Man Cave Bar Ideas: Rustic Design for the Ultimate Man Cave
If you’re looking for man cave bar ideas, you’ve come to the right place.
In this blog post, we’ll show you how to create a rustic bar that will make any man feel at home.
We’ll discuss the importance of furniture and lighting, as well as accessories that will complete the look.
So whether you’re looking to renovate your current man cave or are starting from scratch, keep reading for some great ideas!
What does a rustic design mean?
A rustic design can be defined as a style that is simple, natural, and unpretentious. It often includes elements such as wood beams, stone walls, exposed brick, and leather furniture.
Design is all about creating a warm and inviting space that feels like home.
When it comes to man caves, this design is the perfect choice for creating a cozy and comfortable space.
Not only will your man cave be stylish, but it will also be functional and comfortable. Here are some man cave bar ideas to get you started.
Furniture
Your man cave bar furniture should be both stylish and comfortable. Look for pieces that are made of natural materials such as wood or stone. You can also find furniture at many home stores or online retailers.
Lighting
The lighting in your man cave bar is important for setting the mood. Choose warm and inviting fixtures that will make your space feel cozy. You can find fixtures to suit your man cave at many home stores or online retailers.
Accessories
There are a few key accessories that will complete your man cave bar. First, you’ll need a good sound system so you can enjoy your favorite music.
You may also need a television for watching sports or movies. Finally, don’t forget to stock your bar with your favorite drinks!
With these man cave bar ideas, you’ll be well on your way to creating the ultimate man cave retreat. So what are you waiting for? Start planning your man cave today, or take a look at what we have created below.
What is the difference between a wet bar and a dry bar?
A wet bar is a bar that is equipped with running water, while a dry bar is a bar that does not have running water.
Wet bars are typically used for preparing mixed drinks, while dry bars are usually used for serving wine and beer.
However, both types of bars can be decorated in this style.
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What color should I paint my bar?
Color choice should be based on the space and size of the room where you are creating your man cave.
If you have a small room try a selection of grays or subtle light browns.
If you have a good-sized room, opt for darker shades of brown, blacks, and maybe even a red thrown in.
Our man cave bar ideas
So we have discussed what colors work well and what rustic is when referring to interior design. Our design is for a good-sized room to fit in a bar and games area.
How do I paint my man cave?
So for color, we have picked out black for the actual bar area to give a masculine feel to it.
I use this shade of paint quite often; you will see it in my previous articles, ‘Black accent wall‘ and Men’s bedroom ideas.
This paint is Black by Behr, and I would suggest a semi-gloss as it will give you a little reflection, rather than a matte or a full gloss, which could be too flat or too shiny.
Wood-effect wallpaper
Sticking to our design style, I have chosen a wallpaper that resembles wood planks. If you are more experienced in DIY, you could actually panel the walls or a section of them in stained wood.
In this instance, I have picked out the wallpaper as it is easy to put up and remove if you change direction in the future. The wallpaper is a white, grey distressed look and is very reasonably priced.
Man cave bar ideas – the flooring
If you are totally renovating your basement, you need to consider the flooring. What is the budget that you have to work with? What choices of flooring do you have? Is the man cave bar just for entertaining, or are you having a chill-out area with a big screen?
Once you have decided in what direction you want to go, start making a mood board and a list of how much each item will cost you and work them into your man cave bar ideas.
I have picked out wood flooring as it is hard-wearing, and you won’t have a coronary if someone spills a glass of wine over it – it just needs mopping up.
Do I choose laminate or hardwood flooring for a man cave?
When choosing to floor for a man cave, it is important to consider both style and functionality.
For a cool man cave, laminate or hardwood flooring would be a good choice.
Laminate flooring is durable and easy to clean, while hardwood flooring adds warmth and character to the space.
However, if your man cave will be used for activities such as playing pool or darts, you may want to choose a harder surface such as tile or concrete.
Lighting your basement or garage man cave
Lighting is important in any room, not just a man cave. Designing your lighting is really dependent on where your overhead electric points are, but if you are able to renovate, you can plan your room accordingly.
