Man Caves: How To Turn Your Garage Into A Gentleman’s Getaway

Posted on August 11, 2011 by Shannon

Traditionally, the garage is considered to be a man’s space filled with manly things: cars, tools, grease, dirt, and grime – and, for the men who like to spend a lot of time in them, peace and quiet. If you already spend a lot of time in your garage, you might want to think about turning that drafty, inhospitable space into one you can both work in and really enjoy: your very own man cave. How?

If You Spend A Lot Of Time There, Your Garage Might Already Be A Man Cave... But That Doesn't Mean There Isn't Room For Improvement!

If you do a lot of work in your garage already, you’re probably at least part way there. A garage workshop really only needs whatever tools the job you’re working on requires. Of course, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t splurge to get the place the way you like it. Insulating your garage, if it isn’t already, is the best place to start. Adding magnetic pegboard is a great, sleek-looking way to store your smaller tools, and rubber flooring has more cushion, better insulation, and is easier to clean than bare concrete. With just a few minor upgrades, it’s easy to turn a decent workshop into a great looking man cave.

A Combination Garage Workshop And Office Designed By Closet Factory

If you already have a finished garage – especially a larger one, and especially if you don’t actually need to park your car in it – you can turn your garage into anything from a private office and workshop to a full service personal auto or motorcycle garage. If you have a passion for vintage vehicles, and you know your way around them, with a set of quality automotive tools, you can be your own mechanic. Just don’t forget about the little man cave details – little things to personalize your space, like a jersey on the wall, or a commemorative baseball in a nice glass case.

You May Not Be Bruce Wayne, But That's No Reason Not To Keep Some Nice Toys In Your Cave

In addition to being a great workspace, a garage can also be a great place to stow and show your more expensive toys – the recessed lighting in this man cave gives it a showroom feel for an awesome collection of motorcycles. If you do a lot of work on various automobiles, you’re going to want a tool chest, in either classic fire engine red, black, or chrome. Even if you aren’t a major tinkerer, and you DO just want to show off your collection, you can still look the part with a minifridge designed to look like a tool chest.

They Don't Call 'Em Garage Bands For Nothing!

Even for men who aren’t so mechanically inclined, a garage still makes a great man cave. It’s isolated from the rest of the house, and is fairly easily made comfortable with some insulation and an air conditioner, and it’s remote enough that you can crank – or play – your music or movies as loud as you like without disturbing the rest of the house. In fact, for a musician, a garage man cave can be a great place to jam. More than that, with the right acoustic material, recording equipment, and a few musical instruments, a garage makes a pretty decent recording area. Or if you just like to play and listen to music, you can cram your walls with CD racks, a nice amp or two, and some booming speakers, and enjoy it in the comfort of your very own music cave.

Just Because You Stow Your Tools In Your Garage Doesn't Mean You Have To Work In It

If you really want to turn your garage in to a man cave hang out, all you’ve gotta do is treat it just like any other room. While you might still want a tool chest for storage, instead of a work bench you can set up a nice bar set, and instead of parking a car in your garage, you can park yourself on a nice futon in front of a TV. And you can never go with a Budweiser clock, just to make sure you leave the Man-Mark on your refitted garage.

Even In A Normal Sized Garage, You Can Find Space For A Lot Of Cool Toys

Though this is a regular two car garage, not the huge, sprawling spaces of some of the other man-caves, it has a lot going on. From awesome neons to custom bar stools, and a fully stocked bar, this garage hits on all it’s owner’s major needs and interests. He can even watch TV sitting right next to his Harley! Like I always say, it isn’t about the amount of space you have, but how you use it – the TV in this man cave could be a lot bigger, but I like that the owner opted for shelves of knick knacks. That, and the rest of the art on the walls, really customizes the space and makes it comfortable and homey.

Whatever you have in mind for your man cave, a garage is a great canvas for it: a big, private space that’s remote from the rest of the house, that you can turn into just about any kind of hang out you want. Just remember you have to tell your wife she’ll have to park in the driveway! Have you done any major garage remodels? What are you thinking about doing? Let me know in the comments!