Building new cave...poker, beer, office, hangout...

[miandsh2000]

have the opportunity to convert one of our rental units into the perfect man cave. opportunities are only limited by the imagination (and that dang step down into the living room). this will not be a house that is lived in, just a hang out for poker, brew and some work. will be available march 1.

looking for any ideas so i can start planning this thing out. looking to put at least 3 10 person tables in the living and dining room and a couple taps in the kitchen. grill on the back deck. security cam front and back doors. lcds all around for tv and timers.

master bedroom has already been claimed for the telework center. back to bedrooms possibly for storage.

here is the room i have for poker, beer and hanging out. any ideas?

http://img842.imageshack.us/img842/6443/thouse.jpg
http://img842.imageshack.us/img842/6443/thouse.jpg
living room is 19-4 x 11-1
dining room is 11-6 x 9-9
kitchen is 11'8 x 8'11

before pics will come as soon as the current tenant vacates.

thx in advance for the help.

[JCinPA]

O


M


G


This has potential for Epic-ness all over it. Dedicate apartment? Cooking facilities, several taps. Hooters chicks for dealers, the mind reels with the possibilities.

[NathanJax]

2 words...

http://allstarstages.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/all-star-stages-portabler-stripper-pole-rental-octagon-stage-and-pole-dark-knight-no-background.jpg

[Trann]

I can't tell if that's a wall between the kitchen and dining but if it is (and I assume it is because of the stove position), I'd make it a half-wall (or at least, some kind of pass-through). There needs to be some better flow of snacks/drinks to the outside.

Two standard 10 person oval tables (8'x4') may be tight in that space; you may want to consider downsizing to 8 per table, then you may be able to fit two ovals and two 8 person rounds/octagons? Just a thought.

Hang on...

I sense...

...a PMC Meet & Greet...

[JCinPA]

Ah, got Trann's gears turning already. This is going to be awesome, I can tell.

I think a PMC M&G would be a great way to inaugurate this place. Well, maybe miandsh2000 has other friends he'd like to inaugurate this with, but an early game night for PMC, surely.

Where are you located?

[km630]

Do you want it to retain its character as an apartment? O, do you mind making structural alterations that might make it less useful as an apartment?

If you don't mind changing it character a little bit, I think you have some awesome options. I second Trann's though about the wall between the kitchen and the dining room as needing to go. But, I would go a step further and remove that wall entirely. Move the stove to wher the sink is. Move the sink to the left of where it is now. Move the refrigerator on the wall next to the foyer. Where the stove and pass through are currently, that is the place you build your bar. Kegerator or two under the bar with taps on top. Maybe even a glassware rack above that.

As for the other space, it is really dependent on how you would use it. I would probably not have that many permanent poker tables. So, I would add a little variety. Maybe a foosball table in the dining room area, or put your "featured" poker table there. Get a cool over the table light.

I will watch the thread and hope to better understand how this might progress.

[JCinPA]

Dale City, VA

3 1/2 hours for moi, not much different for Irish and the Shark. Closer for Buchananite, a lot.

PMC Game! Get crackin' on this thing! What no update pics? It's been almost an hour since the OP!

[miandsh2000]

I can't tell if that's a wall between the kitchen and dining but if it is (and I assume it is because of the stove position), I'd make it a half-wall (or at least, some kind of pass-through). There needs to be some better flow of snacks/drinks to the outside.

Two standard 10 person oval tables (8'x4') may be tight in that space; you may want to consider downsizing to 8 per table, then you may be able to fit two ovals and two 8 person rounds/octagons? Just a thought.

Hang on...

I sense...

...a PMC Meet & Greet...

it is a wall and there is a pass-through there right now. Its it a load bearing wall also. Im looking at options to enlarge it some though.

Do you want it to retain its character as an apartment? O, do you mind making structural alterations that might make it less useful as an apartment?

