How to Decorate the Perfect Game Room

A game room, also known as a recreation room or rumpus room, is a section of the home used for a variety of entertainment purposes. Whether you are hosting a board game night, throwing a party or having a poker game, a game room is a great feature for homeowners who frequently entertain guests.

Another great feature of having your own game room is it designates a specific play area for your kids. Family room's cluttered with toys and video game consoles are unsightly. A game room creates a space for all of these miscellaneous knick knacks. A living room filled with toys scattered about makes your home look messy and unkempt, while a game room with toys scattered about makes your home look like fun.

Game Room Location Ideas

A game room is typically located in an area of the home separate from the common living areas. You'll want to have adequate space for your game room and the activities and furniture you plan on using in it. Here are some tips and ideas for game room locations in your home:

• Loft or bonus room: Some homes feature an extra area of living space, separate from the living and family rooms. These areas are typically larger than the average bedroom, making them a great place for a game room.
• Basement: Aside from storage, a basement is a common place to have a game room. Basements are usually large and spacious, leaving you with plenty of room to work with.
• Garage conversion: If you don't plan on using your garage for storage or your vehicles, why not convert it into a game room? Peel and stick tiles or roll-out carpet flooring can be used to make your garage feel more like an actual room. Add some new paint or wall paper with added décor and you've got yourself a new game room.
• Enclosed patio: Similar to a regular patio, an enclosed patio is typically attached to the home. The main difference is enclosed patios consist of some form of wall or barrier to shield inhabitants from the elements. These make for great game rooms if there is no available space in the rest of your home because they are cheaper than an actual home addition.

Game Room Themes

A theme for your game room doesn't need to fit any specific design style. Be creative and decorate your game room around a specific hobby, activity or theme you enjoy. Check out this list of possible game room themes:

• Billiards parlor
• Poker room
• Classic arcade
• Automotive
• Hollywood icons
• Casino
• Sports
• Cartoons
• Fun house
• Toys
• Musical

Game Room Space

Once you've selected a location for your game room, you need to think about the items, furniture and décor you wish to use in your game room and whether or not you have adequate space for everything. If you decide to have a pool table as the focal point for your game room, you need to make sure there is enough space for players to maneuver and shoot around the table. The same thing would apply for a ping pong or air hockey table. Don't try to fit too much into a small space. If you don't have a large enough room to accommodate all the activities and games you had in mind, choose one game or form of entertainment and make that your game room's central theme.

Game Room Decorating Ideas

Your game room is a perfect place to share your hobbies and interests, and show off any particular skills or talents. Here are some ideas to consider for decorating the perfect game room:

• Collectibles: Trying to figure out the appropriate place to display your collection of vintage stamps? Why not frame theme and have them adorn your game room walls?
• Trophies: Show off your collection of bowling trophies you've amassed over the years in your game room. If you're really passionate about the sport, create a bowling motif for your game room, replete with bowling themed furniture and bowling wall paper.
• Photos: Decorate your game room walls with all the family photos you've run out of space for in the rest of your home. Another photo décor idea would be to create a photo wall of all your favorite actors and other celebrities.
• Antiques and relics: A vintage jukebox or pinball machine would be great additions to a game room.

Game Room Essentials

Here is a list of items and furniture every game room should have:

• Couches
• Lounge chairs
• Board games
• TV
• Video games
• Pool table
• Foosball table
• Ping pong table
• Air hockey table
• Poker table
• Multi-purpose table
• Music

Dining rooms, living rooms and kitchens all serve a specific purpose with matching designs and décor to fit that purpose. The purpose of a game room is to have a separate space in your home for fun and entertainment. So when you're decorating your game room, forget about conventional interior design styles and rules, and don't worry whether a piece of décor looks tacky or childlike; if it is something you like, use it. Don't make your game room feel dull and boring with bland decorations. Be loud, be creative and remember your game room is a place for fun, so have fun decorating it!