There comes a time in every man’s life when he realizes he needs a little space to retreat to every now and again. No matter how great your social life is or how thriving your relationship, if you’re cohabiting, you might just be in search of a man cave of your own. Let’s face it, the humble man cave is the most versatile of rooms, given that you can use it for tinkering with tools, storing away all your tech gadgets, playing your favourite video games, having some quality time with just yourself, and so much more. But, they’re often the last rooms to be given any attention to.
If you’re tired of settling for a dingy basement or corner of the garage and are ready to kit out your manly sanctuary, keep reading for a blueprint to putting together the ultimate man cave.
Comfort is King
First up, let’s talk about furnishings. Yes, you probably already have a pretty comfy sofa in your living room, but even in a man cave no one wants to spend hours on end glued to a wonky office chair, only to stand up and feel like you’ve been hit by a freight train.
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It’s worth the investment to purchase comfortable seating options, so you can easily go from kicking back with a box set or battling through a 4-hour gaming marathon. You can never really go wrong with a plush recliner or corner sofa, and if you are serious about playing video games, make sure you opt for an ergonomically designed gaming chair, like the ones Corsair is putting out.
Let There Be Light
Forget harsh fluorescent strip lights and drab fixtures, the lighting in your man cave should both support and enhance the activities you’ll be engaging in. Experiment with different lighting setups to create the perfect ambiance for any use, whether you’re carrying out a spot of DIY or hosting a gaming marathon with your friends. Dimmable LED strips and smart lighting controls will enable you to adjust everything from brightness to color temperature with ease. Meanwhile, a couple of strategically placed lamps will give you focused light spots for more in-depth work.
One Monitor to Rule Them All
Let’s face it, the centre piece of any respectable man’s man cave is the quality of his entertainment setup. If you’re lucky enough to have an entire room where you can permanently store your gaming setup, the last thing you want to be doing is squinting at a decades-old TV screen.
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Now, you could theoretically get away with just using your main flatscreen TV, but that would be quite a pain to drag it into your man cave every time you fancy kicking back with a game or movie — and we’re sure your housemates or better half would have something to say about that too! Instead, think about the type of monitor that you would need to suit your gaming and entertainment needs. If you’re a regular player of online slots and table games like the type found at PokerStars Casino, a high-resolution display with excellent color vibrancy will ensure you won’t miss out on a single millisecond of the adrenaline-fuelled action. Are RTS games or multiplayer survival titles like DayZ more up your street? Opt for a monitor with minimum response times and the highest possible refresh rate.
All Ears
By now, your man cave will really be taking shape but, what good is nailing your entertainment setup if you don’t have a sound system that can swallow you whole? Ok, maybe that’s a tad bit extreme, but you do want an audio setup that will at least make you feel like you’re as immersed in your digital adventures as possible.
Nothing beats a surround sound system, in either 5.1 or if you’ve got soundproofing, 7.1. Dolby Atmos is the better choice for gaming and watching movies, since it offers the ultimate levels of immersion and realism. We do appreciate that not everyone has the budget to push the boat out on a top graded sound system, so don’t feel like you’ll be settling for Dolby Digital. To up the quality of your speakers, place them in strategic points around your man cave so your entertainment setup is in the centre of the action.
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All that’s left now is to add a few finishing touches like storage units for your tools and a cracking piece of wall art and voila, the ultimate man cave!
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