We are in the very beginning stages of thinking of what to do with our sub basement. That’s right! I bet you didn’t know that we had a sub-basement.
It is because, since we have moved into this house, it literally has been our dirty little secret. When we moved in, the previous owners had divided up this space into bedrooms. However, we started tearing down walls in the hopes of creating another living space or perhaps office space for me and Brian.
Upon tearing down walls, we found one of the most awful things you can find in an older home:
BLACK MOLD!
Obviously, rather than do the pretty upgrades and make a cool space, we had professional mold remediation done immediately before moving in. That pretty much sucked up any money we had to do anything cosmetically to the space. So, it has sat empty with a concrete floor and partially demo’d for the past few years while we figured out what to do.
Now, that the trauma is over time has passed we are starting to figure out what we want to do down there again, and we are kind of toying with the idea of an adult space. Maybe even a Man Cave.
Brian has never been one to actually ask for such a space. He deserves it though, and if I could do this for him I definitely would in a heartbeat. I know a lot of men work hard for their families, but I was thinking about my man, and he really loves his job. He works trying to make technology better for school districts every single day. He wants kids, teachers, and administrators to have a better and easier time with technology. He hopes they can have the best possible equipment they can afford and to use it in a way that will better the educational experience. When he isn’t working his day job, he is helping other schools in need by consulting or helping on committees to make them better too. He knows his own kids are blessed, and wants other kids to have the same opportunities too.
This year he coached soccer for both boys, meaning some Saturdays he was running form one game to the other. He dubbed himself the CEO (Chief Encouragement Officer), and was the loudest cheerer for Kindergarten and First Grade soccer teams. He came home with a scratchy voice almost every Saturday. He volunteers in our church, and despite the fact he is a Green Bay fan spends a fair amount of time helping with laundry, cutting the lawn, and helping me with my little (ok sometimes big) projects.
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| And he’s handsome too! |
If you walk into any room in the house you’ll see it definitely has the Erin Thumbprint, so I was thinking of things that would be awesome to incorporate into the new room that would make it seem more Brian.Man Crates Gifts for Men the very manly gift baskets you have to open with a crow bar, recently reached out, and wanted to know what I would include in a space for Brian. Man Crates is trying to class up the traditional Man Cave, and thank goodness! I am so over the futons!!
Since it has been on my mind lately, I thought I would make up a mood board.
Brian’s Man Cave by erin-debruin-skibinski featuring graphic wall art
First up, practicality is huge for Brian, so the space would need to have all the things that Brian would use.
– Desk: A nice industrial spirited desk for him to work from home. The sub basement has a closet for him to store all of his tech gear, but the desk would give him a place to spread out and work in peace (or with some hockey on in the background.)
– A treadmill: This is something Brian has been toying with for awhile, and it would be great for him to have a place to when we have brutally cold winters.
– Couch, Chairs, Rustic Coffee table, and TV: These things are where he can escape and watch the Packers, Blackhawks, or his favorite funny movies with the kids or when his friends come over. The extra large coffee table is great too for all the times he likes to play cards or board games.
– The outlets with USB portals: These are perfect when his friends want to plug in their phones and check in on their fantasy teams.
– A Mini Fridge: This is great for all the cold beverages he want to have on hand for after a workout or while watching a game.
I chose a green and yellow color scheme with the rug and chairs as a nod to his beloved Green Bay, and left everything extremely rustic as he loves doing wood work. I’m thinking we could even make the desk and coffee table ourselves. As for decor, I thought it might be fun to find some vintage movie posters or even put up his Vince Lombardi poster.
This is a man cave, I don’t think I would mind hanging out in, what about you?If you like this post and would like to read more about all things domestic with a touch of humor, become a Home Everyday follower! For blog updates or to see other places I write such as ChicagoNow or Chicago Parent follow Home Everyday on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
4 comments
Love that you found movie posters to go with your color scheme, and I never thought I'd be one to comment on outlets, but those are great!
Shannan, the movie posters are my favorite too. I knew a fellow blogger would comment on the outlets. I thought they were amazing, and when you have techie friends they are a necessity 🙂 I want some for my kitchen as well!
I would totally hang there, and I just purchased a 4 shelf wood book shelf with the "wheeled" feet as the coffee table! Matt totally loved it! Can't wait for the finished pic too!
Thanks for reading and commenting! The shelf sounds awesome!! I am thinking the more rustic the easier it is to build too, as I can find some rustic pieces at hardware stores.