When husbands decorate…
There is one room in my house that I’m rarely allowed to touch.
It’s known as Jon’s man/cave/den etc. He should pretty much put a NO GIRLS ALLOWED sign on the door.
I’m use to walking in and seeing this:
{This is a closet directly under our stairs notice how instead of having a door my inventive husband picked a flag instead!}
When I round the corner I’m met with the only built-in we have in our entire house and it houses all of his many gaming systems. Right now he has X-Box, PS3 and Wii don’t worry folks PS2 is safe and sound in our bedroom.
Moving along if I continue into the room I’m met with this:
{Don’t you love how the warm tones in the top guitar pick up the trim colors on the wall. 🙂 }
I’m pretty use to all of the pictures above, but the other day I spotted two things that made me think perhaps my husband could use my decorating help.
Exhibit A:
{Apparently when one places video games in the man den the sunlight from the window produces too much of a glare so what does my husband do? Oh I don’t know grab two toss pillows and shove them in there instead!}
Exhibit B:
{ I made the mistake of telling Jon that when the dogs are outside they can see me from the window and will start barking like crazy so to fix this problem my hubby grabbed construction paper and some tape and voila problem solved. Of course to make a little vignette he had to add a statue of his dog from childhood and two glasses from Medieval Times.}
I think if I’m finally allowed to touch the man den some window treatments are in order. Don’t ya think?
Please tell me some of you also deal with similar things with your hubby! Spill. Misery loves company.
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My living room is one of the rooms that evolved drastically from when we first moved one. Originally I painted the walls chocolate brown and did accents of white, blue and orange. That lasted maybe 2 years.
Our dining room sat empty for months. Okay maybe it was empty for just a handful of weeks and then we couldn’t take it anymore and put in a folding table and plastic outdoor chairs, but in my mind that was still empty.
On the main floor of our house we have a Florida room. Being that it’s a Florida room it is a considered a 3 season room, because there is no heat in the room. The previous owners used it as an indoor patio with outdoor furniture and it looked like this when we moved in.
You are hilarious. Honey, let me just say I am one female in a house of four males, five if you include their dog and yes, I said THEIR dog. This is the story of my life. Nintendo game boys x2, nintendo ds x1, nintendo dsi x1, psp x2, ps2 x1, ps3 x1, xbox, game cube, wii…did I miss anything??? I'm certain their must be an original atari hiding in the mess of wires somewhere. Oh, and lest you think my boys are underprivileged, there is also a freestanding arcade game in the basement loaded with 200+ games. Sigh, I think I need a drink.
But I did negotiate designing and decorating the basement, aka man cave. Although I rarely go down there. It gives me a headache.
So yes, I share your woes. :0)
Ohhh my gosh I am DYING this is too good. I am suprised there isn't more ducttape, this is my fiancee's material of choice. In the house we are redoing he has already designated the space above the garage his "man room", I have yet to see what design influence I will have. He has already received a "He-man Woman Haters" sign (Little Rascals) from one of his friends who I am pretty sure plans on moving in.
I don't know which makes me squeel more, but I think it's the vignette. I cannot wait to see what "objects d'arte" Pete unpacks after we are moving in. I think maybe just maybe the pillows in the window well might need to be rethought, but overall, I can't lie, this makes me really really happy.
umm, I totally feel your pain!!! I am not allowed to touch the BF's office and it is beyond frustrating to me! Like I work myself into such freak outs that I threaten to throw everything out in his office and then he wont have a room anymore. I would also love words of advice from anyone else who has gained permission to attack those man room/caves 🙂
I laughed out loud. I too have seen the pillow shoved into window well to block light. So sad. We need to help them.
this is beyond funny!! I love it! Im sure my hubby would have similar skills, that is if I let him decorate.. lol
good one!
i asked my BF if i could throw and EMPTY box of shoes and he said, ummm I don't know let me think, so now it's seating in our entry hall and probably will until i decide to throw it WITHOUT ASKING! Btw, mine uses pillows to block the cold from coming in… aaargh!
LOL and so true. Most of my hubby's things were donated years ago. There are a couple items in the garage… I told him he could decorate that space.
Also, I have seen some horrible bachelor pads. I new one guy's apt that looked more like a garage – bikes, sporting equipment, tools.
Good luck!!!
xo,
cristin
Oh my word!!!! That is so funny!!! While I feel like my husband has great taste…I fear what he would do if I let him have his hands on our house!!! Too funny!!!!!
I'm loving it – too funny. When I first met Richard he was using cardboard boxes for a coffee table and entertainment center!
I hate to tell you, but it doesn't get any better or easier. My husband's perspective on decorating is once it's done, it's done. If it's still beautiful and we like it, why change. He doesn't understand the concept of update, refresh, renew. Once I make the changes, he loves it, but leave the decorating to him, we'd still be living with 80s style.
So funny. My husband dreams of having his own man room. He already has the location decided on (loft above the garage) It just seems we never have the funds, there always going to the rest of the house. Some day Honey!
