In your home, having your own personal space gives you the time you need to relax and escape the stress of the rest of your home. Whether it’s to enjoy a hobby, spend time with friends, simply control the TV, or do a workout in a home gym, a man cave or she shed is your home within your home.
When you get married, you often lose the luxury of your own bedroom, and while sharing everything with your spouse is fun, sometimes we need somewhere to go that is just ours. An old shed or spare bedroom is a great place to dedicate your space, and below are some ideas on how to make a she shed or man cave that best suits you.
Clean Out a Space
The first step to whatever you are creating is to pick a space and make sure everything you don’t want in your getaway room finds a new home. Clearing out space is also an excellent opportunity to sort through some items you may no longer use or need. Donate those old clothes or tools and organize the rest.
Creating your she shed, or man cave will give you a chance to go through some clutter you may have been putting off and reward yourself with a brand new space in the end. If you don’t have the extra room in your home, your local hardware store probably sells cedar shed kits that are easy to build on your own.
Size is not a deal breaker when creating a place of your own; if a shed is out of the budget or an entire room isn’t available, you can also take advantage of a smaller space like an office or portion of a room.
Choose a Theme
Picking a general theme for your space will make the final product more cohesive and help the planning process feel less overwhelming. A theme can be anything from a set of colours to your favourite sports team.
Basing the theme on how you’d like to utilize the space is a great place to start. Maybe you’re going to use your man cave to play video games and watch movies, so you centre it around your favourites of these. You are she shed is a great place to spend time with your friends; if you all love to drink wine together, consider giving it a French or Italian theme.
However, the theme doesn’t always have to be based on how you will use the space. If you’re turning it into a workshop for your pottery or reading, choose a theme that will make you feel relaxed and comfortable. Picking calming and cohesive colours will make your new room or shed a safe haven from any of your stress.
Get Painting
A fresh coat of paint is a great place to start when transforming a place. You want the room to feel like it’s yours, so change the walls in your old guest room, or add colour to the shed that was once just storage. Painting a room the colours you want it to be will make the room feel like a new space immediately.
Painting can be challenging and a huge undertaking if you’ve never done it before. Consider hiring a london painter and decorator to take some stress off yourself when creating your are she shed or man cave.
Make it Comfortable
However you plan to use it, you want this room to be comfortable, so choosing seating options you want to spend time in is essential. Depending on how you’ll be using it will also determine what kind of seating you need.
A supportive desk chair is a great option if you’re going to be using a computer or playing video games. If you want to use your man cave to watch movies or sporting events, having a reclining armchair or loveseat will give you options for relaxing while you’re watching.
Your shed can be a great place to hang out with your friends, so multiple areas for sitting might be the best option. Multiple stools or a couch are a good option for taking up minimal space while also offering a seat to all of your guests.
Have Fun
Don’t forget that you are designing this space for yourself, and finding enjoyment in the process of creating it is just as important as using it in the future. Get your friends and family involved in the planning and transformation processes. It can be great to have additional opinions when making decisions and to set up the space with your best friend, spouse, or children is an opportunity for some quality time.
Whether it’s a man cave or she shed, the goal is to create a room you can use to enjoy yourself and do what you love. You don’t want to resent the room by attempting to create something that is way out of budget or too time-consuming for your busy schedule. Ask for help, don’t bite off more than you can chew, and get creative!
Jenn Walker is a freelance writer, blogger, dog-enthusiast, and avid beach goer who writes for a senior living campus.