For our design, we have two different ceiling lights.
Lighting above the bar
I wanted a fixed ceiling light over the bar, something that would suit our man cave theme and would light up the bar area. Remember, you are mixing drinks, possibly sitting at the bar, so have something that is not too bright but decent enough, so it is comfortable for you and your guests.
The light I have picked has three downlights that hang over the bar. The light is constructed in iron and takes three LED bulbs; it is also dimmable if you want to turn the lights down in the evening.
Light over the games table
A game of poker, chess, or a board game will benefit from a stronger light – at least so you can see your playing pieces. Even if you are just chilling with friends at the table, you need to be at least able to find your drink.
The ceiling fixture for the games area is made up of eight individual hanging bulbs on a large piece of wood.
Gaming can be a very intense time for men when they are relaxing in a man cave, so make sure there is enough light, especially if you are considering a pool table.
What furniture should I put in my man cave?
Let’s start with a bar; we assume you have the space; if not, think about a bar cabinet or a bar cart (indoor bar).
A cool man cave bar can be built if you like to DIY or just purchase one that is already made.
We have picked out a solid wood bar that is 78 inches in length and has plenty of storage and racks for all you need to entertain and relax. There is even room for storing wine glasses.
The bar is 43 inches high and made from mahogany with a distressed finish to fit in with our man cave bar ideas.
How tall should a bar be?
The height of a bar is typically 42 inches (106 cm). However, the height can vary depending on the type of bar and the purpose of the man cave.
For example, if you are looking for a man cave bar, you may want to choose a taller bar so that you can hang mugs and glasses overhead.
The games area in your man cave bar ideas
As I mentioned before, within our man cave, we are incorporating a games area. You can choose a pool table, a darts board, whatever suits your needs.
We wanted something in a deep brown and black to fit in with our man cave bar ideas. We also wanted comfy seating.
Our poker table has a removable table top, so you can switch from playing cards to just having a drink with friends.
The 48-inch table does come with four chairs but has the capacity to seat eight for a game of poker, and the table is finished in walnut with a faux leather top.
For the perfect game of poker, there are drink holders and a chip slot. You can’t be more professional than that.
The four chairs have a very soft padded seat which has been covered in black faux leather.
A little investment, but something I am sure you will enjoy for many years to come. The price for this is just under $1,600 all in.
Related Post: Tips On How To Design Indoor Bars
Stools to fit in with your man cave bar ideas
When you have finished your game of poker, you probably want to relax at your bar, or you may even start at the bar with pre-cocktails before the serious stuff begins.
We need a good set of bar stools to match in with our man cave bar ideas.
For our ultimate man cave design, we can pick out a stool in a masculine brown color and faux leather with iron legs.
The stools are filled with an upholstered sponge and curved back for a comfortable seating experience. There is also a footrest to make your drinking experience even better.
These stools come in a pack of two and are priced at just under $150 for the two. For our size bar, you could probably fit four, but again, it all depends on how much space you have.
How high should a bar stool be?
A bar stool should be high enough so that the person sitting on it can comfortably rest their elbows on the counter.
The average height of a bar stool is 30 inches (76 cm). However, the height can vary depending on the size of the person and the type of bar stool.
For example, adjustable bar stools are available for people of varying heights.
Check your measurements before purchasing your stools.
Accessories for your man cave bar ideas
A must-have accessory for any man cave is obviously a fridge. Where else would you chill the goods?
The fridge can be a tabletop version, a novelty fridge, or just a small fridge tucked behind the bar in your man cave.
The fridge we have chosen is a mini fridge that stores just cans. Apologies to any wine drinkers out there, but if you can fit in a wine cooler as well, go for it – we are talking about the ultimate man cave.
This small mini fridge has adjustable shelves, and you can create custom storage facilities – so you may get one or two bottles of wine in there if you ask nicely.
If we are just talking cans, well, wait for it, this little baby holds up to 90 cans, and it keeps the drinks to a nice cool 37 degrees. There are several thermostat settings and a very quiet cooling system.
