Just For Men

They say a man’s home is his castle.

But, in addition to that, many males are carving out a special room in their homes just to spend some quality time solo or with pals: a man cave. Whether you’re into wine or sports memorabilia, big-screen TVs or record collecting, a man cave can be anything you want it to be. We spoke to Louis Shuster, owner of South Florida’s award-winning Shuster Design Associates, for some tips on creating the ultimate man cave.

Make A Wish List

The best way to start making your man cave is to decide what’s really important for you to have in it and how you intend to use the space. Do you prefer to watch TV lying down or sitting up? Will you want a workstation, or is the room just for play? Do you have awards to display, or do you have a collection of books you want on view? Do you need special lamps for reading, or will general lighting do? “I’m always looking for what will make them feel comfortable,” Shuster says.

Think Flexible

A big mistake people make when designing a man cave is forgetting to leave space for future technology. “Things [become] obsolete, electronics-wise, so quickly,” he says. This could mean anything from televisions to audio-visual equipment to refrigerators and more. “Where things change readily, I try not to build things in. I try to put electronics on shelves where [clients] can get to them from the back and they’re easily serviceable.” Such flexibility will serve you well down the road. 

Stay Neutral

“A lot of people like a lot of color, which I’m not really for,” Shuster says. A big, bold hue can become tiresome easily, he says, so it’s better to add color in other ways. “I think the artwork or the memorabilia should be the color. I’m very much for neutral because neutrality has longevity.” You’ll also want to choose fabrics that hold up, like leather or nubby fabrics on a couch that you’ll use frequently, for example. “Longevity is the word for everything I do. I like timeless design.” O

Photo by iStock.com/Explora_2005