If you don't mind changing it character a little bit, I think you have some awesome options. I second Trann's though about the wall between the kitchen and the dining room as needing to go. But, I would go a step further and remove that wall entirely. Move the stove to wher the sink is. Move the sink to the left of where it is now. Move the refrigerator on the wall next to the foyer. Where the stove and pass through are currently, that is the place you build your bar. Kegerator or two under the bar with taps on top. Maybe even a glassware rack above that.

As for the other space, it is really dependent on how you would use it. I would probably not have that many permanent poker tables. So, I would add a little variety. Maybe a foosball table in the dining room area, or put your "featured" poker table there. Get a cool over the table light.

I will watch the thread and hope to better understand how this might progress.

yea, probably want to keep some of its live-ability characteristic for the possibility of turning it back into a rental.

The other space will mainly be used for poker and just general hanging out. Only one poker table will be a perm one. All others will have folding legs. Chairs will either be stacking or folding.

Dale City, VA

3 1/2 hours for moi, not much different for Irish and the Shark. Closer for Buchananite, a lot.

PMC Game! Get crackin' on this thing! What no update pics? It's been almost an hour since the OP!

yea, not too far at all. Im always open to a game.
The day I get the thing vacant cant come fast enough...but at least I have some planning time.

[miandsh2000]

2 words...

http://allstarstages.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/all-star-stages-portabler-stripper-pole-rental-octagon-stage-and-pole-dark-knight-no-background.jpg

not sure this would fly...but good try.

[NathanJax]

not sure this would fly...but good try.

What?

opportunities are only limited by the imagination (and that dang step down into the living room). any ideas?


No mention of the wife showing up in this place... lol

[JCinPA]

Yeah, my wife limits my imagination all the time. :rolleyes:

[aceinthehole4212]

it is a wall and there is a pass-through there right now. Its it a load bearing wall also. Im looking at options to enlarge it some though.



Are you sure its a load bearing wall? from the layout, I would assume that the framing goes from the outside living room wall to a beam on one side of the stairwell, and then to another beam on the other side of the stairwell, and then to the outside wall of the kitchen.

have you been about to verify that the wall is for sure a bearing wall?

Just a thought...

[km630]

Are you sure its a load bearing wall? from the layout, I would assume that the framing goes from the outside living room wall to a beam on one side of the stairwell, and then to another beam on the other side of the stairwell, and then to the outside wall of the kitchen.

have you been about to verify that the wall is for sure a bearing wall?

Just a thought...

I am with you on this ace that it is most likely not a load bearing wall. But, it really does not matter that much because he would not want to take take out the entire thing. If he leaves the stove in place, he really cannot safely open up the wall behind it -- a stove is enough of a safety hazard as it is with one way to access it, much less two. So, if he is going to open it up at all, he pretty much has to move the stove. If he moves the stove, he can open up the wall to have at least a double pass through.

Since he wants to retain the character of the space, I think the only thing I would do is to make the dining room area the "featured table" space with good lighting above the table. In the living area, you can set up and take down the other folding tables as you need them. Throw in a couch and a couble of lounge chairs, add a good A/V system and put some flat screens on a couple of walls and you are set.

[miandsh2000]

Are you sure its a load bearing wall? from the layout, I would assume that the framing goes from the outside living room wall to a beam on one side of the stairwell, and then to another beam on the other side of the stairwell, and then to the outside wall of the kitchen.

have you been about to verify that the wall is for sure a bearing wall?

Just a thought...

yea. there are 2 main loads. one is the kitchen wall with the pass through and the other is steel beam supported by a column at the step down into the living room from the dining room.

can anyone point me in the direction of some good "room layout" software so i can mock up diff options and plan out the wiring.

[aceinthehole4212]

I am with you on this ace that it is most likely not a load bearing wall. But, it really does not matter that much because he would not want to take take out the entire thing. If he leaves the stove in place, he really cannot safely open up the wall behind it -- a stove is enough of a safety hazard as it is with one way to access it, much less two. So, if he is going to open it up at all, he pretty much has to move the stove. If he moves the stove, he can open up the wall to have at least a double pass through.