When I first met my husband, one of his roomates had just moved out and taken the tv with him. So my husband went and bought a huge tv, plus a hideous 80s-looking glass tv stand with no storage. I asked why he got such an ugly, unfunctional piece of furniture, and his response was that it was the only one in the electronics store. We still have it, and any suggestions for replacing it are met with 'it holds up the tv just fine'. I content myself with the fact that in a couple of years we'll upgrade to a wall-mounted tv, and then I can get a nice cabinet to hold the DVR and game consoles.
My husband' other decor suggestion:
a Fathead. As he doesn't have a man cave to hide it in, I've vetoed it.
hahahahahh too cute!!
SO funny!!love the doggy & medieval times cups!!! the best!!
xoxoxo
Unfortunately, I have to deal with similar things, as well. Luckily, most of my husband's decorating, and half-brained ideas fill up the garage, rather than any area inside the house. I gave up long ago, though. I just don't care to be the home that people drive by and say, "Oh, look at those {insert adjective here} people….they have a 2×4 stuck in the window….or pillows & construction paper in the windows!" lol Oh well. Good thing they're so cute, right?
Unfortunately, I have to deal with similar things, as well. Luckily, most of my husband's decorating, and half-brained ideas fill up the garage, rather than any area inside the house. I gave up long ago, though. I just don't care to be the home that people drive by and say, "Oh, look at those {insert adjective here} people….they have a 2×4 stuck in the window….or pillows & construction paper in the windows!" lol Oh well. Good thing they're so cute, right?
Consider yourself lucky! My rental is way too small for my bf to have a seperate room to hide all the ugly man junk. So instead he asks to have his say in at least one peice in every room and I cant say no… right now we have a shower curtian with googly eyed fish!
This is hilarious and do you know why? I have FOUR guitars to worry about. Only 2 gaming systems though. Most of the time I try to make room n the closet but for some reason "they all need to be played".
Love John's idea of window treatments but I think they need your touch!
the pillows in the window are hilarious…reminds me of a college frat house:) good luck helping your man out!
I think that if you made him some manly window treatments he'd be thankful. I know my boyfriend would love to have them in his man cave. You are right – my boyfriend doesn't allow me to make comments about his room. Which is nice.. I let it go. Everyone KNOWS it's his room and I have no control over it… I figured to be safe though I'd make him a "no girls allowed" sign. 😉
Too funny! I know how you feel. My fiancée is in love with his PS3 and recently said something about getting a Wii….yippee ;o) We’ll see if it was just talk or if PS3 gains a new friend. I recently put all the guitar hero junk in one of our upstairs bedrooms. Kent’s man cave is on our garage. He had a poker night the other day and the big poker table along with tacky chairs is right in the center of the garage. That means I’m parking outside in the driveway. Oh boys and their toys. But what can I say I have a room that’s full of crafty odds and ends.
http://domesticprincessintraining.blogspot.com
My husband's lazyboy chair. Over 10 years ago, he returned a leather coat and bought his "pride and joy." It screams bachelor pad…but I do have to admit, it's comfy…just very unattractive.
hahaha has Jon seen this yet?
You probably should've put of picture of him in it playing Call of Duty. I happen to like the man cave, it has it's charm…as in the trap door to the shop! Can't believe that didn't get a pic!
My husband has a "man room" upstairs that is all his own. The decorating plan is 2 pieces of man art on the wall and a dart board. That's it, there is nothing else… no furniture or anything. So yes, I deal in the same thing haha.
haaaaaa!hahahahaha!!! the construction paper thing is awesome! i wonder if he thought about what color would please u most..
men are funny creatures.
Haaa! I think you are kind-hearted to let Jon have a man cave – Ben would LOVE to have a space all his that's off-limits to me, but alas…not in this house! 😉
Oh yes! My husband and your husband appear to have many things in common mainly the XBox and the Guitars. He sees nothing wrong with leaving the Rock Band Drum Set (from the video game) in my living room. My living room!
Bahahah! This is great! Help the man, would ya?
do you want to buy vintage clothes and get free music also? http://www.bigwardrobe.com/ItemDisplay.aspx?ItemID=156028
my husband has a room in our house… it is refered to as "ed's room" even when I try to clean it, he doesn't want me to. ed's room has a desk built of plywood, tubberware tubs full of stuff from when his childhood, a lamp with lightbulbs that are burned out and a filing cabinet that he picked out of trash, i think…. disaster!
Yes, yes – I can relate!
too, too funny. michael is upset with me… since losing my job- i've been working from home. meaning the office (his office) has become mine. he said his life is now confined to a closet in our 3 bedroom home!!
Bwuahahhahahha!!!!!!!!!!! THe pillows are great, but his paper curtain tops everything!
