10 Best Design Ideas For A Movie Themed Man Cave

Everybody loves a good movie, but for some people, movies are life. I have friends that will literally watch every movie they can get their hands on, no matter how bad it looks.

If you are a movie lover and the type of guy who is always first in line for the latest flick, then you likely want to show this off in your man cave. 

I love movie-themed man caves because they are always unique. Sure they will all have the biggest best TVs and the loudest stereos but beyond that everyone’s taste in movies and decor is different and there are so many movies and genres to pull from the options here are limitless.

That being said we are keeping this list broad so all movie lovers can benefit. Here is our list of the 10 best decor ideas for a movie-themed man cave.

Responsive LED TV Backlighting

I am putting this first on my list because it is awesome and most people do not know about it. While LED backlighting has been around for a while, LEDs that match what is happening on your screen is not yet as popular.

The system monitors the colors that are being displayed at the edge of your screen then changes the color of the LEDs behind your TV to match. This effectively extends your viewing experience out of the TV and into your room.

The end results are mind-blowing. This is by far the best viewing accessory you can add to your current display. It is cheap and will work on virtually every TV. This means if you ever upgrade your display in the future, you can easily just move everything over to the new set. 

Theater Seating

Depending on the size of your space (and your wallet) movie theater seating looks great in a space that is dedicated solely to watching movies. If you are going this route, you need to go all out.

While you can find some cheaper options for theater seating, the chairs in a movie man cave are one of the most important components, second only to your home theater system. I recommend just staying away from the cheap theater seats. If you can not afford the high-end, you are better off getting a good quality traditional setting for a lower price.

At the basics, you want something comfortable, spacious, and reclinable. But high-end seats will offer many extras, such as cup holders, hidden storage, USB chargers, and track lighting.

Finally, stick with leather or faux leather for easy cleaning. Eating greasy popcorn, snacks, and drinking soda in a dark room while your attention is diverted is a recipe for a mess. You want a material that will just wipe clean and will not stain.

Movie Posters

Movie posters are a staple of any movie-themed man cave. There are lots of colorful and exciting posters featuring scenes and stars from all kinds of movies both vintage and current flicks.

While your best bet to get what you want is to order your posters online, if you are not picky, second-hand stores always have framed movie posters. I always check for these, as they are often older movies. Final Fantasy Advent Children and Hercules (1983) are some of my best pick-ups to date.

You can put posters on the door of the man cave, or hang it prominently up on the wall along with an arrangement of things related to that movie.

For instance, if it is a Star Wars movie poster, you could surround it with items like crossed lightsabers or put the poster in a shadowbox with lights to show it off if you have had it autographed.

Screen Curtains

If you are going for a movie theme, this is an awesome add-on list. Nothing says movie night like red velvet curtains being pulled back to reveal a huge movie screen.

If you have a movie room you probably have the biggest TV you could fit in there. Screen curtains are one of the best accessories you can pick up to compliment your centerpiece.

Not only do they look good, but they can also offer protection for your TV when not in use, and even help to absorb sound to improve the audio of the room. 

If you want to take it a step further, you can add automated curtain openers so they drawback on their own. Combined with your home automation, you can set up a routine that dims the lights, turns on the tv then pulls back the curtains on command.

Large Popcorn Machine

A movie-going experience wouldn’t be complete without some tasty, buttery, salty popcorn. You can bring the feeling of the movie theater to your man cave by purchasing a large popcorn making machine.

Add some popcorn-themed boxes or bags and hang a large scoop onto the door. You can even get a butter dispenser to drizzle on that lovely buttery flavor and add in some different flavors of popcorn salt.

There are lots of types of these popcorn makers for sale and it’s not hard to find one. If you are on a low budget, you could get a smaller one, but the large popcorn machines are not that much and give you a much better movie theater experience.

Movie Reels

Even though a lot of movies these days don’t come out on film and are instead digital, it’s a great idea to find some old movie film reels and put them up to decorate the walls of your man cave.

Maybe you can even find some that have the name of one of your favorite movies! These can be easily attached to the wall using nails and arranged in whatever pattern you like best. 

If you are just going for looks and don’t care about authenticity, you can pick up any old film reel cases and slap your own label on them. It is a very cheap but unique way to bring your movie room up a notch.

Movie Theater Carpeting

For an authentic movie theater look, you will need to ditch your current floor coverings. All movie theater carpets have a certain look and feel to them and it is far different than you would find in most homes.

Theater carpet is generally a very low pile, dark in color, with a pattern of lighter colors repeated throughout. 

Choosing a good option here is trickier than it would seem. This distinct style of this type of carpet does look out of place in a home. In most rooms, you will want to go with something that is not too gaudy and does not distract from the atmosphere. 

Red Carpet Runner

Whether or not you decided to go with the wall-to-wall carpeting, a roll-out red carpet runner at the entrance to the room will wow anyone who comes through the door.

You have 2 options here.

You can give it that Hollywood world premiere type fell so you and all your guests feel like celebrities. You can even buy a cool backdrop that will make an awesome photo op, especially at parties.

The other option is to stick with the theater theme. Most movie theaters still have red carpets in the lobbies and throughout the general area. You can accent this look with a velvet rope and even a mock ticket booth if you really want to go all out.

Movie Theater Snack Character Cutouts

Let’s all go to the lobby! Remember those little movie theater snack bar characters that used to march across the screen prior to the show? They looked like popcorn boxes, snack foods, candy, or drinks and would encourage you to go to the snack bar to purchase snacks before the show started.

If you are going for a classic look, you can find large cutouts of these goofy characters and then put them on your wall right next to your own snack area to set the mood for movie night at your man cave.

Vintage Signs

If you have a super high-tech viewing room, this may not be for you, but if you are looking to capture the feel of a classic vintage theater, some signs like this will add a nice touch. I like them because of their versatility.

They can be used to fill a space on a wall, liven up a boring corner, or even work just free hanging in a key spot in the room. 

While any one of these signs will up the atmosphere, they can definitely be used in combination to add continuity to the room. The Theater one is my favorite. Put this next to a few of your favorite framed posters and you can’t go wrong.