Just for men

Man spaces continue to grow in popularity

2007-11-06

In the past, men had only the basement or the garage to turn to when they wanted to get away. Now times are changing and man spaces are cropping up in homes both big and small. According to a recent poll conducted by ServiceMagic.com (a company that connects homeowners with prescreened and customer-rated contractors), 40% of respondents say there’s now a man room or man cave in their home. Another 13% said their man space is in the planning or construction phase.

The design of these rooms tends to be masculine (think leather couches, La-Z-Boy recliners, NFL posters and beer steins) and many include a bar, a pool table or a dart board. A TV (preferably a wide screen with surround sound) is practically a requirement. And while this may frighten many wives, the survey found that 39% of men say “it’s the one place I can decorate myself with no apologies” and 24% say “not everything has to match.”

Here’s what else the survey found:

Why would you want a man room?
Do my own thing 58%
Peace and quiet 49%
Watch what I want on TV 45%
It’s the one place I can decorate 39%
Hang out with my buddies 27%
Get away from my significant other 25%
So she doesn’t have to watch my games 25%
Not everything has to match 24%

What type of room best describes your man room?
Basement 35%
Garage 25%
Home office 20%
Spare bedroom 18%
Attic 2%

What elements would you want in a man room?
Wide screen television 76%
Recliner 69%
Stereo 68%
Cooler/Refrigerator 67%
DVD player 67%
Computer 65%
Surround sound 64%
Wet bar 38%
Sports paraphernalia 36%
Dart board 34%
Pool table 34%
Poker table 19%
Neon “beer” sign 19%

If you’re planning on a man room, how much will you spend?
Less than $1,000 27%
$1,001 - $2,500 17%
$2,501 - $5,000 26%
$5,001 - $10,000 16%
$10,000 or more 14%

Was it or would it be hard to sell the idea of a man room to your wife or significant other?
No resistance 66%
Some resistance 23%
Pretty heated 3%
All-out war 8%