A game room should be a place you can go to forget about the hardships of everyday life, let your hair down, and have some fun with friends and family. Also known as gaming rooms and escape rooms, you can leave your troubles at the door and enjoy the things you love. Create a video game room with arcade games and video games of yesteryear, the latest pool table, foosball table, dart board or ping-pong table or even a man cave with a mini bar and get in all your friends as players… the choice is yours. There are loads of different themes and accessories available for your game room. We’re here to take you through some of the best ideas for your recreation room.
How to best decorate your game room
One of the hardest things to decide upon when kitting out any game or rec room is how you want it to look, including what you want to have in it. While some people may just want cram as much as they can in there, it’s not always a good idea. Your games room is supposed to be somewhere you can go and chill with cool chairs and layout to help you relax. The last thing you want is to feel cramped with no space to move around.
So, instead, you need to carefully plan out how you want your game room to look. In order to do that you will need to first consider the following:
- Budget: This is the very first thing you need to decide is how much your budget is. It’s all too easy to get carried away and overspend when decorating, so you need to be strict with yourself. Once you’ve figured out what your budget is you can move on to the planning stage. It’s far easier to work out a budget first and try and stick to it rather than have an idea in your head and try to carry it out with as little funds as possible. This will only end in the disappointment that you can’t afford a particular item or look.
- Decorating or accessorizing or both! This will very much depend on how much your budget is and what you can squeeze in. While decorating doesn’t have to cost a fortune, it can add up quickly if you’re not careful. However, the Internet is packed with loads of money saving ideas when it comes to decorating, so you can still achieve a great look on a shoestring budget. Wall decals are one way to spruce up the wall with very little money. If you decide not to decorate it, however, it just means you’ll have more money to spend on some fabulous accessories.
- Who’s it for? Another thing to bear in mind when planning how your game room should look is who will be primarily using it? Is it a family game room or are you a young and eligible bachelor in the middle of creating the ultimate party pad? There are loads of ideas and accessories for both, but it’s best to get some kind of idea as to the theme or look that you’d like to achieve before starting. Otherwise, you may end up with a mismatch of sophistication meets kindergarten. And that’s not a look that anyone wants.
- Room space: Next, you need to decide what space you have to work with. Is the whole room intended to be a game room or just a section of it? Either way, at this point of the planning stage it’s a good idea to get measurements. First, you want to measure the floor space that you have available to work with, whether it’s the whole room or just a part of it. Having the measurements to hand will make things a lot easier when putting your game room plan down on paper (or computer). It will then allow you to try several options of where you want to put things without having to lug it all about unnecessarily when you get it. Having measurements and a plan you can refer to will also help you avoid any mishaps such as ordering items that are too big to fit in anywhere.
- Choice of games: The last thing to consider is the actual entertainment that you want to include in your game room. This may be the toughest part of all as there are so many different options out there. The best thing to do is to make a list prioritizing all the things that you would love to have in your ideal games room. Then, with your measurements to hand and your budget in mind, you can begin formulating your new games room on your plan.
5 of the best game room accessories for 2018
Hopefully, by now, you will have some idea as to how you want your game room to look and the main kind of entertainment you want in there. All that’s left now is to add the finishing touches to make it really special. To help you do that, the following is a list 5 of the best game room accessories for 2018:
Pac Man Classic Video Game Fleece Throw Blanket
You can’t help but get a little bit nostalgic with this Pac Man blanket on offer from Funky People. At 45” x 60” it’s quite a big fleece and will make a great addition to any modern day or retro style game room. Made from plush raschel fleece it’s very soft to touch and will help keep you cozy as you chill out in your game room. It’s great to use as a throw, a blanket and fits very nicely on a twin bed. You could even use it as a thin rug for an ultra-cool look. If you do need to clean it, simply throw it in the washing machine on a low wash. Just be sure to let it hang dry as putting it in the tumble dryer may cause damage to the fleece, making it wear out much quicker.
