Every guy needs a space just to get away. For centuries, men have escaped to their drawing rooms, libraries and other spaces to enjoy a little “guy time.” Whether it’s a place to read, smoke your favorite cigar, or watch a ball game, these spaces have always been a desired feature in homes for the men who live there. In modern times, we’ve seen the emergence of the “man cave,” usually a remodeled basement that also houses a bar, a big-screen TV, maybe a jukebox, and of course, a comfortable recliner or couch.
With only 30 percent of new home constructions having full or partial basements, and with most new homes offering other premiums on space, the garage became a go-to spot. Since men historically have claimed the garage as their ‘turf’ this made perfect sense. Once that became a trend, obviously, the next step in any man’s mind was to customize the space even more, and with that came a lot of awesome garage man cave ideas.
One of the Best Garage Man Cave Ideas for Winter
The garage may not be on your ‘top picks for a man cave’ list, but it should be because you can almost fully customize the space to your liking. Adding in movable features like a rolling bar island, and a mobile TV stand are key. However, garages have just one drawback, one that causes many to look past this spacious room when searching for a site for the “man cave”: Most garages aren’t heated. Who wants to watch the big game huddled under a blanket with his buddies? Not us!
Warming Up the Garage
This is one of the single, best garage man cave ideas, as it allows you to enjoy your “man cave” throughout the year. It will take a little effort (though not as much as finishing a basement) to make your garage “livable” during the winter months, but you can make your garage climate-friendly with a few simple adjustments, most of them very DIY-friendly.
The first step is to insulate your garage. Most garages don’t have insulated outside walls. That’s a major reason why they’re so cold in the winter and so hot in the summer. Fortunately, many garages have walls that either aren’t finished with drywall or haven’t been painted, so preparing to install your insulation doesn’t involve much. You’ll also want to install an insulated garage door if you don’t already have one.
Once your walls are insulated, it’s time to cover the concrete floor. You’re not going to want to be walking around your “man cave” in your bare or socked feet over a chilly concrete slab. Carpeting with a pad is the simple and least expensive solution, but you can spend a little bit more and put in hardwood floors or any other surface you desire.
Now you’re ready to heat your garage. You’ve got several options, depending on how much you want to spend and how much additional work you want to put into the project. I doubt you’re going to want to completely redo your home’s duct system, so here are some less expensive solutions you can explore:
- Radiant Heat– Whether it’s a space heater or two or a larger convection heater, this is one way to get warmth into your garage. Radiant heat will get your garage nice and toasty, but it might take awhile.
- Forced Air Heaters– These are a little bit more expensive, but these hanging units blow heated air into the room, similar to how your furnace works. They can be powered electrically or by gas or propane.
- Ductless Heating and Cooling– These units are more efficient and eco-friendly, but they’re also a little more expensive. The advantage is you’ll get a quicker, more even climate adjustment and it can function to cool your garage in the summer months as well.
There are other options, including wood-burning stoves, that you can look into. Be forewarned, however. Some of these other heating methods may require installing additional ventilation, and you must always check to see if they violate the terms of your homeowner’s insurance.
Just because you don’t have a basement doesn’t mean you have to abandon your “man cave.” If you’d like some more garage man cave ideas to turn that space into the man cave of your dreams, give us, Garage Designs of St. Louis, a call. We’ll come out and give you their design ideas plus a free estimate on what it might cost to make your “man cave” dream a reality. Because Garage Designs specializes in garages, they can also help you find storage solutions for all the stuff that once resided where your “man cave” will be.
