The Ultimate 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 with friends his lifelong passion for collecting vehicles that bring history to life was my client’s dream, and it was my job to make it come true. Working together with the client, an architect and a builder, I designed a space to show off his current collection, along with room for it to grow. There’s also an attractive bar and lounge for entertaining friends. And 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 main 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 ambience. 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.”

The Lounge

The comfortable lounge area is designed for relaxing, watching a game on the large flat screen, or enjoying cocktails before or after dinner. Red leather chairs provide stunning contrast to an ample sectional upholstered in gray performance fabric. A stainless steel drum table adds shine and reflects the ceiling, while the durable grey nylon area rug anchors and defines the space.

The Cars

Perhaps the piece de resistance of the automobile collection is a two-toned, 1958 Corvette with the original Panama yellow and white paint. It holds a place of honor next to the bar.

The Bar

The bar is wrapped in dark grey Oneskin laminate for durability. Brushed stainless front panels are accented with black rivets. Beneath the bar’s raw-concrete-colored Caesarstone top, lights rotate through different color cycles to create dramatic ambience. Orange lighting that shines through the Plexiglass back bar adds further drama, and contrasts with and complements the star-of-the-show yellow Corvette. Italian bar stools feature orange leather seats and stainless bases.

Downstairs Bath

In the first-floor bath, the floating vanity covered in grey Oneskin features a charcoal recessed metal reveal and a Caesarstone charcoal slab countertop. A concrete sink continues the industrial theme. Underneath the vanity, lighting casts a warm glow. Black textural tiles cladding one wall and copper and gray porcelain tiles on another add visual interest to the small space, and contrast with the light, concrete-colored porcelain floor tile. A black urinal visible in the corner announces in no uncertain terms that this is indeed a mancave.

Loft and Mezzanine

Outside the bath, a special “parking space” is reserved or the daughter’s miniature Mercedes. A new stairway with concrete treads and black wire-and-metal railings leads to the loft/mezzanine, where varied, eight-inch-wide and twelve-inch-wide porcelain wood-look floor tiles run throughout the main areas.

Kitchen

The full kitchen, which offers additional entertaining space, features charcoal grey cabinetry and stainless appliances. A large island has a charcoal base topped with complementary charcoal Caesarstone. Stools from Italy have stainless frames and grey leather seats. A sleeper sofa is covered in grey performance fabric.

Bedroom

Simple, clean-lined Italian furniture provides a sophisticated, restful look in the bedroom, where a window overlooking the downstairs bar area adds interest. The dark brown bed is raised on legs that reveal the space underneath to create an open look. A grey and white nylon rug with blue accents provides softness for bare feet, and on the wall above the bed, a car bumper becomes appropriate artwork.

Second-floor Bath

The loft bath features grey porcelain tile flooring, and grey wood-look porcelain tile lines the shower walls.