You can keep all of your drinks under lock and key as this particular fridge already has an integrated lock, so tiny hands can’t taste their first sip of a Budweiser or Koors. Priced at just under $370.
How do you make a man cave bar look good?
It is now time to add all your accessories to your man cave bar ideas.
Shelving
Let’s look at some shelving to start off the decor section.
Obviously, you can choose whatever you like; iron would fit in well. If you don’t want shelving fixed to the walls, opt for a freestanding unit – see our blog on basement bar area – garage design.
Our choice – is wood. Floating wood shelves that are nice and chunky and just begging for a few bottles of alcohol to be displayed on them.
These shelves for your man cave bar ideas are made from knotty pine and sanded, stained, and painted, ready for you just to hang them on the walls.
The shelves measure about 24 inches long and can hold up to 30lbs and come complete with the wall mounting kit that you need. They also come in a pack of two, so for our design, we selected two packs.
A typical man cave bar rug idea
I wouldn’t normally put a rug in a man cave, but our design does feature a games area with a poker table.
To take the harshness away from the floor and a little comfort to those that want to gamble a few bucks away at the poker table, we have included a faux cowhide rug.
This rug is made from 100% polyester and is very soft and comfortable, and fits perfectly in our man cave bar ideas.
How many man caves have you been to that have one of these? Any spilled crisps or peanuts can simply be hoovered up. A spilled drink can be hand washed out or put on a delicate cycle in your washing machine.
Our particular rug is 5 feet by 6 feet, but it does come in different sizes to suit your particular requirements for your man cave bar. Price $56.99
Man cave ideas for the wall
Whose man cave is it? Yours. So welcome your friends and family with a few man cave signs.
Welcome to your newly designed man cave; you are in the USA or adapt to whatever country that suits you.
Our cave bar has a USA flag tin sign which measures about 12 inches long by 8 inches high. There are two handy holes for fixing it to the wall as well.
The second of the two wall signs are your welcoming sign to your new man cave. The signs break up the wall, bring it some color and start rocking the look for your new basement man cave.
Man cave sign
Are you here for the beer – well, welcome to the beer zone. Twelve inches by 6 inches with a vibrant yellow background – I am sure your guests won’t get lost finding their way to the bar.
Stag head decor
Be a man and display a very cool stag’s head on the wall in an antique brown resin effect material.
The head is just over 13 inches, so not much bigger than the signs. By adding this, we are adding color, texture, and interest. Don’t leave your walls blank – liven up your man cave – be a man.
And finally… a couple of extra man cave bar ideas
The ultimate ice bucket
What kind of man cave would you have if you didn’t have an ice bucket? Chills the wife’s wine as you’ve taken over the fridge.
If you are going to really show off, have one that is personalized. Your name is engraved on your ice bucket with two matching glasses and a decanter.
Display the set on your bar or on a shelf. Buy it for yourself, or it is ideal as a gift if you are feeling generous for your friend’s next man cave bar idea.
Frosted glasses
Nobody likes a warm beer, so invest in a couple of frosted glasses. Priced at just $9.95 each – you really will be appreciated it.
The final design for man cave bar ideas
So there we have it – your very own man cave bar for you to put together and enjoy. The total packages come in at just under $5,037, not including the wallpaper, paint, and flooring. Everything else is included, and the prices were correct at the time of publishing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What games go in a man cave?
There are a variety of games that can be played in a man cave, such as pool, darts, poker, and foosball.
You can also set up television for watching sports or movies. If you have the space, you could even add a game room with a Ping-Pong table or air hockey table.
How wide should a bar top be?
The width of a bar top should be at least 36 inches (91 cm). However, the width can vary depending on the size of the man cave and the type of bar.
For example, a home bar might be narrower than a commercial bar.
How much space do you need behind a bar?
You will need at least 18 inches (46 cm) of space behind a bar. However, the amount of space you need will depend on the type of bar and the number of people you plan to have in your man cave.
For example, if you are planning to have a wet bar, you will need more space for plumbing.
If you are planning to have a large number of people in your man cave, you will need more space for them to move around.
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