The man cave is a place where a man can keep his possessions, indulge in activities away from the family, and socialize with friends. But the concept of the man of the family having his own space is not new. Traditionally, it was the garage or workshop where he kept his tools and engaged in hobbies like building and repairing things. In the 21st century, the rise of Pinterest-style home decorating meant moving one's nerdy collections, video games, and comfy old chair out of the main living areas. Conveniently, it also became a place to watch sports, socialize with other men, and drink. Home furnishing companies jumped on the idea and promoted it, such as
...the NBA’s merchandising department, which had recently introduced a line of “upscale” club chairs, TVs, and vending machines in team colors. The “dad-dominated media room” already existed, she wrote, but the idea of tasteful sports decor and extreme spending in the space was new. Pamela Gray, senior director of retail licensing for the NBA at the time, was supposedly “the source of ‘Man Cave,’ her designation for the expanding share of the castle devoted to media, den, and office.”
But the man cave idea has receded for several reasons. Few can afford to do it the way they want, socializing is more difficult than it looks on TV, and men don't really want to segregate themselves from their families enough to make it worthwhile. Read how the man cave exploded and then disappeared at Vox. -via Metafilter
(Image credit: Sarah Lawrence for Vox)