An evening full of games isn’t just for the kids. With games like pool, shuffleboard, ping pong, darts and much more, game night is something to keep people of all ages entertained. That’s why we’ve reached out to the pros from Toronto to Sacramento to provide you with a few pointers for creating the ultimate game room experience at home. Whether you have a full room or a nook under the stairs, don’t underestimate your ability to transform your space into something that the entire family can enjoy for years to come.
Don’t overthink it
Go with your gut on what games your family will enjoy. Imagine how you will use the room to be comfortable, connect with family and friends, and have fun. Get quality game room equipment from a reputable dealer. You get what you pay for, just like anything else in life. Remember, you are creating a space to spend time together, disconnected from technology – you are making memories. – Everything Billiards & Spas
Design an entertainment-friendly layout
Design the layout to be suitable for entertaining many guests. After all, games are more fun when many people are around! Depending on the size of the basement and location of the gaming tables, you may want to have two or more TV sets so that your visitors won’t all have to crowd at one spot during a game. – A&C Billiards and Barstools
To create the perfect Game Room in your home, you can create separate spaces throughout to optimize fun! Add a Home Bar so your guests can enjoy a few drinks around the Table, throw in some Spectator Chairs for comfortable seating, whether you are watching the game or tv! With open spaces, you are the designer of your own gaming experience, don’t limit yourself to just one! – Allstate Home Leisure
Planning a game room is all about two things: optimizing your space and maximizing the fun! Whether you are looking to create an elegant billiards room or a multi-game room for the family, careful planning is essential to achieving a functional space with a befitting ambiance. Nobody likes a game of pool that is more an awkward puzzle to avoid thrusting their cue through the wall than it is relaxing, if competitive, pastime, nor do they like a barren, poorly lit room with nothing but the sounds of balls clacking, buttons clicking, or player’s grunting. Floorplanner gives you the tools to map out every last inch and detail of your game room, from the games themselves to a wide array of furniture, decor, lighting, and audio options, so you can feel confident that your game room will be comfortable, functional, and, above all, a good time for everyone! – Floorplanner.com
Enable an immersive experience with lighting and sound
Color Changing LED Strip lights and Well Positioned Speakers have the ability to virtually transport you. Google Mini Speakers are portable and can be networked together, or configured to operate individually. – Virtual Team Captain
Don’t crowd yourself
Try to avoid including too many games if your space doesn’t permit it. Being able to play and enjoy two or three games with plenty of space is much more fun than having five or six games and not having the space to play. We often recommend that clients simply put strips of painter’s tape on the ground to simulate the footprint that a game or table might take. Walk around the room and keep the tape there for at least a few days to give you an idea as to what the room will feel like once the games are in place. – Games For Fun
Buy it right or buy it twice
Creating the Ultimate game room starts with superior Made in the USA products. Olhausen Billiards simply manufactures the best pool tables and Shuffleboards in the world and are made right here in the USA. The Ultimate game rooms we have designed and installed include – Pool Table, Shuffleboard, Dart Board, Upright Arcades. We also suggest a 4K 70” TV with Golden Tee. The New Home Skeeball is also an excellent option and adds a flare of Old meets new. The important part is to match the finishes and purchase games that have unconditional warranties. – West Penn Billiards
Be smart with the space you have
The most important thing about a game room, it’s that it needs to provide a good time for everyone in it, so it’s essential that you use all the available space in the best way you can. For that reason, multipurpose tables are welcome, like Fat Cat Original 3-in-1 with billiards, air hockey, and table tennis, and Ram Game Room Texa Hold’em Game Table With Dining Top, both of them will increase the fun and the look of your place. – HonePlay
Choose comfy seating
At The Kelvin, an 11-story contemporary apartment building in Washington, DC’s popular Navy Yard neighborhood, our residents love spending time in our gaming area. The key to making a space like this practical and highly utilized is including comfortable seating. Whether you’re playing alone or with a group, making room for cozy chairs and couches allows for longer gameplay and endless fun. – The Kelvin
Understand who will be using the space
While planning your home game room the most important consideration is who will be using the space. Will the space be used mainly by children or teens, is this a family space, a space for adults, or some combination of all? By thinking about who will use the space and how they will use the space will easily narrow down the budget and game selections. If the space is multi-generational consider games that appeal to everyone like shuffleboard or ping pong that all can enjoy. – Venture Games
Make it timeless
Billiards and Gameroom games are typically seen more than used for play. These items last decades and typically are placed in high-traffic areas of the home. Make sure to choose items that will compliment your design and decor. – West State Billiards
Work with what you’ve got
Whether space is at a premium or you’re looking to create something spectacular, the versatility of a games room is surprising. For example, it doesn’t have to be an actual room. If you’ve space off to the side of your living room, why not add something like shuffleboard that can be placed against the wall next to the pool table. You can also buy a pool table with an optional dining top to make it a multi-use table! This is a great option for homes with small spaces. Having a multifunctioning room can help you save space. And you don’t have to compromise on your games room. – Billiard Wholesale
Build out your board game area
For me, a good game room means a good board game room because there’s nothing more fun than everybody coming to your house for a weekly game night. For that, you need a nice sturdy, wooden table that can fit at least six people comfortably with ways to expand and add extra chairs if needed. I find that traditional game rooms tend to be dark, which is terrible for puzzles and board games. You want lots of warm, inviting light so your guests can see their cards and the board and you can beat them fair and square. You also need shelving that fits your growing collection of board game boxes- ideally cube shelves like Ikea box shelves so you don’t have to dig under a pile of 7 heavy games to get to the one you want. The better your shelving… the more likely that everybody just leaves their board games at your house! – Green Door Labs
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