Tips for Building the Ultimate Nerd Cave

Bilbo had Bag End, the Avengers had the Avengers Compound, and the Doctor had the TARDIS. The heroes of our favorite franchises all have a place they call home, a place to rest from their crazy adventures in relative safety. (If you can call having your kitchen ransacked by dwarves or getting attacked by Daleks safe).

We may not be busting bad guy heads or robbing dragons, but we, the fans of these franchises, deserve a special nook we can call home too. That’s the beauty of the nerd cave. If you want your own Batcave or TARDIS, check out our tips for building the ultimate nerd cave.

Choose a Location

A nerd cave calls the image of the Batcave to mind, so a lot of people’s minds go to setting up their space in the basement. This is a great option, but there is a lot to consider before finishing your basement,and not everyone has the space available.

If you don’t have access to basement space, a home office or bedroom is usually the simplest option. But if you have a bigger budget, you might consider repurposing a garage or attic. Or you can take your cue from the tradition of the “she shed” and repurpose a shed into the ultimate geeky getaway.

Consider Purpose

Where you put your nerd cave and how you design it will depend on what you want to do with it. Here are a few purpose-based design considerations to keep in mind:

• If you’re planning on creating a space to marathon movies, the TV and seating is the focus. Natural lighting will also be a little less important.
• A video gaming cave will have similar setup considerations, but you’ll have to be more intentional about having an ergonomic setup (and sound insulation, depending on your gamer-rage levels).
• Hosting D&D night? Focus on choosing a spot with enough space and furniture big enough for all the players that you can still navigate around.
• If you’re just looking for a space to house your collectibles, you’ll have the most design freedom. However, you’ll want to keep temperature and moisture control in mind.

Have a Décor Vision

When you’re trying to decide how to build your nerd cave, it’s easy to just throw a few posters on the wall and some merch on the shelf and call it a day. But if you want to level up your space, it pays to have a plan. Here are a few ways to make your design a little sleeker:

• Be intentional about the color scheme. The colors you use can call to mind your favorite franchises.
• Try framing posters instead of just taping them to the wall.
• Differentiate how you display merch, such as wall mounts and open shelving.
• Try keeping your merch organized by franchise.

Ultimately, your décor boils down to taste. As long as you feel comfortable in the room, any nerd cave will feel like a Fortress of Solitude.