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Help me set up a game room\man cave on a budget

JokermanJokerman EverythingEverywhereRegistered User regular
edited February 2010 in Help / Advice Forum
So in my current living situation there is a spare room concected to my bedroom that is currantly being used for nothing.

It has grey walls, no windows, and is probably 200 square feet.


I want to turn this into a man cave.

Problem is, i don't have alot of money to blow on sumo bags and a 50 inch plasma, so if any of you guys could put your heads together for some creative ideas that'd be awesome.

What i've got so far
28 inch LCD
Xbox 360
PS3 (With BC)
HP Desktop


That's about it. My budget for this would probably be somewhere around 400 bucks.

If someone needs pictures, i can post some soon.

Jokerman on
«1

Posts

  • Blake TBlake T Do you have enemies then? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    Your best bet is to go to garage sales and buy some cheap furniture.

    Spend some money on paint as well and make the place look ok.

    It's fun to have some dank where people of scared of going in, but really paint shit up and make it look good.

    Blake T on
  • SatanIsMyMotorSatanIsMyMotor Fuck Warren Ellis Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    High five brother because we're doing the same thing. I've invested in floating shelves to display my nerd paraphernalia - it made my man cave that much more awesome.

    SatanIsMyMotor on
  • WezoinWezoin Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    Mine is a room down in my basement, doesnt even have drywall. Just some terrible walls the previous owner put up for a "drum room" to lock his kids out. Its really up to you on what you want to spend the money on, but you do need some furniture, so I'd put that ahead of paint.

    Just go on craigslist or kijiji and grab an old couch or two. Is the LCD also to be the monitor for the computer?
    If so I'd also recommend wireless keyboard and mouse so you can use it from the couch.

    If you have awesome posters cover the walls with them. I was working on doing this for a while cause part of my room has shiny insulation coverings visible, and I work at a print shop so I can do it dirt cheap. If you dont have alot of posters this may not be as cost effective of an option for you. I typically just grabbed high-res computer wallpapers of games, movies, etc that I like and printed them as large as I could without ruining the quality of the print.

    The idea of a man cave is to jam as much of your most awesome stuff into one room as possible so you can sit in it and feel pride over everything you have accumulated all at once, and to bring your buddies in so they can see how badass your collection is as well. Don't worry about polishing it up unless you have the budget to do so. The great thing about not fixing it up is everyone will feel more comfortable drinking and generally having a good time without worrying about ruining anything.

    Wezoin on
  • Iceman.USAFIceman.USAF Major East CoastRegistered User regular
    edited September 2009
    Comb craigslist (or even "searchallcraigs.com") for the free section. You'll typically find all kinds of furniture there. Some of it will be quite suspect, others will just be people who don't want that particular couch anymore or their wife found a new end table or some such. Either way, worth a look-see.

    Iceman.USAF on
  • Tucanwarrior13Tucanwarrior13 Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    I know your buget at the moment is only 400 bucks. But Ebay brings up some nice Dolby quality surround sound systems for around $120-150. Might be a cool idea for you. That is unless you live in a two room apartment on the top floor.

    Tucanwarrior13 on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • Richard_DastardlyRichard_Dastardly Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    What do you plan on doing in the man cave? Will this be your fortress of solitude of a place for you and your friends to hang out?

    Richard_Dastardly on
  • THEPAIN73THEPAIN73 Shiny. Real shiny.Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    (or even "searchallcraigs.com")

    Bless you sir. I was wondering when they would make that.

    Anyways, how many people are going to be over there and for what reasons?

    If it's for sports like football on sundays, you can always find cheap sports stuff at a flea market or a football on display or in general anything.

    Maybe get a trashcan with a basketball net.

    I love man caves. Mine is my living room. Which I am totally counting.

    THEPAIN73 on
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  • rfaliasrfalias Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    You need a mini-fridge!! No man-cave is complete with out beer.
    Also posters of scantily clad women, and superman figures.