You are too funny! Yes, I think every wife has a hubs with 'his' room. I sure do. It's "THE OFFICE" (*Insert horror flick tone, DUN DUN DUNNNNN….*) He's former Marine. Need I say more?? There's plaques. Swords. G.I.Joe guys, complete with grenade launchers. The list goes on and on. Did I mention the room is only about 10 feet by 7 feet?? And it's practically dead center in the house? Thank goodness it has a door! I love my husband, but I am waiting for his next hunting trip to redo it, and wait for ww3. 😉 Maybe if I paint the wall OD green, it'll blow over sooner!
does your Jon know my Jon? I have to send you a picture of his hockey room. Eerily similar. would you care if I did a similar post? maybe we all should…too good, you are, too good.
I think you need to show him pictures of how posh and amazing a man cave can be! Talk to him about giving it an "old world pub feel" and most men jump on it! This month's House Beautiful has a nice example of a media room on pg 85.
As for the guitars, we use ours as art. We got these: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10747529&sourceid=1500000000000003260420&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=10747529
and then arranged both the acoustic and electric on opposite walls as a "high impact art" piece
Thank heavens for little boys. I love they way they find instant solutions, pillows to block the light and flags to cover unsightly cords. I can't wait to see what he does next, with your design prowess of course.
pve
This is hysterical! I'm happy our house isn't big enough for this, but we do have two huge speakers that aren't even set up to work just hanging out in a corner of our living room. When my friend moved in with her now-husband, she had to ask him to get rid of his beer bottle collection, which took up the whole mantle and then some!
My husband travels regularly for work- so the minute he leaves I grab a trash bag and start throwing stuff away.
Should he notice that something of his is gone, I just say "I think it's around here somewhere"
Cruel, yes. But necessary.
this is so funny!! love it!!
men could live in a cave and be happy. That is probably why they call it mancaves.
This is a great post! My sweet husband is always putting in his two cents in about decor ideas. It takes all I have to not say, "You've got to be kidding!" Biting my tongue always works. He is great at the execution and handy work…not so great at the ideas. Bless his heart though.
This is hilarious! Derek honestly is delegated to the garage! That is his space to do whatever – the entire house is mine!! Now that were moving to an apartment looks like he'll be losing his garage too – poor guy!
This is hilarious…and all to familiar!
My dad has a fleece sleeping bag insert hanging in the doorway at the bottom of our basement stairs. I kid you not.
Screw's up my mother's carefully created decor scheme. But the basement is pretty much Dad's and my domain.
Not only that, but that blanket keeps it several degrees warmer down here and it's cheaper than getting a custom made door to find the rounded archway.
Laughing all the way through this posting! You're not alone, my husband's office is off limits for me and its filled with gaming systems and Star Wars characters and some comic books too! I of course particularly love when he gives me his input on other rooms in the house! But a Chewbaca figure looks awesome anywhere right?!
Hahahaha! You're NOT alone! Our spare bedroom is also fondly known as the "nerdroom" as that's where hubby's computer is and where he gets to exhibit some of his dodgy decorating skills. Until recently cut out comic strips were pasted on the walls… But, the nerdroom has been given a makeover! A new tablecloth, a nice collage of postcards against the wall (yes, including a Prince of Persia PS3 promo one) and two pieces of art he had from way back that actually looks pretty decent.
But I couldn't get rid of the motley crew of glasses & bottles (beer) "decorating" the windowsill.
Also still raging a silent battle against my arch nemesis – The Piece of Stone. The Piece of Stone comes from the dorm he used to stay in at university, and was, according to him part of the dorm and as such each guy took a piece as keepsake. The Piece of Stone is currently used as our doorstop, I kid you not.
LOL!!! You know, at least your husband's guitars are up OFF the floor! Can't say the same for my husband's. Oh, and we have TWO drum sets to go along with the guitars! TWO!!
His "room" is the study/office. It houses his shot glass collection, random empty bottles that are "special" to him, similar-to-your-husband's figurines, a set of 6 pictures (framed badly and hung up) of dogs playing poker, and then just a bunch of random crap strewn around so that you can't really see the furniture. It's a pit, and I am just ITCHING to get my hands on it!
Luckily, he wants to organize it, and I get to help organize (decorate) because I use it to (sometimes, but not often).
So, in closing, it could be worse… trust me. But I sympathize wholeheartedly. I think that most young guys just don't get the whole decorating thing. My theory is that with time, they finally just give up fighting it and life becomes easier for us! 😉
Have a great weekend!!!
Unfortunately, my husband is better at me than decorating. I love Shabby Chic and have a tendency to love mis-matched items or items that are distressed. Not my husband! His man den (aka The Redneck Room) is work of art. Now don't get me wrong, it's 100% macho man. Leather furniture with matching leather trimmed coffee table, end tables, and 15' long entertainment center. He even MADE a 7' long shelf out of sinker cypress he found in the swamps behind our house and then decided to make an end table from the same. Looks good! There are the requisite deer heads on the wall along with some nice prints of Redfish & Speckled Trout (two of which I gave him as a gift-albeit expensive gift!).
So, my hubby is graced with more design sense than me. Though I seem to be good at picking out paint! Well, & if you like mis-matched shabby chic, I'm your gal LOL.
Smiles~
Marilyn