We all need that one special place we can claim as ours, a special retreat where we get away from the hustle and bustle of our daily lives and chores. A man cave is one such place, a typical male sanctuary, specially equipped so guys can do whatever they please, undisturbed by outside life and without upsetting any female sensibilities in the house.
Now, we are witnessing a new trend: man caves are being transformed into bar sheds. There are many options and designs on how to make and style them and here’s a little overview of their history and main characteristics.
The history and purpose
The story began in the UK’s Community Gardens where people with a flair for gardening got a chance to grow fresh fruits and veggies. They built backyard sheds to store gardening tools and possibly have a refreshing drink or two after gardening.
Slowly, this led to neighboring gardeners getting together to exchange experience and bar sheds were born. When smoking was banned from all interior spaces in 2007, the bar shed trend started to spread outside the gardening circle and the UK itself, becoming a sort of a global phenomenon.
The purpose of a bar shed is especially crucial for married men. It’s their way to create a space where they can feel free like they were in their bachelor days, where they can come and go as they please. There, they don’t have to watch their manners and behavior and no one asks for explanations.
For them, this is a way of establishing their masculine identity and expressing their true nature. Anybody who has some specific hobby, interest, or passion will want a space to indulge in it undisturbed, and a bar shed seems perfect for it.
The design and equipment
The general trend is to incorporate elements that display masculine aesthetics. Wood and brick are commonly preferred choices and offer endless possibilities when it comes to combining them with other materials, such as metal or glass. As for the standard equipment, guys usually go for accessories such as refrigerators, wine coolers, kegerators, vending machines, and beer taps. There’s a strong accent on sports memorabilia, musical gear, pool, and poker tables.
There are also fun and creative design interpretations of guys’ favorite movies or comics, so bar sheds are styled so they recreate scenes from them, such as the command bridge of Enterprise from Star Trek or the Batcave.
Another must-have element is a bar area with a classic bar and stools, glassware, and a place of storage. The type of glasses depends on what kind of drinks you plan to serve and as for storage. There are two options. One is a classic shelf, but a much more convenient and stylish way is to make an over-bar glass rack.
Building choices
The whole point of a bar shed is to detach yourself from the family house and neighbors as well since privacy and peace of mind are a priority here. So, the best location seems to be the far end of your backyard. If you already have a garden or tool shed, you can easily make it your own DIY project and transform it into your man cave haven.
If you’re starting from scratch, with some experience and necessary tools, this too can be your next great project. If not, consider buying pre-made sheds that come in all shapes and sizes and then give them a personal touch on the inside.
Entertainment
There’s no doubt that a great bar shed cannot exist without good music and passionate cheering for the favorite sports team. Therefore, the essential entertainment equipment of any decent bar shed is a high-quality media center. Nowadays, in the modern age of technology, network media streamer seems like the best solution. All you basically need is a stereo system and a large LCD TV mounted on the wall and you can kick back with a remote in your hand and enjoy the music or a match.
It could be a real logistical challenge to install all the gear, so your best option is to hire genuine experts, as these Brisbane-based TV installation pros, to make sure everything is done safely and to the highest standards.
No rules
Your bar shed is your unique opportunity to decorate it any way you find fit because essentially, there are no rules. It’s a blank canvas where you can display your love of sports, art, inspirational messages and quotes, fine cars, and music. Add some warmth and charm by hanging Christmas lights inside and a neon sign “Open” on the outside, so your friends know it’s time to rock.
This is your territory so you make the rules about what goes and whatnot. Put up a rules board and make it a source of fun and jokes: no politics, no farting, no chicks but yes to dirty jokes and laughter!
And finally, get a padlock on the door or one of those high-tech smart locks that only you can open using your smartphone. Whatever you choose, keep the rest of the family out because otherwise, your bar shed will become everyone’s shed.
After all, this is your special and private place so anything that keeps your spirit up and inspires you deserves a chance. At the end of a hard day, treat yourself to a place of freedom, fun, solitude or good times with your best mates.
Bar sheds are the last bastions of masculinity and one place where men can truly be just guys enjoying chats, drinks, football games, or indulge in their hobbies. There are endless possibilities when it comes to their bar shed design. It can be a full-on man cave or a multi-purpose shed that serves both as a backyard party bar and a barbecue venue. While wives usually have the monopoly over the whole house design, they commonly don’t have a say about what ends up mounted on the wall of their men’s personal spaces.