    When your budget allows, upgrade to a kegarator!
    Get a separate internet connection, encase the room in a Faraday cage and make it all 802.11n! No wife spying on your funtime.
    Oh and a vault door (or replica) would be sweet too.
    Then have a secret door to the kegarator, activated by a specific porn on your porn collection wall!
    To enter the beer cave you need to pull "Backdoor sluts 9" from the shelf!

    rfalias on
  • pkoochinpkoochin Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    No man cave can be complete without one of these controlling something in the room.


    shakespeare-bust.jpg

    pkoochin on
  • Sir CarcassSir Carcass I have been shown the end of my world Round Rock, TXRegistered User regular
    edited September 2009
    It's possible to make a projection tv out of a lcd monitor and an overhead projector (like the kind they use in school). Google for a videos. I've heard the quality isn't bad, and it's much cheaper than buying a projector.

    Sir Carcass on
  • Iceman.USAFIceman.USAF Major East CoastRegistered User regular
    edited September 2009
    THEPAIN73 wrote: »
    (or even "searchallcraigs.com")

    Bless you sir. I was wondering when they would make that.

    Anyways, how many people are going to be over there and for what reasons?

    If it's for sports like football on sundays, you can always find cheap sports stuff at a flea market or a football on display or in general anything.

    Maybe get a trashcan with a basketball net.

    I love man caves. Mine is my living room. Which I am totally counting.

    Yes, it's just a simple modified google search but it is a blessing. You can even sort by area (Northeast, Southwest, etc). Love it!

    Iceman.USAF on
  • TerrendosTerrendos Decorative Monocle Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    pkoochin wrote: »
    No man cave can be complete without one of these controlling something in the room.


    shakespeare-bust.jpg

    I must have one of these. I will sit it upon a pedestal and it will access the secret passage to my future man cave. Either that or it will open a trapdoor on the porch and send Girl Scouts and other door-to-door salesmen off to god knows where.

    However, I might have to make a custom one. Shakespeare is cool and all, but it would look suspicious for me to have a bust of him. Maybe one of Oppenheimer or something.

    Terrendos on
  • HypatiaHypatia Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    pkoochin wrote: »
    No man cave can be complete without one of these controlling something in the room.


    shakespeare-bust.jpg

    Or a gold bust of Elvis!

    Hypatia on
  • illigillig Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    Jokerman wrote: »
    28 inch LCD

    that right there makes it a little wussy girls' cave... i assume you're going to paint it pink as well?

    man up and buy a TV large enough that you have to move your head when watching it!

    seriously though... for $4-500 you can DIY a very decent projector.... add some blackout shades for any windows, and you have a worthy cave

    illig on
  • DaenrisDaenris Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    THEPAIN73 wrote: »
    (or even "searchallcraigs.com")

    Bless you sir. I was wondering when they would make that.

    Anyways, how many people are going to be over there and for what reasons?

    If it's for sports like football on sundays, you can always find cheap sports stuff at a flea market or a football on display or in general anything.

    Maybe get a trashcan with a basketball net.

    I love man caves. Mine is my living room. Which I am totally counting.

    Yes, it's just a simple modified google search but it is a blessing. You can even sort by area (Northeast, Southwest, etc). Love it!

    There's also http://www.crazedlist.org which I've been using for awhile and is nice because you basically search just like you would on craigslist (category/subcategory/price/pics/etc) but you can search any combination of locations that you want.

    Daenris on
  • Gabriel_PittGabriel_Pitt (effective against Russian warships) Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    Terrendos wrote: »
    pkoochin wrote: »
    Either that or it will open a trapdoor on the porch and send Girl Scouts and other door-to-door salesmen off to god knows where.
    Why do you hate cookies?

    Gabriel_Pitt on
  • pkoochinpkoochin Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    Terrendos wrote: »
    pkoochin wrote: »
    No man cave can be complete without one of these controlling something in the room.


    shakespeare-bust.jpg

    I must have one of these. I will sit it upon a pedestal and it will access the secret passage to my future man cave. Either that or it will open a trapdoor on the porch and send Girl Scouts and other door-to-door salesmen off to god knows where.

    However, I might have to make a custom one. Shakespeare is cool and all, but it would look suspicious for me to have a bust of him. Maybe one of Oppenheimer or something.


