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What is a Manspace?
Michael Pollick
Michael Pollick
One design feature which has become increasingly popular with home owners is known as a manspace or mancave. A manspace is a location in the home dedicated to traditionally masculine interests, such as sports entertainment, electronic gaming, high-tech audiovisual systems and wet bars. A manspace could be located in a section of a finished basement, a spare bedroom, a bonus room, attic or unused garage. The important elements of such a mancave are privacy, soundproofing and convenient access to a bathroom and/or kitchen. As long as these basic elements have been addressed, a manspace can follow any decorating scheme or room design the owner chooses.
A dedicated manspace generally caters to the specific interests of the home owner, whether it be easy access to televised sports, the installation of a pool table and other arcade games, a fully functional wet bar or a display area for collected memorabilia. A fully equipped mancave could also include a small kitchen pantry for storing dry snacks, a small refrigerator for storing perishable snacks and beverages and some cabinets for storing glasses, blenders, bar ware and other accessories. Installing a fully functional wet bar could also require some basic plumbing, such as a water line and drain for the bar's sink. Some men may want to surround the manspace with non-load bearing walls and a securable door for additional privacy and soundproofing.
Another important element of a typical manspace is comfortable and functional furniture, especially couches and recliners. A mancave is often used to entertain a number of guests, so the owner will most likely invest heavily in couches for group television viewing and overstuffed reclining chairs for solitary relaxation. Some furnishings designed for use in mancaves have built-in features such as drink holders, snack storage compartments and even small refrigeration units to keep beverages cold. A manspace could also be furnished with display cases for memorabilia and collectibles, storage cabinets for game accessories and a bar and bar stools for guests.
Audiovisual equipment may also be custom installed in a mancave. Large speakers could be hidden in recessed wall spaces, and an overhead projection system could beam television or DVD images onto a giant screen. High-end stereo equipment and surround sound speakers often complete the audiovisual portion of a dedicated manspace, and many of the individual system controls can be integrated into a single centralized remote. Such high-end investments are not strictly necessary for a mancave, but many home owners strive to create a feeling of separation between the mancave and the rest of the home. A well-engineered mancave allows men the opportunity to indulge in their favorite pastimes without inflicting them on the rest of their families and neighbors.
Michael Pollick
A regular HomeQuestionsAnswered contributor, Michael enjoys doing research in order to satisfy his wide-ranging curiosity about a variety of arcane topics. Before becoming a professional writer, Michael worked as an English tutor, poet, voice-over artist, and DJ.
Learn more...
Michael Pollick
A regular HomeQuestionsAnswered contributor, Michael enjoys doing research in order to satisfy his wide-ranging curiosity about a variety of arcane topics. Before becoming a professional writer, Michael worked as an English tutor, poet, voice-over artist, and DJ.
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![A manspace might have an area for play, which could include a pool table.]()
By: MarijusA manspace might have an area for play, which could include a pool table. -
![A manspace may be set up to provide an area for watching televised sports with friends.]()
By: Monkey BusinessA manspace may be set up to provide an area for watching televised sports with friends. -
![High-end stereo equipment and surround sound speakers often complete the audiovisual portion of a dedicated manspace.]()
By: kornienkoHigh-end stereo equipment and surround sound speakers often complete the audiovisual portion of a dedicated manspace. -
![A manspace could be located in a section of a finished basement.]()
By: ElenathewiseA manspace could be located in a section of a finished basement.
Discussion Comments
@Hazali - You make some very good points. However, I would like to remind you to reread the article again. While you do give a good example of what a manspace is, don't forget that it doesn't just have to refer to one's bedroom, at all. Generally speaking, it can be any sort of hangout place where a man finds comfort or enjoyment.
This might be stretching things a little bit, but one example that came to mind are college basements. A few years ago on my college campus, there was a hangout basement in my hall, known as West Hall Basement.
Even though the girls would come down there every now and then, for the most part, it was a place where guys would hang out and invite their friends.
They would play pool (referenced in the article), watch movies, and throw pizza parties. However, one of the best things about this manspace is how it allowed you to interact with and meet new people on a regular basis.
It was better than most manspaces, especially the ones at home where all a husband wants to do is sit around and watch TV all day. Overall, this is a very informative article that gives some good insight on hangout places for guys
Ever since graduating from college almost two years ago, I have certainly discovered what a manspace is. In fact, before graduating, I wasn't even aware of the term.
Even though I am currently saving up money so that I can move out of my parent's house, as of now, I am living with them, and even more so, I spend most of my time in my bedroom.
Several of the activities I do in my bedroom (manspace) include hanging out, surfing the internet with my laptop, and more than often, bringing a snack to my room.
On another note, After reading RoyalSpyder's comment about manspaces being unhealthy, I'm actually thinking of modifying my room, and making room for others. Just like what he stated, I don't think manspaces are that bad, and for the most part, it only becomes a problem if you lack interactions with your family.
Even though I've never been a big fan of sports, I definitely feel for the wives who constantly get annoyed by their husbands just wanting to watch TV all day, which is what this article immediately brought to mind. In fact, from reading this article, it also reminds me of how my dad used to be. While he doesn't do this anymore, he used to spend most days in his bedroom, laying on the bed and watching sports all day. He didn't want to be bothered, and he seemed to get angry if one of us did.
I'm sure that this is something we can all relate to. Also, even though this is just my opinion, in some ways, I feel that if one isn't careful, a manspace can become unhealthy. The main reason being that someone can spend so much time in there, that it becomes their way of life, and they shun themselves from their family. While this usually isn't the case, it's definitely something to take into consideration.
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