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A few weeks ago, Colorado-born Furniture Row released a new commercial promoting its back-to-school sale. A mom loads her college-bound son’s arms with boho-chic throw pillows and vases as he protests that he won’t put them in his dorm room. “Don’t worry,” the mom assures him. “These are for my new yoga space.”
“Where’s that gonna be?” he asks. Her reply: “Where your bedroom used to be.”
The scene plays on a growing national trend of women—mothers in particular—carving out dedicated relaxation spaces for themselves. Whether you call it a woman cave, a lady cave, a ma’am cave, or a she shed, these more feminine nooks seem to be in response to the man cave movement of yore. “Women are finally saying, Wait a minute, what about me?” says Leslie Kazmierczak, owner and principal designer for Denver’s Level 10 Interiors. “In the past, it was like the whole house was the woman’s domain. Now, with everyone working and sharing household duties, it’s not that way anymore. Having a career, being a mother, doing everything that women do—now more than ever it’s important to have a little getaway space.”
In that spirit, Kazmierczak chose to dedicate her vignette at the 2016 Colorado Fall Home Show (September 9 to 11) to what she’s calling a “glam ladies’ retreat.” And she’s not the only one: Of the five inspirational living space setups created by local ASID (American Society of Interior Designers) members, two will be woman-cave-themed this year. While Kazmierczak’s will feature a modern Hollywood glam aesthetic—with a bookcase, a comfy oversized chair and ottoman, plus additional seats and a side table for inviting over friends for glasses of wine—the other takes a Zen meditation-room approach.
“I don’t think that just because it’s a woman cave, it has to be pink,” Kazmierczak says. “A woman might want a big sofa or a big TV. It doesn’t have to be this super frilly, feminine space—it’s whatever that particular woman wants it to be.” Here, her top five tips for creating your own ma’am cave:
- Any space can work as a woman cave. Even if you don’t have a specific space in your home defined for this purpose, an unused office, a spare bedroom, a bonus room, or even a corner of the basement can be transformed into a relaxing she-space.
- Tailor the space to your specific wants and needs. Decide what it is that relaxes you and makes you the most happy. Is it a yoga studio? A craft room? A reading nook? Or maybe even a place to entertain the girls with a glass of wine?
- Choose comfortable furnishings. Whether your woman cave is specifically a relaxation room or not, it should be a place to which you want to retreat, and the more comfortable it is, the more you’ll look forward to time spent there.
- Don’t be afraid of color. The woman cave doesn’t have to be decked out in bold, glamorous hues, but if you have a favorite that you’ve been afraid to use in the rest of the house (lavender? chartreuse?), this is the place to try it.
- Pile on the luxury. Your woman cave doesn’t have to cost a fortune to create; a comfy old chair and ottoman with a simple slipcover will do. But don’t forget to give it a little sparkle. Inexpensive fluffy pillows, a faux-fur throw, a crystal table lamp, or multiple candles will make the space your own without breaking the bank.
Find Kazmierczak’s vignette and more woman-cave inspiration at the 2016 Colorado Fall Home Show, held at the Colorado Convention Center. Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for seniors; kids 12 and younger get in free. Bring a nonperishable food item for $2 off your ticket.