Game Rooms to Make You the Most Popular Neighbor on the Block

A game room (or recreational room) is a great place to hang out with family and friends. It also provides peace of mind to have a safe, controlled environment for your kids and their friends to get together. If you’re thinking about creating a rec room in your home, we have several ideas for game rooms that can make you the most popular neighbor on the block.

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Sports-themed game room

One of the easiest ways to create a game room is by incorporating a sports theme. Hang jerseys, hats and other merchandise on the wall. This creates an instantly fun place to hang out while you play games and watch your favorite teams in action.

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Sports car game room

In lieu of a hanging sports jerseys on the wall, your game room can also show off your collection of sports cars – as this homeowner did. There’s not a lot of seating in the vehicles, so be sure that your game room includes comfortable seats and a place for food and drinks.

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Media room

“Games rooms have turned more into game/media rooms over the last few years,” says Aaron Bowman, a realtor at Mazz Real Estate. “In these types of spaces, adults can entertain but still have a space for the kids to hang out,” he explains. “You get more bang for your buck if you have a game/media room than just the plain old game room with a pool table and a picture of dogs playing cards while smoking cigars.”

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Gaming room

The ultimate in game rooms – the gaming room. Never underestimate the power of paint to transform a space. The walls are actually painted to achieve the look of concrete. The electronics are hidden behind the TV screens.

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Bowling alley game room

“Game rooms are a great place to use porcelain with a wood-finished look,” says Katie Michael-Battaglia, design director at Nemo Tile + Stone. “With an abundance of shapes, sizes and colors, you can go with a pristine, clean look or a more weathered/rustic look without the maintenance costs wood flooring includes.”

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Rustic game room

A “home eight” – or eight-foot pool table – is popular in residential game rooms. Your table can be larger or smaller depending on how much space you have. Just be sure that players have enough room to walk around the table and use the pool cues without butting up against a wall.

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Game room for small kids

Small children can also enjoy a game room. It’s a matter of scaling down the tables and hanging dart boards at a suitable height. Indestructible concrete floors, a large chalkboard and bright red colors create a fun space for them to play.

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Minimalist game room

This simple yet elegant game room only has one item, proving that you don’t need a lot of stuff in your game room. One additional thing that it does have is a killer view. Lighting is an important factor in creating a great game room, so be sure to include natural light or add sufficient indoor lighting.

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Ultimate game room

While you don’t have to put a bunch of items into your game room, if you have a lot of space (and a lot of money), consider creating something like this Park City basement game room. It includes a miniature golf course, bowling lanes, an indoor basketball court and tennis court.

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What are some of your favorite ideas for game rooms?