Guys Tell Us About Their Favorite Places at Home
For Father’s Day, Houzz men show us the places in their homes where they like to hang out
There’s nothing like having a special place at home where you’re truly comfortable. In honor of Father’s Day, we recently asked the men of Houzz to tell us about the places where they feel most at ease. From garages to backyards to music and reading rooms, these 14 spots are where the guys and their partners say they love to be.
Mwbailey keeps his car and tractor on the barn’s ground level. This is also where he works on a model railroad with his grandchildren.
The second floor of mwbailey’s barn has a hayloft that has been converted into a multiuse area with a kitchenette, full bath and sitting area.
2. Garage and Workshop
Location: Arthur, Illinois
What he does there: “I used to be a full-time mechanic, so I enjoy working on cars, motorcycles or anything mechanical,” bimmerboy7770 writes. “I also enjoy building things out of wood. My grandpa taught me to love working with wood, and I still use some of his tools.”
Why he loves it: “I love having a space that is my own, being able to be close to my family and still play with cars. My favorite is when my wife comes out and talks to me while I work.”
Location: Arthur, Illinois
What he does there: “I used to be a full-time mechanic, so I enjoy working on cars, motorcycles or anything mechanical,” bimmerboy7770 writes. “I also enjoy building things out of wood. My grandpa taught me to love working with wood, and I still use some of his tools.”
Why he loves it: “I love having a space that is my own, being able to be close to my family and still play with cars. My favorite is when my wife comes out and talks to me while I work.”
3. Garage for Puttering
Location: New Castle County, Delaware
What he does there: “Wander around looking for and fixing stuff I stashed in there,” Houzzer evilfij writes.
Why he loves it: “The original 3-inch-thick oak doors and the goose weather vane, of course.” The Houzzer is also a fan of the original garage door springs and the 20-foot radiator. He has plans to restore the garage exterior this summer, including restaining the doors and adding a tung oil finish. “The inside is nothing special to look at, but it does have 12-foot ceilings.”
Location: New Castle County, Delaware
What he does there: “Wander around looking for and fixing stuff I stashed in there,” Houzzer evilfij writes.
Why he loves it: “The original 3-inch-thick oak doors and the goose weather vane, of course.” The Houzzer is also a fan of the original garage door springs and the 20-foot radiator. He has plans to restore the garage exterior this summer, including restaining the doors and adding a tung oil finish. “The inside is nothing special to look at, but it does have 12-foot ceilings.”
4. Woodworking Shop
Location: Salem, Oregon
What he does there: Summilux uses the space for woodworking, building everything from floating bookshelves to desks to tables for his home.
Location: Salem, Oregon
What he does there: Summilux uses the space for woodworking, building everything from floating bookshelves to desks to tables for his home.
Why he loves it: “My shop … is the ‘means of production’ that enabled us to turn a dowdy ranch house into a home in the best sense of the term,” summilux writes. Last year he gutted and rehabbed the workshop area. “I would love to have skylights and 12-foot ceilings, but I’m thankful to have a comfortable and pleasant environment that contributes to an activity that is rewarding on many levels.”
5. Guitar and Computer Room
Location: A rural subdivision near the Apalachee River, between Madison and Athens, Georgia
What he does there: Houzzer taichista and her husband moved from Sunnyvale, California, to this home in 2000. “The room is actually my husband’s bedroom, which overlooks the forested rear of our property from a very large bay window,” taichista writes. “He spends several hours a day practicing jazz guitar…. His worktable and computer are also there.”
Why he loves it: “He loves this space because it’s his space — not mine, not ours — although he has tolerated a few decorative incursions on my part (and of course the cats think it’s theirs),” taichista writes.
Location: A rural subdivision near the Apalachee River, between Madison and Athens, Georgia
What he does there: Houzzer taichista and her husband moved from Sunnyvale, California, to this home in 2000. “The room is actually my husband’s bedroom, which overlooks the forested rear of our property from a very large bay window,” taichista writes. “He spends several hours a day practicing jazz guitar…. His worktable and computer are also there.”
Why he loves it: “He loves this space because it’s his space — not mine, not ours — although he has tolerated a few decorative incursions on my part (and of course the cats think it’s theirs),” taichista writes.
6. Keyboard Room
Location: Southfield, Michigan
What he does there: “My guy is most at home standing at his keyboard for hours laying down tunes,” drez smith writes.
Location: Southfield, Michigan
What he does there: “My guy is most at home standing at his keyboard for hours laying down tunes,” drez smith writes.
7. Grilling Station
Rubner’s Nursery & Landscaping in Hickory, North Carolina, created this outdoor kitchen for a homeowner who loves to grill.
Rubner’s Nursery & Landscaping in Hickory, North Carolina, created this outdoor kitchen for a homeowner who loves to grill.
8. Peaceful Backyard
Location: De Winton, Alberta, Canada
What he does there: Northernminer37 writes that he enjoys this backyard spot for drinking freshly brewed gourmet coffee, reading favorite books, watching the wildlife — coyotes, deer, rabbits and occasionally the odd moose — and talking with his daughters. This is also where he likes to plan his next gardening project, decompress and wake up slowly on Sunday mornings.
Why he loves it: It’s peaceful and quiet and allows him to think. “It is all mine when I am there alone for private time.”
Location: De Winton, Alberta, Canada
What he does there: Northernminer37 writes that he enjoys this backyard spot for drinking freshly brewed gourmet coffee, reading favorite books, watching the wildlife — coyotes, deer, rabbits and occasionally the odd moose — and talking with his daughters. This is also where he likes to plan his next gardening project, decompress and wake up slowly on Sunday mornings.
