10 Game Rooms That Play Nice
When I was a kid we called it the leisure room, the one space in the house dedicated to storing and playing board games, setting up train sets, and where we enjoyed parking in front of our beloved Nintendo NES system. Other neighbors had a card table, billiards table, or ping pong area. In any case, I think every home is a little better…more fun…with a dedicated spot for gameplay, relaxation, and maybe even a little adventuring. Here are a few examples where gaming plays fair with decor…
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Board Game Wonderland
Each board game here is displayed like a library of books, with classic illustration, imaginative game pieces, and complex rule books welcoming guests to peruse and consider what to play next. Neatly stacked and organized, flickr user Jen Chan‘s game room offers not only an enticing selection of recreation possibilities, but also adds decorative touches of color to a whole wall in an otherwise pure white room.
Minimalistic Flair
There’s no reason the living room can’t be your gaming room too. Nikita Vlasov‘s Red Wall Room is set up for video gaming, with little obstructing his view between the couch and TV, important while enjoying an intense gaming session with the Playstation 3 console.
The King of Donkey Kong Setups
Here’s a gaming room centered around the owner’s love for Nintendo gaming that 1ups most others in both presentation and organization. A lot of thought, time, and imagination went into Maximus_Clean‘s retro game room, tastefully playing homage to Nintendo’s classic, Donkey Kong, with a combination of real shelving and wall decals.
The Attic Space Gaming Room
There’s nothing quite like the sound of playing billiards, is there? But one doesn’t normally equate an attic space with a pool room, which makes this Aptos Retreat recreation room by CCS Architecture that more impressive, with plenty of space on all sides and comfortable seating for guests.
When Mom Decorates the Game Room Right
This might be the most well decorated video gaming room ever, set up by designer Becki of Curious Details while her two sons were away for summer camp. A great combination of colors, storage components, and chalkboard paint all come together in a room which stays true to its gaming room requirements (Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, sports equipment, and board games aplenty), while also exhibiting their mom’s eye for sophisticated detail.
An Akihabara Inspired Attic Arcade
If ever there existed a mecca for arcade gaming, it’s the Akihabara district in Tokyo, made famous for its streets of arcades, cosplay cafes, and various outlets for anime, manga, and games. Imagine stripping away the neon lights, dampening the overlaying city noise, and condensing it down for the homestead, and it would look very much like Akihabara In Homes attic arcade, where hundreds of games are displayed in library-like fashion.
Board Games by the Beach
Fancy a game of chess over tea or coffee? That’s exactly the mood evoked when I see this brightly lit board game room done by Diane Bergeron Interiors, perfect for a home that has a lot of daytime sunlight exposure, while the pool table around the corner hints at evening entertainment.
One Screen for Everyone
T2THES DESIGN + BUILD and KDS Interiors designed this Tampa, Florida gaming room for multiplayer action, but I could easily see the same wall mounted screen and wall/floating console concept easily applicable for just one player in smaller spaces.
The Sunlit Foosball Room
Foosball can be a more space-efficient indoor gaming option when a pool table or table tennis table isn’t going to fit, as displayed by Montreal interior designer, Wow Great Place’s game room. An even smaller (and quieter) option is to add a convertible card playing table to use as a dining surface during the day, and for games of skill/chance in the evening.
A Spacious Gamer’s Dream Room
This setup from Electronic House‘s Hollywood Home of the Year is like something straight from the dreams of my ten year old self, complete with a three display surround setup, car simulation rig, ceiling mounted HDTV, and a pair of Guitar Hero controllers ready for rocking out. The sheer amount of space means one can live out their dreams of virtual rock star with unhindered jumps and power slides across the smooth hardwood.
(Images: 1: Jen Chan, 2: Nikita Vlasov, 3: Maximus_Clean, 4: CCS Architecture, 5: Curious Details, 6: Akihabara In Home 7: Diane Bergeron Interiors, 8: T2THES DESIGN + BUILD, 9: Wow Great Place! 10: Electronic House)