Shaun
Male aesthetic sensibilities almost always take a backseat when decor decisions are taken. Wives and girlfriends invariably take charge and make the vast majority of the decisions when decorating a house, condo, or apartment.
However, the man cave is perhaps the last place where you still reign supreme. In your man cave, you can decorate to your heart’s content. Whether you value simplicity and functionality, or a garnish and lurid design, your man cave should reflect your personality.
And one of the easiest and most expressive ways in which you can make a space your own is by covering your walls in inventive and evocative decor. Long gone are the days of dank, moldy basement walls dominating your man cave aesthetics.
Today, we will talk about 10 inexpensive yet creative ideas to cover your man cave walls.
Table of Contents
Exposed Brick
If you happen to be lucky enough that the foundations of your house are made of brick, you may want to consider exposing it as a conscious design choice. Exposed brick, when properly maintained, can provide your man cave with an air of sobriety and more than a bit of texture and warmth.
To further highlight those vibrant red bricks, install some open-backed shelving on which to mount your most valued possessions, such as sports trophies, vinyl records, favorite books, movie memorabilia, high-tech gadgets, etc.
Natural Fibers
An original, inventive, and exciting way of giving new life and another face to a bare wall is to use natural fibers such as jute, raffia, or cork to cover it. All of these eco-friendly options provide a fantastic aesthetic while keeping your budget in check.
Natural fibers come in a wide range of colors and textures, which are two of the most important concepts of interior design. Natural fibers also make fantastic material for those looking to isolate and soundproof their man caves.
Natural fibers will likely require significantly more upkeep and maintenance since they tend to collect grime and dust more easily.
Stencil Art
Using stencils to decorate your man cave walls is one of the most inexpensive ideas on this list. Stencils are a type of decorative painting that is very popular all over the world.
The stencil technique exceeds when applying the same design in repetition; however, with a little bit of inventiveness, it makes for a great design addition to any man cave, regardless of the overall aesthetic.
Stenciling provides many advantages since it is a very simple technique, which allows us to fully customize a space by giving it a truly unique and personal seal. All you need is a template with your desired design, a pail of paint of the chosen color and a good brush or roller.
Photomurals
One of the most attractive ways to decorate a wall is to do it with a high-definition photo mural. These rather large photographs can accentuate any design by providing a focal centerpiece.
Additionally, they are easy to change, which means that your man cave can change with the seasons.
Another benefit to these photo murals is the fact that these images tend to have very marked perspectives, which can create an affecting depth of field effect that can make even the most cramped man cave seem much larger.
Wood Paneling
Wood paneling is an excellent option for man cave walls that can give an old-school vibe and provide an easy sound-proofing solution. Wood panels can be installed via a pretty straightforward process, and there is a great variety of textures and colors.
Another benefit of using wood paneling to cover your man cave walls is that it creates a cozy and warm environment.
Green Walls
For the truly daring, grass-covered walls present a genuinely novel idea to give a touch of life to the walls of your man cave. With a grass panel installation, you can turn a boring wall into a textured and bright component of an eco-friendly design aesthetic.
Grass walls are perfect for basement-based man caves, which are typically dark and have very little natural light. Furthermore, if you like sports, then a paneled grass wall can play into other sports-oriented design choices you might make
Mirrors
Covering your man cave walls with lots of mirrors will have a two-pronged effect. On the one hand, it will brighten up the room by reflecting any available light. This is great if your man cave lacks windows and has a limited number of light fixtures.
Second, mirrors will make small spaces seem much larger than they are by creating an illusion of depth. When covering your man cave walls with mirrors, you must think long and hard about proper placement. For example, the “height” at which you hang a particular mirror will determine what image is reflected.
Metal Prints
There are currently a large number of vendors selling high-quality metal prints. These prints are typically made out of steel and come in an almost infinite number of designs. These prints, which are functionally posters, are typically magnet-mounted and can add a splash of vibrant color to any wall.
Metal prints are extremely durable and will outlast traditional paper posters 100% of the time. A neat idea would be to custom order a large print and split it into various metal prints and make a large-scale block art piece.
If you are not sold on metal prints, acrylic or plexiglass are also accessible materials on which to print your image of choice.
Newspaper Wallpaper
This one is for the more adventurous folk out there. Still, newspapers can provide your man cave with an incredible amount of character and historical richness that few other things can.
By using a french technique called “decoupage,” which consists of gluing decorative paper to the desired surface, you can laminate your man cave walls with a layer of newspapers.
I know it sounds like a stupid idea but the technique can be applied to more than just walls and when done correctly the end result is very impressive.
Maps
In the same vein as idea number 9, you can quickly and cheaply line your man cave walls with printed world maps. There is a considerable number of different cartography styles, so finding one to suit your tastes should not be too hard.
Map covered walls can add a sense of class and make you feel like a distinguished gentleman. If you are into that whole old-school cigar room vibe, maps on your walls might be the right design choice for you.
Like what you see? What low budget options have you used to decorate your man cave? Let us know in the comments.