Why he loves it: It’s peaceful and quiet and allows him to think. “It is all mine when I am there alone for private time.”
9. Backyard With a River View
Location: Mississippi River
What he does there: L Behrens writes that this is her man’s favorite spot for “sitting in the backyard with a fire just watching the river go by, listening to music and sipping a beverage.”
Why he loves it: This river spot is a great perch for watching the local water ski team practice, taking in a fireworks show and observing fishermen drop and pull their nets. “It can be calming or entertaining depending on what is happening on the river,” L Behrens writes.
Location: Mississippi River
What he does there: L Behrens writes that this is her man’s favorite spot for “sitting in the backyard with a fire just watching the river go by, listening to music and sipping a beverage.”
Why he loves it: This river spot is a great perch for watching the local water ski team practice, taking in a fireworks show and observing fishermen drop and pull their nets. “It can be calming or entertaining depending on what is happening on the river,” L Behrens writes.
10. Basement Library
What he does there: “I use this room mostly for just reading, but I also go there if I need to study materials for work,” Houzzer pducklow says.
Why he loves it: This basement library is inside an old Victorian home that lacks air conditioning. It provides a cool, quiet spot in which to read with no distractions. It’s large enough to store many of his books, though pducklow plans to build more shelves. “I love this room because I like to be surrounded by books. There is nothing more relaxing and comforting to me than that. I feel like I’m picking up the ideas and knowledge in them as if by osmosis.”
What he does there: “I use this room mostly for just reading, but I also go there if I need to study materials for work,” Houzzer pducklow says.
Why he loves it: This basement library is inside an old Victorian home that lacks air conditioning. It provides a cool, quiet spot in which to read with no distractions. It’s large enough to store many of his books, though pducklow plans to build more shelves. “I love this room because I like to be surrounded by books. There is nothing more relaxing and comforting to me than that. I feel like I’m picking up the ideas and knowledge in them as if by osmosis.”
11. Comfortable Chair
Location: Wichita, Kansas
What he does there: “My husband loves that spot to plop down and read the news, sip coffee or play his favorite game on his computer,” Brette Sumner writes.
Why he loves it: “He loves spending time there because he can curl up with our dogs and relax after a long workday.”
Location: Wichita, Kansas
What he does there: “My husband loves that spot to plop down and read the news, sip coffee or play his favorite game on his computer,” Brette Sumner writes.
Why he loves it: “He loves spending time there because he can curl up with our dogs and relax after a long workday.”
12. Calm Living Room
What he does there: Reading, meditating, working on the laptop and napping. “To make a relationship work, each person needs their own space,” mgamula writes. “I got first dibs on the living room because it’s my stuff.”
Why he loves it: “It’s the second floor of an old Victorian house overlooking a Japanese rock garden. It’s not large, but it’s sunny and quiet, and I love it because the design is so harmonious — a fusion of modernism and Asian art.” And the fireplace is perfect for winter evenings, mgamula says.
What he does there: Reading, meditating, working on the laptop and napping. “To make a relationship work, each person needs their own space,” mgamula writes. “I got first dibs on the living room because it’s my stuff.”
Why he loves it: “It’s the second floor of an old Victorian house overlooking a Japanese rock garden. It’s not large, but it’s sunny and quiet, and I love it because the design is so harmonious — a fusion of modernism and Asian art.” And the fireplace is perfect for winter evenings, mgamula says.
13. Open and Connected Loft
Location: Near Asheville, North Carolina
What he does there: Although the recently finished basement has a surround-sound TV, theater-style furniture and a pingpong area, jlsheaffer spends the majority of time in his home’s loft. “This is my (our) area for reading, TV and computer stuff.”
Why he loves it: “The loft is open to the great room and kitchen on the main floor, so my wife and I don’t feel shut off from each other if we’re in two of those different areas.” He also loves the natural light pouring in from the windows, as well as the view of the trees that surround the home.
Location: Near Asheville, North Carolina
What he does there: Although the recently finished basement has a surround-sound TV, theater-style furniture and a pingpong area, jlsheaffer spends the majority of time in his home’s loft. “This is my (our) area for reading, TV and computer stuff.”
Why he loves it: “The loft is open to the great room and kitchen on the main floor, so my wife and I don’t feel shut off from each other if we’re in two of those different areas.” He also loves the natural light pouring in from the windows, as well as the view of the trees that surround the home.
14. Sunset Porch
“This time of year, my favorite place to hang out is the front piazza,” southernpointofview writes. “The house faces northwest and is on the side of a mountain, so we get some spectacular sunsets!”
Below is a sunset seen from southernpointofview’s front porch.
“This time of year, my favorite place to hang out is the front piazza,” southernpointofview writes. “The house faces northwest and is on the side of a mountain, so we get some spectacular sunsets!”
Below is a sunset seen from southernpointofview’s front porch.
Share: Where in your home or landscape do you feel most at ease and comfortable? Tell us and post a picture in the Comments.
More: Why Men Really Do Need a Cave
More: Why Men Really Do Need a Cave
Several men let us know that the garage is their absolute favorite space in their home. Mwbailey’s garage is in a modern post-and-beam barn structure, about 40 by 48 feet, that has a 12-foot open lean-to down the long side.
Location: Rock Hill, South Carolina
What he does there: “Collect rusty car parts; work on model railroad layout with grandchildren; throw pieces of wood together for tables, benches, chairs and such; store my 1949 Ford 8N tractor when not moving mulch with it; play my drum set or banjo and sometimes goof off,” mwbailey writes.
Why he loves it: The space has plenty of room, a great look and almost 100 percent Southern yellow pine construction.