Man Cave / She Shack

[BrianL]

It's just me so the whole house is a man-cave, well more like a nerd-cave but whatever. It's all my stuff, though the floor is clearly the cat's domain.

 

[QueenIsabella]

We don't have specifically designated areas, but there are certainly "domains" that are more mine or DH's. I have a craft room, but it gets a lot of use from everyone--anyone who needs one of my tools or supplies, just goes in there. DH has the garage and a workshop that contain his tools (generally beefier than mine--I have the knife sharpener, he has the circular saw). He also tends to hang out in the living room and use that TV, while I'm in the family room and have a different TV. He's working from home, and generally does that from his desk in the master bedroom, upstairs.

The closest DH has to a man cave is the workshop--it's actually the pool storage/maintenance area, and it's attached to the house, but you have to exit the main house and cross the deck to get tot he door. But, I wouldn't call it a man cave because he doesn't really hang out in there. He'd rather hang in front of the TV (on his computer) or on the deck, where his smoker and grill are.

 

[TCRAIG]

DH has his ‘Man BOG’ - Bonus room over the garage - keeps his computer and 2 big TVs and all the rest of his junk...I mean valued treasures - in our next house, even though we’re empty nesters, I want a small parlor-type room for myself...

 

[loves to dive]

Sorta kinda. Our bonus room is set up as a sort of den. It has a couch, chair, TV and it's own ensuite bathroom. I guess it was meant to be a bedroom but since we have the master downstairs and two additional bedrooms upstairs we decided to make it a den/office. Me and the dog are pretty much the only ones who use it. I only use it on football Saturdays, I'm supposedly bad luck when UGA plays if I'm in the room. I go up there a little before the game starts and stay up there the rest of the day. I read, do Ancestry on my computer, watch TV. I need some alone time so it's nice, hubby has worked from home for the past 15 years or so but I worked full time up until about 3 years ago. I went to two part days a week then this year I go in one part day and work in the basement office a few hours the rest of the week. Way too much togetherness for me.

 

[prairie_girl]

Cave man here! Big tv and all my stuff is down here. I mostly just go upstairs for meals and housekeeping. Secret to a long marriage: Two DVRs and plenty of square footage.

Separate bedrooms too! I have insomnia and he twitches all night. This way, we both get rest during the night. This is mostly for me since he could sleep through a hurricane.

 

[1GoldenSun]

We each have our "offices" but we don't have cute names for them. My husband's doubles as a guest bedroom, but he doesn't use his as much as I use mine. I work in mine, but also spend time there doing other things, including sleeping if DH snores or I'm just feeling restless.

The best thing about these spaces to me is that we each have a place to put our "things." Anything he wants to display that I'm dubious about (sports paraphernalia, college mementoes, tacky stuff in general haha) I can just say "let's put that up in your office." He can store all his old train sets and baseball cards and obsolete (although he won't admit it) photography equipment in the closet. If he leaves junk lying around the house I can just put it in his office for him to deal with when he gets around to it.

I have a large walk-in closet in my office where I can store Christmas gifts (it's blessedly empty right now!), wrapping paper and gift bags, birthday party supplies, the kids' art supplies, and other things that don't have a home elsewhere in the house. There's plenty of room because all my clothes are in my bedroom closet. I also have a "keepsake" plastic bin for each of the kids and one for the family in general where I put the kids artwork, report cards, some birthday cards, awards and certificates, some of their baby clothes, and other memorabilia. The family one is full of vacation mementoes and other stuff I want to keep.

I am sort of envious of couples who thrive on closeness, but we're just wired differently. Our relationship thrives BECAUSE we have our separate spaces to retreat to when we feel the need.

 

[bobbiwoz]

We are retired and live in a relatively small house. I have a reading room, he uses the loft for his business.

Because there’s a skylight in the loft, I have many plants up there. These do not have “keep out” signs on them, but they are important to each of us.

 

[cleverclovers]

Always wondered why HE has a cave but SHE has to settle for a shack. (Just kidding. Please don't turn this into a nasty argument.)

