A game room is a game changer when it comes to enjoying your home. A well-appointed game room that is outfitted with your favorite games, activities, entertainment, accessories, and more is a joy to behold and a way to make any night at home an awesome, fun-filled, action-packed one.
You might be surprised at how much a game room adds to your life. They’re more than just a place to spend time. They’re a place to unwind, relax, get creative, and have fun, on your own or with others.
Here are just some of the ways that a game room can transform your lifestyle:
- Spend more quality time with your family
- Become party central for your friends and family
- Enjoy a greater range of activities in your leisure time (i.e., less TV time, more game time)
- Develop physical and mental skills, like hand-eye coordination and concentration
If this sounds like the kind of home upgrade that you’ve been looking to make, then read on for our top tips and insider knowledge on how to plan the perfect game room for your lifestyle.
How To Research, Plan And Design Your Perfect Game Room
The perfect game room is going to look a little different for everyone, depending on personal interests and preferences. So it pays to take some time at the outset to do some research and planning so that you end up with a game room that is highly unique and customized to fit your lifestyle.
Here’s how to get started!
1. Consider Your Lifestyle
Your age and stage in life will be a huge factor in planning for your perfect game room. If you’re a young professional or an older adult who lives on your own or with a partner, you may want to go the “fun cave” route and build a sleek, suave, sophisticated space that’s all about class.
We’re thinking pool table, leather chairs, a fully stocked mini-bar, and some tasteful decor, geared for adults who want to enjoy a little leisure and recreation in the comfort and privacy of their own home.
If yours is a home that includes children, your approach may be a little different. You may want to veer more in the direction of multiplayer games that let everyone get in on the fun. And your decor choices may center on fun, kid-friendly items like bean bag chairs and big comfy sofas that can seat everyone.
2. Choose a Theme or Aesthetic
Now when we say theme, we’re using the term loosely. We actually don’t recommend turning your game room into an ode to your favorite movie or color. This can end up making the room feel over-the-top or, dare we say it, cheesy. And it limits you in terms of updating and adding to the room, since every new addition will have to somehow fit into the theme you’ve established.
It’s much better, and gives you a lot more flexibility, to think in terms of mood. “Airy and bright.” “Cool and minimalist.” “Beachy and fun.”
Building around more universal concepts like these provides an ideal backdrop that can evolve with you. What’s more, with a solid aesthetic base, you can include a few well-chosen nods to your personal favorites, like a framed movie poster or a kitschy neon sign.
3. Start with the Big Pieces and Build Around Them
Depending on the amount of space you have, you may want to have one stunning game that acts as a centerpiece for the room, like a gorgeous billiards table outfitted in red, green, or blue felt, or another kind of game table that will not only look great, but attract all the members of your household to it for fun times and family bonding.
If you’ve got a lot of room to play with, then you have the flexibility to build a collection of games that will rival your local bar or arcade.
If you’re unsure where to start when choosing the games and activities for your game room, think of what you enjoy most. Are you an ace at billiards? Do you love shooting hoops? Do you dominate at foosball? Also, leverage the power of word of mouth and ask your friends what kind of stuff they’re into. This is often a great way to find new interests and it gives you a chance to bond with the important people in your life.
Another excellent way to start generating ideas is to think back to your childhood and remember the stuff you used to get the most excited about. Air hockey, ping pong, shuffleboard…the list goes on. All of it can and should be fodder for your game room plans.
As a side note, don’t forget that outdoor spaces are fair game for your game room! If you’ve got a big back deck or patio area that is just begging for a little pizzazz, consider building a seasonal game room outdoors so that you can enjoy the nice weather while having fun. Plus, an outdoor game room is the perfect complement to a backyard pool or hot tub. Just saying.
4. Shopping For Everything You Need For Your Game Room
OK, now that you’ve got a plan in place for building your ultimate game room, it’s time to start shopping.
But before you hit the stores, either online or brick and mortar, you’ll want to have a budget in mind, since we guarantee that once you start shopping, it’ll be hard to limit yourself. There are so many cool and exciting options out there for game tables and other forms of home entertainment, that if you’re not careful, you’ll end up with enough stuff to fill your entire house.
So, begin with a budget and stick to it. When in doubt about what you can (or should) afford, one of our team members can advise you on the best options for your budget. We’ve helped plan and put together more game rooms than you can imagine, so we’ve got the insider tips and expert knowledge that can let you avoid the most common pitfalls and enjoy the most bang for your buck.
5. Setting Up Your Game Room
After you’ve acquired what you need to fill your game room, then comes the final step: putting it all together.
Certain elements of your game room may require professional installation. Game tables like billiards, foosball, and shuffleboard tend to be big and heavy, so it’s best to leave the assembly to the experts. You’ll also want to make sure they adhere to standard regulation height and positioning for the most authentic and professional at-home game experience.
Don’t forget you’ll need accessories and accents to round out the space to make it fully functional and maximally fun. If you have a pool table, you’ll also need pool cues and balls, chalk, a rack, and a nifty set of lights above the table to mimic that ultra-cool pool hall vibe.
It’s the little touches that take a game room from a fun getaway to “I never want to leave this room” so it’s well worth the effort to add those extra dashes of flair that make all the difference.
Some of our favorite ways to add a final flourish to a game room include:
- Funky coasters to set your drinks on
- A quality sound system for setting the mood with music
- A cool clock that lets you know it’s time for fun
- Modular furniture that you can move around and that doubles as storage
And that’s all it really takes to plan, design, and create the perfect game room. Now all that’s left to do is invite your friends and start letting the good times roll.
Top-Of-The-Line Pool Tables For Sale
Is your mind racing with ideas for how you can put together the perfect game room for your lifestyle? We can help!
The team of experienced and friendly professionals at Gary Pools & Leisure can help you create your dream game room, from planning to installation. For ideas, inspiration, and advice, check out our fully loaded online resource center, complete with FAQs, client reviews, and a video gallery where you can see some of the amazing products we carry in action and a collection of the projects we’re most proud of.
Contact us today to get started building your game room.