True, what I was going to say was that a half height wall behind the stove would be cool, with a bar top type top on it, a place to put food on, and it would allow an open concept floor plan.

I do like the idea of swapping the locations of the sink and the oven. That would make sense.

[miandsh2000]

True, what I was going to say was that a half height wall behind the stove would be cool, with a bar top type top on it, a place to put food on, and it would allow an open concept floor plan.

I do like the idea of swapping the locations of the sink and the oven. That would make sense.

a swap is feasible. crawl space below would make for and easier relo.

only concern is that the dining room was planned for the main poker table and playing a game while having people get food may be kinda cramped.

definately worth looking at deeper.

[km630]

You have a ton of counter space in the kitchen already? Why do you need a "serving area" that opens into the dining room? If you are not going to open it up all the way, I don't know that I would change a thing. If people will walk the distance to the pass through to get food, they will certainly take a few more steps into the kitchen to grab their grub.

Unless you open up the wall between the kitchen and the dining room, you invariably have a bottleneck in the hallway to the bathroom/kitchen. I don't believe that is avoidable. Because of how you are limited, I don't think I would change a thing about the current layout. Put in the furniture and the TV's, and your space is ready to go.

[IFLOPPEDITSUCKER]

45 mins from you. Make it happen....

[miandsh2000]

... I think the only thing I would do is to make the dining room area the "featured table" space with good lighting above the table. In the living area, you can set up and take down the other folding tables as you need them. Throw in a couch and a couble of lounge chairs, add a good A/V system and put some flat screens on a couple of walls and you are set.

im having a hard time with this on paper. thinking im going to have to put main table down in the living area on kind of an angle...unless, i just build three new 8 person tables.

this was going to be the main table...
http://img831.imageshack.us/img831/765/pokerroom.jpg

and here are some old pics of the living and dining space...

http://img710.imageshack.us/img710/6512/townhousesept08015.jpg http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/1885/townhousesept08016.jpg http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/2571/townhousesept08027b.jpg http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/3271/townhousesept08038.jpg http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/5353/townhousesept08040.jpg http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/4980/townhousesept08046.jpg

[BTSyndrome]

http://img831.imageshack.us/img831/765/pokerroom.jpg

I looked through your posts but did not see it, do you have a bigger (closer)picture of this table ?

[miandsh2000]

I looked through your posts but did not see it, do you have a bigger (closer)picture of this table ?

heres a couple:


http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/1671/table1.jpg
http://img203.imageshack.us/img203/7827/table2l.jpg
http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/7554/table3.jpg
http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/963/table4y.jpg

[JCinPA]

Beautiful table! Full felt, no cupholders, nails on the edge, exactly how I'm planning on doing #2. All poker tables have their personalities and some of the fancier racetrack, cupholder versions are really amazing. But there is just something about that classic look you have going there that is just always my favorite.

Nice pedestal, too. Mine will have tubular metal legs which are much better than the folding legs, but the peds are the best. Unfortunately I don't have a dedicated mancave yet.

[BTSyndrome]

Thanks for the pics.

It's the closest I have seen to what I am about to build.
Black rail with full felt Bronze SSC. Just not many out there with those colors.
Thanks again.

And it reaffirms that I dont want cup holders in the rail. Love the clean look.

[miandsh2000]

just wanted pop in for a quick update:

tenant is out march 1 and renovation can start then.
poker tables have been ordered. (decided buy vs. build)
4 19" lcd's ordered for aux tvs/poker timers. still need to get 2 37 to 43"-ish ones.
19" monitor for security system ordered.
chairs will be ordered later this week.
good on chips. possibly new set down the road.
lighting will be decided on once tables are placed.

anybody have a good recommendation on security can systems? looking for a minimum of 2 cams. would like to know WHO is there, not just that someone is there.

[Wedge Rock]

http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/963/table4y.jpg

Why has no PMC'er yet used a claw foot table with the shocker?

[nuzbim]

i'm only bout 30 min away as well, when/if you have the meet an greet, sign me up.