From your home office to your man cave, it’s nice to have a personalized space where you spend your time. That being said, every man cave needs to have that personal touch. There’s nothing better than having the guys over and being able to show off your latest work. No matter your experience or skill level as a DIYer, I have eight things that you can do to level up your man cave.
Rolling Ottoman From Old Tires
It’s nice to be able to kick your feet up while you’re watching the game or your favorite movie. The bad part of this is moving the ottoman around the room to accommodate wherever you decide to sit. Solve this problem with a rolling ottoman made out of tires. Simply cover the openings of a small (clean) tire with round pieces of wood, then put caster wheels on the bottom. Paint it if you’d like, or not, either way, it looks great.
Baseball Bat Stools
It’s no mystery that baseball bats are meant to take a great deal of punishment. Head to your nearest sporting goods store and grab a few wood bats off the shelf and use them for legs on a stool. Depending on your budget, the seat can be repurposed from an old stool or you can use an actual base. Drive screws into the barrel end of the bats and use the knobs as the feet. Make sure to attach rungs about two-thirds the way down to reinforce the stability of the stool when you sit on it.
Wrench Coat Hooks
Guys’ night during the winter can be a hassle when there’s nowhere to hang coats. Instead, they get hung over chairs and couches that were never meant to get wet. Give your guests somewhere to hang their coats with wrench coat hooks that can be mounted on the wall. Take a few old wrenches and bend them to about a 45-degree angle, screw them into the wall, and the guys will never drape their coats over your recliner again.
Homemade Hammock
You can bring the outdoor living into your man cave by installing a hammock in the corner. Give it a personal and rustic touch by weaving it yourself with industrial strapping. You can use the strapping buckles to attach the ends to anchors in the wall. You’ll have a comfortable and durable hammock that’s great for Saturday afternoon naps.
Make Bottle Cap Art
Art adds a certain level of culture to every man cave. Whether it’s a painting of dogs playing poker or a framed jersey, art fills the void on your walls and creates a sense of finality to the room. You can create your own art while being ecologically responsible by recycling bottle caps. Collect used caps in a bucket or a jar then arrange them on a piece of plywood to represent the logo of your favorite sports team, drink, movie character, or anything else. You can glue them down and cover them with epoxy or make your art as crude as you’d like by nailing them down. After all, it’s your work of art.
Murphy Bar
Not all man caves have room for a bar. This problem is easily solved with the help of a Murphy bar. Install a box or cabinet on the wall that has a few shelves in it and you can keep a couple of bottles of your favorite drinks with some glasses. Add a small tabletop that’s connected at the bottom by a hinge and you have a simple bar that folds up out of the way when you’re done. Make sure to add a locking support leg or chain to ensure that the weight of the drinks doesn’t pull down the tabletop when it’s unfolded.
Chalkboard Game Table
Game tables can facilitate every level of guys’ night. From poker to spades to darts, you need a place to gather or even simply place your drink. A DIY chalkboard game table is easy enough to come by. It doesn’t take anything more than refinishing the top of the table with chalkboard paint. This finish is strong enough to take the wear and tear that comes with regular use while looking sharp with a matte finish.
Skateboard Shelves
If you are now or have ever been into skateboarding, there’s a good chance you have one or two old boards lying around that haven’t been used. If not, you can go to a nearby retail supermarket and buy a few for cheap in the sporting goods section. Take off the grip tape and paint the boards whatever colors you’d like. Screw them onto brackets then mount them on the wall and you have custom shelving to hold drinks, cell phones, or anything else that you need.