Everyone needs a place where they can retreat to, a place that is uniquely theirs.

If you are a male, that venue might be called a man cave, where friends can gather, adult beverages consumed and quietness contemplated.

From time to time, these spaces are renovated garages, attics or little-used offices and basements.

Here then, from the online site daddilife, are some things to keep in mind when planning a man cave:

Talk to your partner

It’s definitely a good idea to have a conversation with your partner about your ideas and plans first – especially if it’s likely to involve a big renovation. Just going right ahead and starting work on your man cave could come across a bit passive aggressive. Talk about why you want to make your own space, but also consider her needs, too. Does she have her own personal space in the house? Does she need or want one?

How much space do you have?

Space is the very first thing you need for a man cave. No space, no man cave, unfortunately. Naturally, the more space you have, the more you can do with it. But the good news is that even the smallest of spaces can become a workable man cave.

Man caves tend to be found in a spare bedroom, a garden shed or a garage.

Decide its purpose

Once you’ve identified the space you want (or are allowed) to use, the next step is to consider what you want to use your man cave for.

Do you want a man cave bar with a pool table to entertain and hang out with friends? Do you want a retro man cave to relive and recapture your youth? Do you want somewhere to host movie nights? Do you want somewhere purely to relax? Do you want to exercise?

Naturally, the size of the space might dictate what you can use your man cave for, but it’s important to have a clear focus.

Plan the ‘must-haves’

Now you know what you want to use it for, it’s time to think about the things you need to have in your man cave in order for it to serve its purpose.

We all know that man caves are renowned for their memorabilia and collections of ‘cool stuff’, but you need to make sure you fit the essentials first. If you want a home theatre, comfortable seating and a high quality TV are going to be far more important than movie posters and memorabilia.

Budget

You could have the grandest plans possible for your man cave, but they’ll never come to fruition if you don’t have the budget or have to save money.

You may already have some of the most important items in your possession – instruments, perhaps, a gaming console or exercise equipment. But if you’re starting from scratch, it can be costly. There are always marketplaces where you could source things from second hand.

Renovating a space to create your man cave is often the biggest expense, if you’re not using a spare room in the house. Converting a garage is usually the most expensive, as you’ll have to think about insulation, flooring, electricity and ventilation.

Rope your friends

in to help

Depending on the size of your man cave, and how much work needs to be done, you could ask your friends to help with any DIY.

This is an especially great idea if you’re hoping to use your man cave to hang out with your mates, and it provides you with a great opportunity to talk about why you want a man cave – maybe open up about some of the stresses and struggles you’ve been going through lately.

Who knows, they may even have some cool man cave ideas of their own!

Make it personal

Once you’ve decorated and got the essentials in, it’s time to implement your man cave theme. This is where you add all the personal touches, the ‘cool stuff’. The art work, your framed favourite sports top, your favourite vinyl records — all the cool things that you’ve never had somewhere to put before.

Man cave ideas on a budget

A brilliant man cave doesn’t have to be all singing, all dancing and decked out from top to bottom. You can still get somewhere to escape and relax and save money in the process.

If you’re on a tight budget, big renovations for a garage man cave probably aren’t the best way to go. So we’re talking about using a spare room in the house that is ready to go. Tight budgets mean that decoration isn’t the most important thing to get your man cave off the ground. You can always decorate later down the line. Focus on the furniture and the essentials you need for your man cave to serve its purpose.

What have you already got?

Maybe you have a favourite chair that your partner has always hated. Perfect. You can move it to the man cave and save a couple hundred pounds/dollars. Maybe you’ve got an old TV stand that’s been sitting in the garage. Take stock of what you’ve already got lying around the house that you could use straight away.

Repurpose and upcycle

Similarly to the point above, plenty of people will have stuff lying around that could be used with a bit of work. An old palette could be made into a shelving unit, or an old chair that needs reupholstering in. Upcycling will always save you money compared to buying brand new.

Buy second hand

If you’re looking for man cave ideas on a budget, check out things like thrift stores, eBay and Facebook Marketplace for secondhand items. Some may be ready to use, while others will need a bit of repurposing and upcycling.