Man Caves Vs. Living Spaces: Deciding on What to Do with the Spare Room

If you’re lucky enough to have a house with some spare room, or are in the process of buying a house that has a finished basement or attic, you might be a little torn with what to do with it. Some people have a need for a home office or a guest room, but others may want to make it more of a fun getaway space.

Many real estate agents will tell you that there has been a recent surge in demand for a space dedicated as a “man cave.” Most often, these “caves” are located in the basement or a garage and become a place where a man can throw up all of his masculine décor and watch sports on the big screen whenever he wants. While yes, there are some requests for more feminine spaces such as a craft room, the popular evolution of the man cave cannot be denied.

Some families, however, are dueling over this coveted space and demanding it instead be turned into a family room. Same big screen TV, but think more Disney movies than Sunday Night Football.

The arguments are competitive on both sides.

Fight for the Man Cave

Seeing how the women tend to get the upper hand in most (ehem all) decorating choices of the main house, it’s no surprise that the male species is craving some “me” space. A man cave can allow men to display things that would NEVER make it above the mantle. Sports memorabilia, mounted trophies, neon bar signs, whatever it is, it has a place of belonging in the man cave.

While this masculine décor may not be great for hosting a fancy celebration, it is the perfect spot to host big games, birthday parties, or just regular weekend gatherings. Man caves provide a more laid back area where guests feel they can relax and have a good time. It’s basically a bar/game room after all.

Fight for the Family Room

On the other side, you have the fight to turn that basement into a more family-oriented recreation space. Take away the bar sign, tone down the décor, and add some plush carpeting for the little ones to play on. Family rooms can be just as great as man caves for things like hosting small get-togethers and giving off a relaxed and welcoming vibe. The downfall is that this is no longer an adults-only space. Watching those football games can be a little difficult with the sounds of Tickle-Me-Elmo going on in the background. Plus, you lose a lot of fridge space to juice boxes.

But at the end of the day this becomes a space that the entire family can enjoy together. It’s also likely to be the location that a lot of the best family memories are made.

So if you come across a perfect basement, attic, or spare room, make sure to think it through before you create a man cave or a family room. And maybe, just maybe, if you use your space wisely, you might even be able to find a spot for both.

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