Man Cave Neon Signs

Man caves are a new concept that has gained popularity over the last few decades. Having a space set aside for men to relax has become a widespread idea. A man cave is usually decorated with a masculine vibe. A neon man cave sign can fit perfectly into this type of décor.

Neon Signs for Man Caves

Man cave lighting comes in many different guises. Neon signs are a popular choice as they echo traditional neon bar signs, such as the iconic Budweiser and Miller Lite neon signs. Having a light up sign on a wall can provide some light and a personal touch.

There’s a wide range of signs for man caves. You could choose something as simple as ‘Welcome to the Man Cave’ if you are feeling friendly, or ‘Men Only’ if you fancy something more antisocial. If you have a specific interest, you can get a man cave light-up sign that ties in with that, such as a football or a train. Often a man cave can be part of a garage or workshop, where you work and relax and your neon wall sign could relate to your work. Having some fun neon in a workshop can brighten it up.

Man Cave Neon Lights

Man Cave, Garage or Workshop

beer neon signThe ideal man cave would include a bar, a TV and games. Having neon signs on the walls could help designate the different areas. Whether you have a poker table, pinball machine, pool table or Nintendo console, you can get a neon wall light that ties in with your choice of entertainment.

Bars have long been associated with neon signs, and there are lots of alcohol-related neon signs to choose from. A neon wall sign featuring a beer bucket or a cocktail glass is a fun way to welcome visitors to your personal bar. Man cave bar signs with phrases such as ‘Stop Thinking, Start Drinking‘ and ‘Alcohol You Later‘ could also be used to decorate your walls.

You may want to draw attention to the ‘man’ part of man cave in your interior design. Fun ideas for traditional male symbols to use as neon wall art could be a moustache, a cowboy hat, a motorbike or a car. If you prefer words, you could have a neon light saying ‘The Man Cave, where manly men do manly things’.

You may opt to focus on the relaxing aspects of your man cave. A neon sign saying ‘The Man Cave, the place to get busy doing nothing’ or ‘Welcome to my Man Cave, grab a beer and stay awhile’ can help to create a restful ambience. Other neon signs you could use are ‘Good Vibes Only’ or fingers showing a peace sign or a rock sign.

Custom Neon Signs for Man Caves

Having a personalized neon man cave sign can be a great finishing touch. Men can be notoriously difficult to buy gifts for, and lights for a man cave with their name are a good option. Custom neon signs are becoming very popular, and we have a Bespoke Neon Sign Builder to help you with your design. You can choose something straightforward such as ‘Bob’s Man Cave’, or you could add on images of whatever hobbies or interests your man may have.

Alternatively, a neon word sign could be made from a phrase, proverb, quote or song lyric. For example, you could choose ‘Welcome to the Man Cave, Eat, Drink & Be Lazy’ or ‘The Man Cave, what happens in the cave, stays in the cave’. Modern neon lights are not made from glass tubes filled with gas but from LEDs. This makes it possible to have neon wall lights in all shapes, sizes and colours.

Do you have a favourite line from a film? In that case, you could have it made into a light-up sign whether it is something obscure or a classic quote such as ‘We’re going to need a bigger boat’, ‘It’s not the years, it’s the mileage’, ‘This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship’ or ‘Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn’. Whatever you choose to turn into a piece of neon wall art, it will light up your man cave and make it personal.

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What Does Man Cave Mean?

A man cave is a space set apart for the male of the house to unwind in. The tradition of a man having a designated area for his exclusive use is long-established. Back in the day, men had gentleman’s clubs, social clubs and associations like the Freemasons outside the house where they would go.

VW Beetle neon signMany big houses over the centuries were designed with rooms, such as studies, that were a man’s domain. A shed, workshop or a garage often became where a man retreated for the average family with smaller homes. As houses have become bigger, having a personal space for everyone has become viable. While children tend to have their own rooms, couples usually share a bedroom, so they don’t have a unique space for themselves.

A man cave can be any size. While some man caves can be rooms, a corner or even just a chair could be considered a man cave. Many psychiatrists agree that a man must have a space to call his own where he can retreat in peace. How big or small that space is doesn’t particularly matter.

What is the Origin of Man Caves?

The phrase ‘man cave’ wasn’t used until the early 90s. Some attribute the creation of the expression to journalist Joanne Lovering writing for the Toronto Star in 1992. She was labelling a floor plan with amusing names, and she chose man cave for the basement, describing it as “a cave of solitude secured against wife intrusion by cold floors, musty smells, and a few strategic cobwebs”.

In 1993 the infamous self-help book ‘Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus’ also used the phrase when discussing a man’s need for space. John Gray spent a whole chapter of his book detailing why a man cave was essential for ‘Martians’.

The senior director of retail licensing for the NBA, Pamela Gray, is also credited with using man cave as a shorter term for a ‘dad-dominated media room’ in the early 90s. Whoever was the first to coin the phrase, man cave was in widespread use by the turn of the century.

What is the Point of a Man Cave?

Men are not always great at de-stressing. Both work and life can be high-pressured and fast-paced today, building up stress and leading to problems. Whether physical problems such as high blood pressure or emotional issues such as irritability, stress can make anyone challenging to live with. Having a space, no matter how big or small, in which to relax can help.

Rock hand neon signWe are much more aware of mental health today, and having a hobby can help with that. Having a man cave where hobbies can be left in progress allows men to relax. Knowing you can tinker with a project at leisure in a man cave can help you put your feet up and take it easy in peace with no pressure to get finished or tidy things away.

Depending on who you live with, having a space to enjoy a sport that no one else in your home is interested in can be handy. If your man cave is big enough, you could have other sports fans join you. The same goes for interests such as video games and films if that’s how you prefer to spend your leisure time. Having a man cave is great as you can be as noisy as you like while enjoying your entertainment.

In today’s society, the stereotypical view of men and women having completely different interests is outdated, so some may wonder if a man cave has any place in the 21st Century. While the idea of a man needing a place to hide from the women in his life and do manly things may be obsolete, having space and time to yourself is still a valid concept. Psychotherapist Esther Perel has become well-known for offering modern relationship advice, such as in her book, ‘Mating in Captivity’ and her popular TED talks. While not endorsing man caves, she does talk about couples needing to “regulate togetherness and separateness all the time, with confinement or without.” Sometimes, all of us need some alone time.

Whether you call it a basement, shed, man cave, tinker room, hobby space or workshop adding a neon sign can help brighten and personalise the space.