 

[QueenIsabella]

Always wondered why HE has a cave but SHE has to settle for a shack. (Just kidding. Please don't turn this into a nasty argument.)

I think "man cave" came first. Then, the idea that woman needed something, but wouldn't settle for a "cave", so women needed their own cute name. (Not really, but...) Anyway, I thought it was a "she-shed". As in "Cheryl's she-shed caught fire, so now she needs a new, chi-chi-er she-shed."

 

[RamblingMad]

I was tempted a week ago to build an observatory in my backyard. But I have way too much light pollution. So now I'm thinking something less serious but more portable. There is an observatory run by a local astronomy club that's 15 minutes from my home and 5 minutes from my work. I can leverage that with a portable.

I already have an OLED TV that I watch all of my programming on, so I have no upgrades to make there other than to my sound system. I'd like to get a PS5 some time early next year before the pandemic is over.

I mainly like to spend time camping and hiking, so I don't need to build anything out for that experience. I might upgrade my tent, but I'm in no rush.

 

[Keetchino]

I prefer “detached family room” lol

 

[Kittyblue]

I am sort of envious of couples who thrive on closeness, but we're just wired differently. Our relationship thrives BECAUSE we have our separate spaces to retreat to when we feel the need.

I lived that closeness thing for many years. It's not all it's cracked up to be.

I think "man cave" came first. Then, the idea that woman needed something, but wouldn't settle for a "cave", so women needed their own cute name. (Not really, but...) Anyway, I thought it was a "she-shed". As in "Cheryl's she-shed caught fire, so now she needs a new, chi-chi-er she-shed."

Yikes you're right! It's a She Shed!!! Shows how little I know about them

 

[prairie_girl]

I lived that closeness thing for many years. It's not all it's cracked up to be.

Yikes you're right! It's a She Shed!!! Shows how little I know about them

I'm with you. I love my husband like no other but I need my alone time.

 

[SteveH]

In our current house, we have been purchasing vintage furniture to have a tiki lounge area. We have found these rooms/spaces get way more use on a daily basis than they would have in their original state.

Sounds like us! Picked up a nice 1920s Bamboo Couch and pair of Bamboo chairs, just need to get some new (updated cushions). On the other side of the entry is the Tiki Bar itself.

 

[StephMK]

Our upstairs was supposed to be a second hangout area/guest space. I had visions of a craft table, computer, and big TV as kind of a joint cave.

Our college kid ended up taking the year off so it has become his cave and living space. Now it smells like a teen boy and is not a relaxing space. lol

We will hopefully get it for a year then DD will probably move up there after she graduates college. I promised we would have the carpets and couches cleaned for her.

 

[diznymom]

We converted our 2-car garage into a room. DH has his own TV and get watch all the scary, creepy movies he wants. It has our freezer and shelves for a "pantry".

 

[Jennasis]

DH and I don't really do things apart. We would much rather be together. We don't even watch tv apart. We dislike being alone or away from each other intensely.

 

[indimom]

No designated areas. But, I do have a very large laundry room (used to be a porch), that I have clearly made my own The colors are fun and feminine and very me, where most of the house is more universal. It's a nice space for projects/crafting/wrapping gifts. But, I'm not back there all the time, just occasionally when I'm working on something and need the space. I would consider the garage DH's since all his woodworking/repair stuff is out there. I have storage in the attic and one corner potting table. The rest is his.

 

[DisneyHardin]

We have separate spaces. DH watches a lot of TV in the basement family room and I have turned an extra bedroom into a sort of office/den that I use. If we are watching something together, we use the living room TV.

 

[seashoreCM]

Fifteen years ago I started a basement finishing project with a home theater also used as a man cave. I could have movies and videos or music playing all day. It would be multipurpose space, usable for a workshop or for exercise.

Unfortunately it was too cold down there unless I had extra heating turned on, except for July and August, so I did not use it much except for an occasional movie.

Some construction details: http://www.cockam.com/theater.htm