3 Ways to Create the Perfect Rec Room Anywhere

We can all envision a traditional recreational room, but really any room can be transformed into a rec room with the right furniture and accessories! It all depends on your recreational tastes and preferences.

Whether you have a dedicated rec room or are looking to create a room for more recreational purposes, check out these fun tips and ideas.

Full On Fun

Your traditional recreation rooms are usually a full-on dedicated room (or basement). When you have a full room to work with for creating the perfect recreation room, you want to begin designing with two main items in mind: Seating and Large Games.

These two items will most likely take up the most space, especially depending on the type of games you want, such as billiards, air hockey, ping pong and table tennis, or even shuffleboard. These larger items need to be planned for ahead of time, not only for the size of the piece but also for the surrounding space needed to play or walk and not block traffic.

Seating is also important based on how many people you want to well, seat. Are you planning for full game-day hangouts with friends and holiday events or will this mostly be used for the family with occasional additional seating needed?

We recommend beginning with the family in mind. For the main seating, consider a set of theatre or motion seating for the ultimate comfort, whether you’re settling in for a family movie night or hosting events. Then add simple additional seating for others, as guests often aren’t sitting for long in rec rooms unless it’s a movie.

Large items like these typically fare best in the middle and center of a room. For seating, a sectional is also a great option for optimal seating and comfort. Add a large coffee table in for appetizers and popcorn or games, and you’ve got the perfect set-up for a perfect night in.

Additional Full Rec Room Considerations:

• Bar and stools
• Multiple games (think billiards and arcade games or darts and shuffleboard)
• Large TV or projector to make the most of movie nights or game days
• Floor seating like large floor cushions or beanbags, especially for kids
• Sleeper sofas to also use as an additional guest room
• Themes: consider fun themes for both the furniture, games, and decor since you have a full room to work with.
• Game table conversion tops

Design Tip: If you’re looking to optimize your space for an event such as a birthday, consider placing a plywood board down over your large game (air hockey, billiards, etc.) to make an additional table for serving.

Half & Half

If you don’t have the space for a full recreational room, you can still have all the fun. Seating still needs to be considered first and with the sleek designs and variety of materials, theatre and motion seating can easily blend into any room's decor.

Motion seating is probably best, allowing you to put your feet up when you want, while not compromising the intimacy found with a typical loveseat or sofa. Motion seats add both comfort and style to any room.

You don’t need to count out the large games either, but you do need to consider the frequency in which you plan to use them. It may be best to select smaller games or ones that can be placed alongside a wall, such as a shuffleboard, air hockey, and even one of our many arcade-style game systems that house all the classics and more!

If you want a larger game, such as table tennis, make it multi-functional! When not playing, it can also be used as an eclectic table for dinner, board games, and more!

When inviting others over for rec time, consider furniture that can be multifunctional, such as ottomans and nested accent tables. Ottomans are great as seats for guests or to put your feet up after a long week at work, while nested accent tables easily double your table space when needed.

Additional Half & Half Rec Room Considerations:

• Use bookshelves or media centers for storage and to hide board or video game units
• Place furniture against the wall to create more space, especially if you don’t have a large rec game
• Consider a cafe set or bar table and stools for two. This allows for more seating and more function for a change of scenery for breakfast or lunch!

The Occasional Rec

The great thing about recreational rooms and spaces is that it’s truly up to the individual and their preferences and recreation can be incorporated into pretty much any room or setting with a little creativity.

So whether you’re limited on space or just want a more simplified rec room, there’s always a way!

For the less conspicuous rec room or fully multifunctional room, consider seating that fits the room well. Loveseats, sofas, and sectionals are great and versatile for any room, regardless of purpose. Floor seating is also a great option for kids and is easily removed or added when needed for game or movie nights.

Use shelving and bookcases to hide media, games, or other recreational items when not using it for those purposes.

Consider a framed TV that can easily be switched from the big game to a nice picture of artwork to truly keep the room multifunctional.

Stand-up arcade games are a perfect addition as they not only bring back nostalgia and invite others in, they offer hours of fun entertainment and don’t take up much space.

Another consideration is to keep it simple in only getting one favorite game of the families. For instance, a billiards table may be used often and while larger, identifying a corner space in a basement may be all you need to add more family time as the seasons get colder.

It doesn’t need to be a full room or even multiple items, but just one piece that the family truly enjoys doing together that can make any room the perfect rec room.

Additional Occasional Rec Room Considerations:

• Dartboards can easily be hidden behind a door or in a cabinet
• There are lots of games that can be hung up or attached to walls to avoid taking up space within the room
• Use bookcases or shelving to store items and keep them out of sight when not in use (board games, video games, movies, etc.)

Don’t wait until the cold fully hits to bring the fun indoors with a rec room or partial rec room! Contact one of our Watson’s experts today to choose from the largest selection of furniture, games, and fun for any room!