    Burns: Smithers, where does that tube go?
    Smithers: I'm not sure, sir; it was here when we first moved in.

    pkoochin on
  • FiggyFiggy Fighter of the night man Champion of the sunRegistered User regular
    edited September 2009
    I know your buget at the moment is only 400 bucks. But Ebay brings up some nice Dolby quality surround sound systems for around $120-150. Might be a cool idea for you. That is unless you live in a two room apartment on the top floor.

    Or get some surround speakers for half that price, since it's going in a small little room. Me not being an audiophile, I never held the more expensive speakers as "worth it," but at the OP's budget I'd say that's even moreso the case. Whatever speakers you end up with, I think having them wall mounted goes without saying.

    As for the walls, just grab a gallon of paint from your local hardware store for starters. Don't go too dark for the colour, or you'll get sick of it fairly quickly and feel like shit while in the room. Something rich and neutral would be good. This should only cost you between $30 and $40. $60 if you don't have rollers or anything else.

    If you're building this thing solely for yourself, you don't need much furniture. If you're going to have friends over a lot, think about grabbing a cheap table and chair set to setup along one of the walls. This will come in handy for boardgames/tabletop/poker/drinking games/whatever.

    I wouldn't put posters up, unless you're 14. Either that, or get them plaqued, but that could be pricey. If you're a drinker, and you don't mind looking a tad hickish, look for some beer signs at garage sales.

    As for your TV, I'd focus on everything but for now. You can't really do that much better with $400, so why waste it all on a TV only slightly larger when the whole rest of the room remains untouched? I would focus on everything else and then save up for a really nice TV down the road.

    In the end, everyone's idea of what a man cave should look like is completely different. I mean, look at these chumps. Or this one. This is nice. Not bad. There we go. That last one is mine.*

    *No it isn't.

    Figgy on
    XBL : Figment3 · SteamID : Figment
  • rfaliasrfalias Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    What's wrong with posters? Some gamer related ones (I love my TF2 posters, jerk!) and other wall mounted thingies can give it more to look at than a blank boring fucking brown wall.

    It's a mancave, it's supposed to be tacky. Get those neon beer signs... This is a refuge away from the womanly "that doesn't match, why are you wearing that, are you really putting that on the wall, take that trophy down, why do you......." kind of shit.

    I say go to town! and from the sound of it, and after looking the pics, I highly doubt he will convert his gray walled, 200sqft box into a goddamn ski lodge.

    rfalias on
  • PeregrineFalconPeregrineFalcon Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    Really, it depends on what the "theme" of the mancase is going to be:
    rfalias wrote: »
    It's a mancave, it's supposed to be tacky. Get those neon beer signs... This is a refuge away from the womanly "that doesn't match, why are you wearing that, are you really putting that on the wall, take that trophy down, why do you......." kind of shit.

    "Tacky" belongs in the rec room. Or the basement of a frat house. If you're going to shotgun Natty Ice with your bro's while you play Madden '10, then put up posters and neon beer signs. *fist pound*
    Figgy wrote: »
    There we go. That last one is mine.

    Compare that with Figgy's* man-cave. That's a fucking classy place. A theater, a bar, and a pool hall, all in one swank room, where manly men of taste and caliber can drink fine single-malt scotch while scantily clad women enjoy the refined atmosphere, because you know there's a hot tub or something else just off-camera.

    *totally not Figgy's

    PeregrineFalcon on
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    Can trade TF2 items or whatever else you're interested in. PM me.
  • KrisKris Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    Enough of this technology stuff. A sweet pool table and mini-fridge is all this room needs to be awesome.

    Kris on
  • rfaliasrfalias Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    Eh I dunno, I find that whole leather bound books and rich mahogany shit to be fairly pretentious. I don't want to dress up to go in my mancave, and that's what I'd feel like I'd have to do if I went in there.

    You can drink scotch in the one with all the pinball tables and neon signs, and still have fun with out being a pretentious dickwad.

    But to each their own I suppose!

    rfalias on
  • SlagmireSlagmire Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    If you have an Ikea around you, I'd suggest walking through it once - I can think of several pieces that they offer that fit the bill for comfortable and cheap.

