Outdoor barbeques with amazing views from the pool and gourmet dinners over a few bottles of wine are excellent ways to relax with friends. But if you love entertaining at home, create a space where you can kick back and have a little fun with your guests.

Your custom game room design should be focused on comfort and fun while also being an intentional extension of your home’s larger theme.

Plan Your Game Room Design

Every room in your house should start with an intentional layout, and your game room is no different. Break the space into zones so you can plan for the best flow throughout the room. This will also help you decide where to put the outlets and lighting based on what will be happening in each zone.

Home Theater and Console Video Games

This zone requires focused seating and accessible power outlets. People will mostly be stationary, but great sound and visuals will be key. You also want to be intentional about how the home theater system is situated compared to the rest of the room. You don’t want guests walking through the movie marathon to get to the pool table.

Competition Table Games

These games, such as pool, foosball, and air hockey, require movement and room for spectators. You may even add partial room dividers to help with noise, and to catch the stray ping pong ball. With the right layout and lighting, a well-crafted pool table can also serve as a centerpiece of your game room. In the White Mountain home, for example, the game room is in a loft that overlooks the spacious great room, and the pool table is visible to everyone who visits.

Arcade-Style Games

If you have fond memories of dropping quarters into the Ms. Pac-Man game at your local arcade, or you enjoy collecting iconic pinball machines, arcade-style games are a fun addition to any game room. But they can take up significant space–and outlets–so you’ll want to plan your layout accordingly.

Tabletop, Board, and Card Games

These games are the most flexible–all you need is a flat surface and comfortable seating–but it’s still important to make sure there is space in your game room layout. Decide if you need a formal card table for poker night, or if a multi-functional table will be best for your game room.

Bar and Kitchenette

Game night is not complete without snacks. Make room for a bar or kitchenette where you can keep drinks cold and popcorn at the ready, without having to trek back to the kitchen for refills.

Access to Other Parts of the House

Depending on where your game room will be located in your custom home, you may want to provide easy access to the backyard so you can enjoy a round of washers while also popping in for a game of chess. You’ll also want to make sure there are bathrooms nearby.

Choose Multipurpose Furniture

From movie marathons to poker tournaments to a pensive game of chess, your game room will serve multiple purposes, and so should your game room furniture. But you don’t want a lot of visual clutter. Keep your room well-organized with plenty of storage and seating that can work for a variety of activities.

Find luxury game room furniture that works best for each zone, such as plush armchairs and sectionals for the home theater, high-top tables and stools around the pool table, and easily reconfigurable chairs around the card table. It helps if you find seating that can also serve as storage, such as an ottoman or a bench.

Storage is a must for all game room designs. You need a place to stash all the board games, pool cues, and game controllers. Include cabinets and bookshelves that make finding–and organizing–games and accouterments easy so you avoid clutter.

Finally, don’t forget about end tables to keep food and drink nearby, but not in the way of the excitement. You may consider options that fold down and can be easily stored when not in use.

Create Good Acoustics

A good game room is likely to get noisy, from the cheers after an amazing pool shot to laughter during a laid-back game of Trivial Pursuit, not to mention the immersive soundtrack for your favorite movie. Create an entertaining space that enhances both your state-of-the-art home theater system and individual conversations over a Scrabble board.

Surround sound is a must for any game room, not only for the home theater system but also to supply background music when the TV is off. Work with professional sound system installers to make sure you get the best system for your space, and that it works with the rest of the technology you have. Identify where you want the speakers and subwoofers to be, and how you want to be able to control the system, such as through a remote or an app. Your installers can also help you hide any unsightly wiring within the walls or the ceiling, giving your home theater system a clean and uncluttered look.

Because you will want the fun of the game room to stay in the game room, consider adding sound tiles or a coffered ceiling to your entertainment space. You can also use drapery for wall treatments and rugs or plush carpeting to help damper the sound.

Give Yourself Multiple Lighting Options

Layers of lighting give you and your guests options based on the space's use. Use dimmable floor lamps or sconces near the bar to make snack runs easier during movie night. LED backlights behind your home theater system or sectional create a nice ambiance and also make it easy to see when the rest of the room is dark.

Choose overhead lighting for your game tables and for your bar. A statement chandelier or lighting element can fit nicely over your pool table and select focused lighting for any game table. Table or floor lamps give off a warm glow for a puzzle nook or a quiet chess match.

Natural light is great for any room of your house, but if there are any windows in your game room, make sure you have the appropriate window treatments for this space.

Extend Your Internet Connection

Whether your game room is in the basement or tucked away in the corner of the house, make sure you have access to a strong internet connection. You’ll want strong wifi for streaming services and music. Also, multiplayer online games can take a good amount of bandwidth. Consider a wifi extender if your router isn’t reaching this corner of your home.

If you plan to entertain in this space, you may also consider having stations so your guests have designated places to recharge instead of setting their devices down by the closest outlet.

Create a Space for Fun–and a Little Competition

More than any other room in your home, your ultimate entertaining space should be about what makes you happy. It’s where you watch your favorite movies, play your favorite games, and laugh with your favorite people. Create a space you love to be in, from memorabilia from your favorite sports team adorning the walls to couches you love to sink into.

If you are ready to create your perfect custom home, contact UDA Ltd. today. We’re excited to hear about your project!

How to Design the Ultimate Game Room for the Whole Family