Pros:
- Generous size
- Ultra soft to touch
- Very versatile in uses
- Printed on both sides
Cons:
- Can’t go in the tumble dryer
- Not very thick or warm
- The printed high score is actually pretty low for Pac Man enthusiasts
- The quality is OK, but fraying is likely after a few washes
Cyber Acoustics Bluetooth Gaming Speaker System
What game room would be complete without out a booming sound system and integrated light display? Whatever your preference when it comes to games systems one thing’s for certain: to really get the most enhanced experience you need to really hear the sound. And the best way to do that is through a speaker system that’s been designed with gamers in mind. This Bluetooth gaming speaker system on offer from Cyber Acoustics is all you need to make those games really come to life. Easily connected by Bluetooth, each one of the speaker’s been made with high quality, dual 2”4-ohm drivers, a 3” adjustable subwoofer, and a 4” passive radiator system. Along with all that noise, the LED lights flash and flicker in time with the game to give you a truly immersive experience. The Cyber Acoustics Bluetooth Gaming Speaker System is compatible with a range of devices including games consoles, PCs, laptops, smartphones, and more.
Pros:
- Separate treble and bass control
- Headphone jack and output fitted
- Easily portable
- Easy to connect
- Compatible with a variety of devices
Cons:
- Good for bass, but treble is limited
- Power button located at the back
- Doesn’t keep settings when powered off
BirdRock Home Memory Foam Gaming Chair
Whether you use it when you’re gaming or use it just to chill out in your game room, this chair is a must-have for anyone looking for a little extra comfort in their life. Available in a range of colors including gray, orange, and eggplant, and made from soft plush fabrics, you won’t want to move once nestled in this chair. As well as the fabulous look and feel of this gaming chair, it’s also extremely functional and can be adjusted to 14 different positions. Simply start with the chair flat and raise it as you feel necessary. When you have the desired angle at one of the 14 points the chair will click into place and stay there. The memory foam ensures your preferred seating position is stored and is the ideal solution for providing lower back support while on the floor. And, it’s lightweight and small enough to be stored away when not in use. Dimensions: 41.25” x 21.25” x 6”. Weight: 10.5 pounds.
Pros:
- Lightweight and easy to move around
- Very comfortable
- Provides excellent back support
- 14 different adjustable seating positions
- Available in five different colors
Cons:
- Is a little on the small side
- Cushions are quite thin
- Recliner can be temperamental when adjusting
New Super Mario Brothers Wall Stickers
If you’re looking to transform the walls of your game room but don’t have the time or money to spend redecorating the whole room, why not check out these fabulous New Super Mario Brothers walls stickers on offer from ATL Vinyl Wall Stickers? You’ll be amazed at how life-like these stickers are—it literally feels like you’re part of the game with these on the walls. The great thing is that these stickers are heavy duty and will literally stick to any surface. So, if you have indoor brickwork or plasterboard, it’s no problem. Simply peel them off and stick them where you like! One pack comes complete with 24 decals in total (4 sheets 21’ x 29’). And as long as you’re careful these stickers can be moved around and used over and over again. Recreate your favorite Mario scene in no time at all with these fantastic wall stickers.
Pros:
- Very big and life-like
- Can be reused and readjusted as needed
- Bright, vibrant colors
- Work well on any surface including walls and windows
Cons:
- Very sticky and may remove paint when modifying
- These stickers are big and may not suit a smaller room
Paladone USB Pac Man Ghost Light
Light up your game room with this officially licensed, iconic, USB Pac Man Ghost Light. These are great little lights that are suitable for both the young and the old. The eye-catching light features 16 different vibrant colors including purple, orange, and green that fade in and out intermittently and will make a great addition to any game room. You can set it to automatic and let it do its thing or you can switch it to party mode so that it flashes in time with your music (there’s a small knob on the back that allows you to adjust the sensitivity). At 8” tall, it’s big enough to be seen but small enough to place pretty much anywhere. Included in the package is one ghost light and 1 micro USB cord to power it. Get multiple USB Pac Man Ghost Lights for even more illuminating fun!
Pros:
- Features 16 different colors
- Automatic or party mode settings available
- Shines brightly, but not too blinding
- Lasts for hours
Cons:
- Only has USB to power it so need to be near USB outlet
- Bulb replacement not possible
- You can’t have it stay on one color
We hope you found the above useful and are now ready to go and kit out your dream game room. It can be both fun and rewarding creating your own game room. Once you’ve got the basics in place, such as what big items you’re having in there you can then start to accessorize and that’s where the real fun starts. For anyone that’s a big retro fan we highly recommend the Pac Man throw or USB light. Both are excellent finishing touches that will transform your game room in seconds. And, if you are thinking of decorating, ditch the brush and reach for the New Super Mario wall stickers instead. They’re far more effective and will save you a great deal of time and money!