    Slagmire on
  • KrisKris Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    Figgy wrote: »
    There we go. That last one is mine.
    Compare that with Figgy's* man-cave. That's a fucking classy place. A theater, a bar, and a pool hall, all in one swank room, where manly men of taste and caliber can drink fine single-malt scotch while scantily clad women enjoy the refined atmosphere, because you know there's a hot tub or something else just off-camera.

    1241351696481_f.jpg

    Kris on
  • PeregrineFalconPeregrineFalcon Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    Kris wrote: »
    Figgy wrote: »
    There we go. That last one is mine.
    Compare that with Figgy's* man-cave. That's a fucking classy place. A theater, a bar, and a pool hall, all in one swank room, where manly men of taste and caliber can drink fine single-malt scotch while scantily clad women enjoy the refined atmosphere, because you know there's a hot tub or something else just off-camera.

    jizzinmypants.jpg

    Drink, meet monitor. :lol:

    PeregrineFalcon on
    Looking for a DX:HR OnLive code for my kid brother.
    Can trade TF2 items or whatever else you're interested in. PM me.
  • FiggyFiggy Fighter of the night man Champion of the sunRegistered User regular
    edited September 2009
    There comes a point in your life when you realize that posters do nothing for decor or cool factor. I loved the giant poster sales back when I lived in a dorm or with some housemates, but now that I live on my own I wouldn't even put a poster up in my garage.

    To each their own, again, but I much prefer framed art/photos/etc. I'm not saying it has to be a boring "fucking" wall.

    This vs This

    It doesn't have to be expensive, either. Grab a cheap frame from Walmart or Zellers, and have something rad printed off at a print shop. The total cost would be around $20, in and around the price of a decent poster, no?

    Edit: I second Ikea for this application. The Malm and Lack series are quite inexpensive, although rather cheaply made. I've never seen a couch that I would want to actually sit on there, but their tables/entertainment centers/shelves are nice. I think they've got some floating shelves for like $10 too.

    Figgy on
    XBL : Figment3 · SteamID : Figment
  • rfaliasrfalias Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    Well, all I'm figuring is a getaway from the wife or significant other, who surely has free reign on the decor of the house. I will make it a room she can't stand to be in to keep her out. :)

    Anyways, make it what ever you want, I think that's the whole point of it anyways.

    Go hit some garage sales, prolly can find a decent poker table and other stuff.

    rfalias on
  • DelzhandDelzhand Hard to miss. Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    If you have some decent tools, search instructables.com or lifehacker for some neat DIY projects, like turning an old door into a table, 4 dvd cases into a secret compartment, or invisible bookshelves.

    Delzhand on
  • Tucanwarrior13Tucanwarrior13 Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    I'm with Figgy on the posters don't mean cool boat. Having really cool forms of artwork in your Mancave doesn't mean going out and buying the first WalMart Print you find. Find something you would want to nearly tattoo on yourself. That way you'll never get sick of it.

    Tucanwarrior13 on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • Sir CarcassSir Carcass I have been shown the end of my world Round Rock, TXRegistered User regular
    edited September 2009
    I think the black and white poster of the 2 girls cuddling in bed in their underwear is required for a mancave. It's in the Constitution.

    Sir Carcass on
  • FiggyFiggy Fighter of the night man Champion of the sunRegistered User regular
    edited September 2009
    I think the black and white poster of the 2 girls cuddling in bed in their underwear is required for a mancave. It's in the Constitution.

    That was up in my dorm room in my first year of university... seven years ago. It's odd how timeless that thing is.

    Figgy on
    XBL : Figment3 · SteamID : Figment
  • DeciusDecius I'm old! I'm fat! I'M BLUE!Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    Figgy wrote: »
    I think the black and white poster of the 2 girls cuddling in bed in their underwear is required for a mancave. It's in the Constitution.

    That was up in my dorm room in my first year of university... seven years ago. It's odd how timeless that thing is.

    Frame it with a nice art deco frame, and class that shit up a little.
    Yeah I said "art deco" in a fucking discussion about mancaves. Art deco is fucking manly. Fuck off.

