Find Your Escape from Holiday Stress at Farmington Hills Store

Editor's note: Thinking about creating an "escape hatch" this holiday season? Farmington-Farmington Hills Patch sent Steven Hartman out to learn more about the components of a "man cave" (adaptable for women). Here's what he found:

Tom Brillati, Director of Training and Marketing Displays, knew I was eager to learn what makes a modern day man-cave from the moment I stepped foot into the store on Orchard Lake Road in Farmington Hills.

He started by explaining the three essential components to your fortress of solitude: TV, sound and furniture.

The focal point of the man-cave is a television. The biggest one on the market is a freestanding 92” behemoth with 16 built-in speakers and one subwoofer. This television has the appearance of a flat screen, but it has a slight backing like the old tube televisions.  If you want the biggest flat screen, you’re going to have to downgrade to an 80”, which is mountable and has perfect clarity even inches away from the screen.

“The picture and typecast is crystal clear," Brillati said of the televisions on the market. "It's simply, how large would you like it to be?"

Three dimensional (3D) television has become hugely popular, Brillati informed me as we put on the passive 3D glasses. “A year ago, it cost an additional $500, whereas now it’s only an additional $100 to get a 3D TV.” Many 3D televisions can convert real-time sports and programming, instantly placing you into the 3D world. 

Finally, "smart TV" allows you to access the Internet, applications, online games and music. It's a giant version of your smartphone, including a QWERTY keyboard remote.

Brillati said that most flat screen televisions compromise sound for picture quality, with speakers about the size of your thumb and, in some cases, in the back of the set. It wasn’t long ago that the best sound system consisted of a 5.1 stereo system with a spaghetti bowl of unsightly wires connecting speakers to the television, he said. 

To combat those issues, sound bars have become popular. They usually sit in front of the television and create the illusion of several speakers. “One wire from the outlet. One wire from the sound bar to the television," Brillait explained.

The third component of the man cave is a comfortable chair, he added. A simple recliner will suffice, but theater-style seating, by attaching three recliners together, is quite common for those who want to share the room and veg out with their buds.

Another option, massage chairs, can give you a simple back rub. But you can also find chairs with the technology to scan your body, determine your weight and height, and then customize a massage for you.

Brillati said ABC Warehouse offers a range of items to customize the room, with options that will suit men or women. And what was once an extravagance is now much more affordable, he added. 

“You can get it all easily for $4,000-$5,000, whereas five years ago, a similar set up would've been closer to 20 grand," he said.