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Track
lighting highlights the mounts and is controlled by a keypad
so walls can be lit simultaneously or separately. The lamp in
the far corner was custom made for Bryan Mullett with elk
sheds he found in Montana, where he spent a year running a
hunting ranch.
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Move over, Range
Rover. One home’s old garage has been transformed into a new place
for the men in the family to bond over a game of cards or Brewers’
game.
Located on a
family property known as The Stables in the town of Merton, the
interior of this basic garage was turned into a hunter’s paradise
when builder Brian Tweeden remodeled the space, knocking out the flat
roof and replacing it with a cathedral ceiling. That was key to the
new man cave, since Don Mullett and his three sons, Bryan, Erik and
Christopher, are all hunters — and wanted plenty of display space.
"All my
mounts were in storage and I had no place to enjoy them. My father and
I said, ‘Why don’t we build a place where we can put them all on
display?’" says Bryan Mullett. "It took us a year to do
it."
Any hunter would
stand in awe looking at the 43 mounts. Some of the more unique include
a cape buffalo and giraffe from Zimbabwe and a red stag from New
Zealand.
The family chose
a fabric wallpaper from Japan in a bright orange/red shade for the
walls. "You can see the great contrast with the animals and it’s
a warm feel, a rich color."
Knotty pine
replaces drywall for the ceiling and along the walls, adding to the
warmth of the space.
The family
stained the concrete floor a dark brown, which blends nicely with the
leather furniture in front of the 60-inch flat screen TV.
An L-shaped
custom bar in one corner is fully stocked, along with a wine cooler
and beer refrigerator, which has Spotted Cow on tap at all times.
A custom-made
Stine game table with the words "Arrowhead Hockey"
embroidered in the center sits prominently in the middle of the space.
A leather cover can be placed over it, converting it into a regular
table for parties. "One of the best parts about the man cave is
the garage door," says Mullett. "You can open it up in the
summer months. That was the highlight when we had people over to watch
the Packers game last October. People were outside and the kids would
be playing in the yard."
They also have
an air filtration system for cigar smoke. "We can have a poker
party and smoke a cigar without smelling like a chimney when you walk
out," he says.
"Everyone
asks me if women are invited and I say, ‘on special occasions,’"
jokes Mullett.