Designer:
Eloise Kubli, ASID NCIDQ
General Contractor:
Arthur Kubli
Photographer:
Horton Photography Inc.
The Ultimate Man Cave
2022 ASID Design Excellence Awards – Wild Card – 1st Place Award
Transforming a vacant warehouse into a dream retreat for a classic car and motorcycle collector was a major challenge.
“We transformed an unimproved space without utilities into a dream retreat for my client,” said designer Eloise Kubli. She and General Contractor Arthur Kubli created a showstopping Man Cave.
Creating a perfect mancave that included a place to display a treasured collection of classic cars and motorcycles, as well as stylish space for entertaining and a safe, comfortable refuge from hurricanes, all within a dingy, vacant warehouse without utilities, required a hefty amount of design magic.
Design Brief: The Client’s Dream
Sharing his lifelong passion for collecting vehicles that bring history to life with friends was my client’s dream, and it was my job to make it come true. Working with the client, an architect, and a builder, I designed a space to showcase his current collection, with room for it to grow. There’s also an attractive bar and lounge for entertaining friends. Keeping in mind the potential purpose of a hurricane shelter, I created comfortable living spaces that include a private bedroom for the client and his wife, a bath and kitchen, and a sleeping area for their four-year-old daughter.
On the contracting side, Arthur Kubli and his team cut the concrete slab to install plumbing and electrical for the entire space – including footers for a newly added mezzanine. Everything in the extensive renovation needed to meet South Florida’s strict building codes designed to withstand dangerous storms, and because the vintage vehicles can put out a mist of oil, fabrics throughout had to be durable.
Main Floor
A dramatic, open and colorful space greets the eye at the entrance, belying the fact that it was once a grimy, empty warehouse. In the central area, the original industrial concrete floor is polished to a sheen. A strong color palette of red, white, black and grey creates an immediate masculine ambiance.
All new LED hanging fixtures and a large, lighted, crimson Big Ass™ ceiling fan tipped with black, industrial-style pendants provide just the right ambient illumination for the vast space. Meanwhile, a sophisticated Creston™ lighting and sound system dramatically highlights the owner’s vintage muscle car and motorcycle collection. Additional history is also incorporated: The client’s grandfather once owned a hardware store in New York, and in a tribute to his years of hard work, the older gentleman’s collection of nuts and bolts is proudly displayed.
The Designer’s View
“Making a dream come true for my client by creating a mancave that is distinctive and attractive, a place for him to indulge his lifelong passion for classic cars and motorcycles, as well as entertain friends, was a satisfying achievement,” states designer Eloise Kubli ASID. “The fact that it also provides a safe haven from storms is an added bonus.”
VIEW PROJECT
All new LED high hats, industrial pendants, and a Creston™ sound-and-light automation system were added throughout the entire space to highlight the owner’s vintage muscle car and motorcycle collection.
BEFORE
The comfortable lounge area is designed for relaxing while watching a game on the big-screen TV. A custom grey performance fabric upholstered sectional offers ample space to lounge. The red leather chairs and iron side tables complement the orange, red, white, black and grey automotive-industrial look. A stainless steel drum table reflects the ceiling while the durable nylon area rug on the polished concrete floor anchors the area.
This overview shot shows the bar adjacent to the lounge area. Barn doors in the vehicle bay lead to a work area. The Kublis also installed a large, well-appointed living area in the new mezzanine above the vehicle collection.
The bar is adjacent to the lounge area. The back bar introduces a banana creme 3D Plexi to contrast with the rare original two-tone Panama paint on the 1958 Corvette. Leather bar stools from Italy reinforce the orange theme. Led lighting below the raw concrete Ceaserstone™ bar top turn various colors to add to the entertainment excitement.
A custom mural was commissioned and painted on the new hurricane impact roll-up door. The art is a whimsical nod to the owner’s auto collection. A traffic light from from the client’s NY home and the classic gas pump further enhance the past history.
Going towards the back right the downstairs bath has a floating vanity lit from below and holding a concrete sink. The black textured tile contrasts with the copper/grey porcelain tile on the adjacent wall. And what would a man cave be without a urinal?!
Outside the downstairs bath, a new stairway leads to the loft/mezzanine area above. Concrete stair treads and black metal with wire railings add a strong architectural detail. Below the stairs, the client’s daughter has started her car collection and has a special place to park.
Construction Photo:
At the loft/mezzanine area is a fully appointed kitchen providing another entertaining area. Charcoal grey tones on the cabinetry and Cesarstone slabs combine with stainless steel, grey leather bar stools, and performance fabric on the sleeper offering durable finishes.
Simple Italian furniture provides a restful bedroom. The room overlooks the lounge and bar area below. Varied 8” and 12” porcelain plank wood look tile runs throughout the main loft area.
The upstairs bath is a simple organic space in tones of grey. The floor is a simple grey concrete grey porcelain with the shower walls clad in a wood look porcelain.
1958 Chevrolet Corvette from the client’s private collection.
1970 Dodge Challenger from the client’s private collection.
