 9-piece dining table set is an awesome addition to your man cave’s chosen dining area. A long, elegant, table comfortably seats eight people, and the corresponding chairs feature classy designs. Check it out on Amazon.
Drinking buddies and recreation
For some reason, the phrase “man-cave” immediately invokes a mental association with drinking and having a wild old time. Blame it on the media, or Joe Rogan, but the fact is a lot of dudes love alcohol and its associated fun times.
Whether you partake in “the sauce” or not, you might want to consider establishing your own little bar, even if it is just for entertaining others. However, kindly skip this idea if you have problems with alcoholism.
This wooden corner bar design on Pinterest is a great place to start if you are fishing for ideas. A wrap-around floating shelf runs above, parallel to the bar, which is a very nice touch.
One timeless piece of entertainment-cum-furniture is the dartboard. The perfect complement to any bar. Form memories, as you compete with your liquored-up friends and debate scores and rules. Amazon has a great selection for your man cave. Try out Viper by GLD Products’ awesome dart-set cabinet. The board comes with a full set of steel tipped darts. The cabinet’s doors have chalkboards for scoring, and a neat little eraser is included. Another cool feature in the cabinet is the little light just above the dartboard. This illuminates the board to ensure the fun continues long after nightfall.
If darts are not your style you should give ping-pong a try. It’s easy to learn, helps you stay in shape, and is incredibly fun. Careful, though, because the games are known to get extremely competitive, meaning you are in for hours of trick-shots, volleys, and smashes. Check out this great mid-sized ping pong table, bat, and ball set from Amazon. Easy to set up, easy to fold-up, and store. And yes, it is also great for beer pong.
Music is also a must, of course, at this party. So, a quality solution will be necessary. My advice? Check out the mini Bluetooth speaker from Kunodi. Certified IP45 water (and dust) proof, this tough little dynamo has a high-quality sound and a long-lasting battery that will keep the tunes pumping till day-break. It comes with a neat little clip so you can hang it off pretty much anything. Head to Amazon for more information, as well as the glowing reviews.
You would be surprised at how versatile a regular seating bench is. Outdoor furniture experts Relaxday present a cool wooden park-style bench, with a rustic cast-iron frame. Coated with weather-proofing agents, the bench is perfect for an indoor or outdoor placement. Worth a hot-minute of consideration, the bench is available on Amazon.
The outdoors is great, and all. But we all HATE bugs and the creepy crawlies. Mosquitoes, spiders…it’s a jungle out there and you better come prepared. A good place to start is with Pure Gardens’ outdoor umbrella, with a mosquito net, from Amazon. The high-quality polyester net is adjustable in height, and the umbrella can shield up to eight people. Enjoy your post-dinner chats and storytimes in peace. Also, check out this awesome way to relax with the mosquito net umbrella on Pinterest.
Work, outdoors, and DIY
All play and no work might leave Jake broke, I’m afraid. From time to time, you will probably have to find a way to use your man cave for productivity. If you tend to work from home, your man cave should be the perfect office or workshop for you.
A good solid desk or table is always a welcome feature. Whether for typing, mending, sculpting, or gardening, there will always be a use for a table. Check out Amazon’s own Amazon Basics adjustable desk. This innovative workstation is vertically adjustable and has five levels to accommodate unique seating and standing heights. A good sturdy design and a cool matte black finish make this item worth a try.
One of the days that ought to be a significant step in any man’s life, is the day he gets his first toolbox. As a man, like it or not, you are going to encounter scenarios where you are expected to fix something. At the very least, someone will want to borrow a tool or two, and there’s nothing as weirdly emasculating as not having “the right tool for the job”. Trust me on this. Head to Amazon and check out DEKOPRO’s incredible 158 piece household toolset. Most of the basics are covered as you have your standard wrenches, an adjustable wrench, a pair of pliers, tape measure, and so much more, all wrapped in a tough and portable case. A high quality, durable, and affordable toolkit. It is better to have it, and not need it than to need it, and not have it. The public agrees, and its reviews speak for themselves.
In your excitement to set up your man cave, you neglected the fact that you will now be slightly out of the main house wifi’s range. Do not fret, Netgear has you covered. Introducing the Nighthawk 4G LTE portable router, a sleek little piece of hardware. With password restriction, and even the ability to filter content, this is a great solution to your connectivity issues. You can also use cable extensions to link the Nighthawk to your main house wifi, saving a few bucks on an additional data plan. Streaming movies and online gaming will be a breeze with this baby, and you can easily accommodate guests as well. The Nighthawk can support up to 20 devices at any given time. Enough said. Available on Amazon.
Head over to Pinterest and capture what working from one’s rugged man sanctuary should feel like.