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There are a million reasons to get dad his own man cave on Father’s Day. Maybe it’s because he needs a place to chill out at the end of a hard work day. Or after taking care of you and the kids all day, he wants to wind down in his own space. But the best reason of all is that you love him, and you want to take care of him because of all the care he’s given you.

Presenting the cave
Ordinarily, the best time to present your Father’s Day gift is during the day itself. You’d walk dad down the hall, open the door and enjoy his surprise at the well-designed room. But this deprives him of one of the main pleasures of a man cave: he gets to design it himself.

A better alternative is to make the announcement on Father’s Day, either with a face-to-face speech or with a card that informs him he gets to choose a space in your new Brandywine Home. He’ll then have fun deciding on which area of any homes you look at will become his personal domain.

It’s not always a room
Any of the bedrooms in a floor plan could conceivably turn into the man cave.
• One on the main floor near the garage allows dad to relax in it the minute he pulls into the garage from work. It’s also convenient to any tools stored in the garage, if he likes to build things.
• If it’s near the main entry, he and his buds can use it without disturbing the rest of the home.
• If it’s next to the other bedroom, it’s convenient for use right after getting up or before going to bed.

However, options other than bedrooms work just as well:
• If dad’s an outdoors type, creating a space on the patio might work better for him. It’s an ideal place for an outdoor bar, a grill if he likes to cook and a TV. To afford him some privacy, hang weather-proof curtains on the rafters that can be pulled open or closed as needed.
• Turning the dining room into his domain provides easy access to the kitchen if he likes to cook. It’s also closer to the beer in the fridge for him and his friends. You can always relocate the dining table to the great room.
• If you’re downsizing, you may only have one car. In that case, the other side of the two-car garage makes a great space if dad likes to tinker with machines, does woodwork or is into messier hobbies like fishing or ironwork.

Design
Before you think about putting stuff in the man cave, think about its bones:
• Hard floor coverings such as wood or tile work well for such spaces since they’re easy to clean and will stand up to activities that generate a lot of dirt, such as model-making, painting or cigar smoking. If the room is primarily a place to relax, watch TV or read a book, a carpeted floor is softer on the feet.
• Although dad may love a room where all the walls are black or red, convince him to restrict a bold color choice to just one accent wall. Keeping the rest of the walls in a neutral color make the entire space easier to decorate.
• Furniture choices include large, overstuffed couches or recliners, preferably in leather; a table or desk for pursuing hobbies; and a giant TV for watching the game. Unless dad doesn’t drink, a bar is a must, accompanied by a wine fridge if he’s a connoisseur of the grape.

Are you looking for a new home with a potential man cave in Orange County, Long Beach or the Los Angeles metro area? Brandywine Homes is opening six new communities this year offering a combined 265 single-family homes and townhomes. Click here for more information.