The Ken Den Is the Upscale, Personalized Evolution of the Man Cave

Ken Dens should absolutely be a thing.

Thanks to a certain iconic blonde, we’ve all been seeing pink. Barbiecore has been one of the biggest trends of the last few seasons, and the upcoming Barbie movie has only increased the popularity of pink and that classic Barbie aesthetic in both fashion and design. Now, HGTV has announced a Barbie Dreamhouse home-makeover series where an entire home will get a renovation inspired by the beloved dollhouse, much to the delight of design enthusiasts everywhere.

But how does Barbie’s other half factor into the makeover? Well, HGTV has said that its dream house will also have a den for Ken. We’re calling this space a Ken Den, and it may just be the next big craze in design for personal spaces within the home.

The concept of the man cave has been around for ages. Often found in basements or converted garages, these rooms notoriously favor function over form and often bring up thoughts of dark, grungy spaces void of design or aesthetic considerations.

Ken Dens, on the other hand, offer a fresh take on what modern men are looking for in their spaces and consider that many men do care about what their homes look like: They want something that reflects their personal style, and as a rebrand of the man cave, the Ken Den offers space to do just that. (Of course, anyone can create a Ken Den for themselves—the Ken Den isn’t limited by gender.)

Instead of leaning into dated stereotypes, Ken Dens embrace the spectrum of masculinity because, just like all women have different tastes, men aren’t a monolith either, and our environments should reflect that.

As Francesco Bilotto, design and entertaining expert, so succinctly puts it, “In today’s world, more than ever, it’s extremely important to celebrate all types of people and all types of home design concepts that celebrate fun!”

So, if you’re looking for a little more levity and just plain joy in your home, read on for tips on adding a Ken Den to your house.

Related: 8 Gorgeous Barbiecore Colors that Aren’t Pink

The Ken Den vs. the Man Cave

“A Ken Den is a magical, manicured—yet still masculine—space. Unlike a traditional man cave, it is a fashionable and stylized room more reflective of a modern-day gentleman and his interests,” Bilotto says.

And while a man cave has a specific connotation, a Ken Den doesn’t have to conform to the norms.

“It’s much less about dark leather recliners, beer cans, and a large screen TV … and more like swivel lounge chairs upholstered in cheerful tones, a bar cart with health conscious non-alcoholic offerings, and of course, an area to experience either yoga or meditation,” Bilotto says. “Some Ken Dens may even have a glam/Zoom area to help make those face-to-face meetings picture-perfect!”

In other words, the only thing a Ken Den needs to be is a reflection of its primary user.

As for why someone might want a Ken Den, Bilotto thinks having an upscale environment offers an experience similar to the boost you get when you’re dressed up.

“Most of us feel completely different when we’re wearing our ‘Sunday Best’ versus when we’re in our sloppy activewear,” he says. “The same goes for your personal dwelling. I’d personally much rather be in a robust space that celebrates me, surrounded by decor and motivating items that help set up my every day to be a successful one!”

Related: No, a Den Isn’t Exactly the Same Thing as a Living Room or Family Room

Tips for Adding a Ken Den to Your Home

The starting point for designing a Ken Den should be thinking about the things that you really love and infusing them into your space. This includes colors and textures, as well as thinking of how you can incorporate your passions into a jumping-off point for a theme. This type of room is the perfect place to let the decor reflect your interest or hobbies. Don’t be afraid to go a little wild with it.

“In a Ken Den, someone may also want to display their collection of high-end watches, shoes/clothing, or their achievements and sporting paraphernalia,” Bilotto says.

But don’t just place things randomly around the room: Turn part of the space into a showcase for your collection.

“The key to making it more Ken Den like is to display it in a more sophisticated way, much like a department store would merchandise a store window,” Bilotto says.

Even if you can’t re-do a whole room, you can still bring this modern version of masculine style into your abode in small ways.

“If you can’t dedicate an entire space to have a Ken Den, I think by creating a part of your home that’s a little bit more ‘California preppy’ is a good starting point,” Bilotto says. “Adding in modern art, colorful coffee table books, [and] shades of pale blue, pink, or orange (a little on the nose, I know) within your furniture or accessories also plays into this trend. Solid plastic or neon Lucite furniture, like small side tables or benches, could also extend the vibe in your home.”

Many homeowners find the mixing of styles challenging, especially when they feel like they’re in opposition from room to room, but it doesn’t need to be the case.

“The easiest way to balance masculine and feminine with an any design plan you’re working on is to be mindful of a few simple things: color, shape, and scale,” Bilotto says. “For example, round shapes often read as more feminine, opposed to square or rectangle shapes. The same could be said for color tones: Dark furniture reads masculine, light furniture reads feminine.”

Hard textures and large shapes are more traditionally masculine, while delicate and soft items are more traditionally feminine, Bilotto says. While these styles are different, they can complement each other when used thoughtfully.

“You always want to make sure there’s an equal mix of each in every space to find that perfect balance,” which will make everyone in the household happy, Bilotto says.

With all his helpful tips, we had to ask Bilotto what he would have in his ultimate Ken Den to inspire your own home makeovers.

“I’m basically more of a ‘Portofino Ken’ (Vespa and loafers not included),” Bilotto tells Better Homes & Gardens. “My ideal Ken Den would be classic, chic, and curated. Imagine a shimmery wall-to-wall white viscose rug, a curved white art deco velvet sofa placed in the center of the room facing two symmetrical brass leaf sconces over a smoked wall of mirror on either side of a marble fireplace mantle. I’d have a soft gray shagreen writing table in one corner with a collection of silver boxes atop and a Valentino red lacquer bar cabinet in the other corner (filled with decorative boxes housing my collection of pocket squares, ties, watches, shoehorns, and bill folds).”

If that doesn’t inspire the sort of upscale comfort and personalization that every Ken Den should have, we don’t know what will.

Ultimately, a Ken Den should reflect its main occupant—and if your tastes lean more toward neon beer signs and overstuffed recliners, to each their own. What’s important is that everyone feels equipped to create a space in their home that reflects them, where they can be comfortable spending their free time, whether that’s a Ken Den, a she shed, a reading nook, or another space. And if Ken Den sticks as the more evolved name for a man cave, all the better—doesn’t a den sound like a much nicer place to spend your time than a cave, anyway?

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