H&G: Overhaul your Man Cave

It’s comforting to have a special area in your home to call your own – the room where you can relax and be surrounded by things you love.

Many men fondly refer to this room as their “Man Cave,” filled with special items like that homerun ball you caught, the mounted deer head from a youthful hunting trip and your old record collection. Not to mention the first lamp you ever purchased as an adult, your antique ammunition collection and the football from your game-winning touchdown. These all hold special memories that make your space more enjoyable.

Unfortunately, one man’s “memory” can be a wife’s irritation. If your Man Cave looks like a cluttered and disorganized mess, it can be difficult to convey the importance of these items to other family members in your household. Tastefully showcasing your prized belongings to look as treasured as you feel they are could be the key to achieving a more peaceful family life.

Here’s to taking the man cave up a notch.

HOME OFFICE & STUDY
If you have a large collection of memorabilia that’s lying around the house, banned to a closet or sitting in storage, consider displaying the best pieces in a lighted hutch. Open shelves will keep your items looking attractive, while the cabinets will hide any unsightly messes. A cherry finish with nickel hardware will portray the masculine look you’re going for in your home office or study. You can find this 62” Easton hutch at Haggards Fine Furniture located at 3415 N. May in Oklahoma City.

Give your old high school and college yearbooks an appropriate surrounding, sandwiched between two sophisticated football player bookends. The rich gold of this set will add elegance to your room and blend right in with your old trophies. You can find these bookends at Elks Ally, located at 1201 S. Broadway.

Replace your aged college dorm chair with a stylish and comfortable Eames lounge chair and ottoman. Perfect for a study, this classic design from 1956 oozes with luxury and sophistication. Companies like Herman-Miller are using rich grain veneers made from sustainably managed forests and recycled materials to modernize this mid-century design. This Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman is available from Herman-Miller or through Workplace Resources by calling (405) 752-9696, or by visiting their location at 13431 Broadway Extension.

For many golfers, heaven is on the green. Lighten up your study by bringing a piece of the golfing experience home with a soft lamp. You’ll reminisce those triumphant shots through gloomy winter months and after dark when you’re unable to escape to the course. Stop by Elk’s Ally at 1201 S. Broadway to see more sportsmen’s lamps.

MEDIA & GAME ROOM
Entertaining your best buds in the family kitchen might not be your ideal spot for relaxing with the guys and throwing back a few. Kids running through the house and your wife’s floral decor doesn’t exactly convey a strong sense of masculinity. Get the same kitchen effect in your Man Cave with a free-standing bar equipped with a refrigerator cavity, shelving, wine chillers, dry sink, glassware rack and bar top. Perfect for your game room, this Madison bar is on display at Amini’s Galleria at 6627 N.W. Expressway.

If your knick knacks, sports cards, game photos and team flags are shoved in a drawer somewhere, a professional framing job will do wonders for your forgotten memorabilia. The special jersey and scattered collection of small mementos, like ticket stubs will look unified in a contemporary frame. These two pieces were framed at the Framin Gallery at 416 W. 15th Street.

Most men would define paradise as a comfy couch and a big screen TV. If those beat-up guest chairs and that outdated couch from your bachelor days aren’t cutting it anymore, update the seating in your TV room with some sleek theater recliners. Leather will resist stains and large cup holders with removable inserts will add to your total comfort. Try out these theater chairs at Amini’s Galleria, located at 6627 N.W. Expressway.