No matter how old you get there will always be that part of your brain that says you need to build a man cave or at least make it an awesome bachelor pad. I mean, who wouldn’t want to have a whole section of their place dedicated to entertainment and fun? What if, though, you want to deck the entire pad out and turn it into one bad-ass place to chill?

Well I’ve got six items that should be on your list…

1. A Kegerator

• Step 1: Get a keg
• Step 2: Get a kegerator
• Step 3: ???
• Step 4: DRINK!

A kegerator is probably the coolest device you can setup in your pad if you’re big into beer. It’s basically just an a thing that keeps your keg tapped so you’re not stuck there pumping it whenever you want a beer.

Combine this with sticking the keg in a mini fridge and the keg will hold up for months on end which will save you a ton of money when boozing plus it’s so much better when you’re having house parties since it’s all readily available. Check out this link to see how they’re set up.

2. A Hookah

Smoking isn’t for everyone (and it’s not a habit you should pick up for the sake of it) but if you are a smoker and want to deck out the pad properly then you should really consider getting a hookah because they are perfect for when you want to chill with people.

Anyone that has been out to the club/bar district in most cities can tell ya the cool vibe that comes off when you dip into a hookah lounge. Once you get a taste for the flavors it’s hard not to make it a regular thing especially when you’ve got people over. These days there are a variety of types of hookah devices, so make sure you do your research. On one site, Khalil Mamoon hookahs are broken down by size and price and that can be helpful with a variety of brands.

3. A Massive Bean Bag Chair

Bean bag chairs are awesome no matter how tacky. Why? Because bean bag technology (I think that’s a thing) has really stepped up their game in the last few years so you’re not stuck sitting in that faux leather one you picked up from a thrift store.

Nowadays they’ve got massive bean bag chairs that can hold up to six to eight people. They range about $200 – $300 but even if it’s just you it’ll be like sinking into a giant pit of comfort. I doubt anyone will get on your case about the thing once they get to chill in it.

4. An Arcade Cabinet

You went to the arcades as a kid because we all did and it was a blast. You probably even took a few minutes, one day, to look up on Ebay if you could buy an arcade cabinet only to find out they cost a few thousand bucks and that’s definitely not worth it for just one game.

Enter: emulation.

There are many programs out there that emulate the classic arcade games (and older systems but that’s another post) and it’s called M.A.M.E. This piece of software is free to download and you can actually find a lot of the games (roms) in public domain.

There are plans for creating arcade cabinets which will run you a few hundred bucks, otherwise you can also find people and businesses that put together these M.A.M.E cabinets for a reasonable price.

5. A Secret Bookcase

Straight up out of the spy films are the classic bookcase that opens up to be secret passage or cove for things people aren’t meant to see. You can go ahead and build one yourself with (see this guy’s take on the DIY project) but if you’re strapped on the wood and tools then you could always buy one online.

For a few hundred bucks you can pick one up that gives you the full effect. On the front it looks like a normal bookcase but *bam* it opens up to some real secret stuff. How cool is that, eh?

6. A High-Def Projector

Droppin’ money on a huge 65 inch TV would be nice and all but you’re still stuck with taking up a huge part of your pad and then you gotta figure out where to put the damn thing.
For about the same price you can get some very nice projectors by Epson, Toshiba, or Sony that can create pictures well over 100 inches. The only thing else you need is a good screen for it but even that you can go the DIY route by picking up vinyl shades which costs a fraction of the professional screens.

Get that gigantic bean bag chair, make sure the kegerator is primed, and throw on your favorite flick the next time people are over. Now we’re talkin’ real entertainment – big screen style.