    Decius on
    camo_sig2.png
    I never finish anyth
  • AresProphetAresProphet Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    pkoochin wrote: »
    No man cave can be complete without one of these controlling something in the room.


    shakespeare-bust.jpg


    Holy shit.

    One day, I will have a library. And it will have this in it.

    AresProphet on
    ex9pxyqoxf6e.png
  • Sir CarcassSir Carcass I have been shown the end of my world Round Rock, TXRegistered User regular
    edited September 2009
    My ideal mancave would look like a Victorian pub/library/study, with hidden switches that caused the electronics to show themselves. Xbox all rising out of the floor like the goddamn holy grail.

    Sir Carcass on
  • AridholAridhol Daddliest Catch Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    rfalias wrote: »
    You need a mini-fridge!! No man-cave is complete with out beer.
    Also posters of scantily clad women, and superman figures.

    When your budget allows, upgrade to a kegarator!
    Get a separate internet connection, encase the room in a Faraday cage and make it all 802.11n! No wife spying on your funtime.
    Oh and a vault door (or replica) would be sweet too.
    Then have a secret door to the kegarator, activated by a specific porn on your porn collection wall!
    To enter the beer cave you need to pull "Backdoor sluts 9" from the shelf!


    I like the way you think sir.

    to the OP I'd l'd just get some nice comfortable reclining chairs and definitely a much bigger TV.

    Aridhol on
  • JokermanJokerman Everything EverywhereRegistered User regular
    edited September 2009
    Wow, Ok the responce has been enormous. Thank you everyone for your input thus far, here are my ideas.

    -First off, this is mainly for me and my friends to chill, kick back and play some COD or some Halo. With that in mind i'd also like a kick ass place to drink some brews and watch some college ball, but it's mainly to keep my friends from cluttering up my room.
    -I really think a "Theme" is important to forming a man cave, and while driving to go eat lunch with the lady friend i had the idea of making the theme for mine "The Mushroom Kingdom", and doing it up with some mario wallgraphics, And maybe get creative, like paint the refrigerator green and make it look like a pipe. I donno. however i dont know if that sounds too gay.
    -THANK YOU to whomever mentioned the DIY projector. That is the coolest fucking thing ever, and i'm going to run the logistics on that once the room is cleared out. My main concern is finding a suitable wall to do it on, as the room is kinda shaped funny. However everything else is fucking per-fect for it. The room has no windows and even has a crawl space so i can easily access the walls and mount it behind the walls so you wont even see it. My only concern aside from fiding a place to project it, would be if it is possible to get like a switch that can send component and HDMI signals and the like to a VGA input, as that seems to be what the moniter in the guide i've read uses.

    Once again, thank you for everyones input. I'll be sure to update the OP with my progress.

    Jokerman on
  • THEPAIN73THEPAIN73 Shiny. Real shiny.Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    Awesome man good luck with it and you are welcome.

    THEPAIN73 on
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  • JokermanJokerman Everything EverywhereRegistered User regular
    edited September 2009
    Unrtitled.jpg

    Ok, So here is the main layout. At the top left hand corner is the door and the bottom right hand corner is a ltitle closet type space. I plan on putting a full sized frigde in the closet, mounting the Projector behind the right wall and have it project onto the left wall, and scoring a wrap around sectional for movie watching\gaming. What does everyone think?

    Jokerman on
  • Blake TBlake T Do you have enemies then? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    I would worry that with people opening the door you would make it a lot harder to see with the influx of light.

    I would say screen on the bottom, fridge in the closet and couch in the middle so you can walk behind the couch if need be.

    Blake T on
  • EskimoDaveEskimoDave Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    Kris wrote: »
    Figgy wrote: »
    There we go. That last one is mine.
    Compare that with Figgy's* man-cave. That's a fucking classy place. A theater, a bar, and a pool hall, all in one swank room, where manly men of taste and caliber can drink fine single-malt scotch while scantily clad women enjoy the refined atmosphere, because you know there's a hot tub or something else just off-camera.

    jizzinmypants.jpg

    Drink, meet monitor. :lol:

    I like the dual TV set up.

    Where would one get seats like that?

    EskimoDave on
This discussion has been closed.