A man cave is more than just a comfy chair with the TV turned facing it and a can of beer within reach. These days, a man cave is often a separate room. Sometimes, it is the basement, a converted garage or even a former tool or garden shed. The first thing to decide is how much privacy you really need. If you just need a place where you can hang out with your buddies to watch some weekend football, sectioning off part of the living or family room will probably do just fine. However, if you want a place where you can go without disturbing other family members who have different interests and tastes, a free standing or separate room is a better choice. Regardless of where your man cave is located, there are some basic necessities you need to get the most out of your private place.

1. More Power

Even if your man cave is just going to be the basement, you are still going to be adding a lot of electrical appliances such as a big screen TV, lamps or some form of lighting and other gadgets. This means, as Tim Allen put it in his “Home Improvement” days, you need more power. This could include installing additional outlets or even a separate circuit breaker, depending on the electric gizmos you are adding to your testosterone-inspired hideaway. Remember, it does not take anything away from your manhood if you need to hire a professional to boost the power. Electrical fires aren’t manly.

2. Accessories

A man cave is more than just a TV with a bunch of chairs or a few comfy couches and a coffee table. A man cave is sort of the new version of what the rec center used to be back in the day. Common man cave accessories include a pool table, theater seating and maybe a few vintage touches such as classic arcade-style video games and a jukebox. Choose accessories that reflect your interests. If you are going for a sports theme, consider sports items such as gloves, bats or hockey sticks to scattered around the room or display on the walls.

3. ‘Manly’ Materials

Pastel walls and color coordinated baseboards aren’t going to cut it in the man cave. A bathroom, for example, may include log cabin of stainless steel walls. Throw rugs, or even a bear skin rug, can add some manly touches to the floor. If you cannot do much with the walls, consider adding manly accessories such as a belching clock or pictures and posters with leather frames. The couch itself should be made out of a durable material. Leather is a popular choice. Wood and brick are common choices for the walls in a man cave.

4. Lighting

Unless you are recreating the Bat cave, you are going to need some lighting in your man cave. Consider some creative lighting solutions such as a lighted jukebox or a pool table with a lighted border. If this isn’t enough light, there are plenty of manly lamps available. A popular choice is the iconic leg lamp from “A Christmas Story.” If you are into nature, consider natural lighting from a skylight or picture window. Recessed lighting, spotlights or ceiling lights are other common man cave lighting options.

5. Sense of Fantasy

Consider going with a theme for your man cave. Before you dive into creating your themed man cave, ask yourself if you can realistically pull it off. Sure, it would be great to have a man cave remade like something out of one of the Batman movies, but can you afford to do this? If you are a car fan, adding parts of a real car to your decor will certainly give your guests something to talk about. A common theme choice for a man cave is a home theater set up with a movie theater size screen ideal for watching manly movies or the big game in a comfy setting.

Before getting started on your man cave, come up with some basic rules. While it may be your room to do with what you please, your spouse may not appreciate naked women on the walls. If you’re single, your whole house is a man cave. Set a budget. This gives you an idea of what your options are before you get started and realize that you cannot afford to finish. When you are not in full man cave mode, consider letting the rest of the family enjoy your little hideaway. Sharing can be manly too.