foosball table

The Ultimate Game Room

You’re not truly living life if you don’t have a game room in your house. Seriously, man kind has been playing games since the dawn of time, and for good reason – it’s FUN! Gaming has been the top source of fun for people for thousands of years. There’s a reason people say “fun and games” and not “fun and tv”. Games trigger that primal instinct to compete with your peers, friends and family, to find out who is the best. It only makes sense to have a game room in your house to enjoy your time with the family as much as possible. A great place to find some ideas for your game room is Thompson Sporting Goods – https://www.thompsonsportinggoods.com/.

Now your mind is probably racing right now thinking of all the different games you could put in your new favorite room, but take a step back for a minute and think of the room itself. Does it really have that “gaming” atmosphere? Many people start with buying game tables and fill the room up, only to realize it just looks like any other room in their house… just filled with game tables. It’s important to set the mood in the room with a unique look. Whether you’re into an ultra modern sci-fi look, or a 50’s diner look, start your game room off right with a makeover.

pool tableOk, now on to the good stuff – the games! The first thing to consider, is space. Some game tables like billiards, take up a lot of room, and also need a lot of run around the sides to be able to play the game properly. Start by measuring the available space in the room to determine what you have to work with. If you have a lot of space, table tennis, a pool table or air hockey table may be a great option. For smaller rooms, foosball tables, and stick hockey tables take up a lot less space and are still a ton of fun for everyone. You may be able to fit a foosball table and a stick hockey table in the same space you would need for a pool table, something certainly worth considering.

Talk to the people that will be using the game room, see what games they are into. A game room isn’t any fun if you don’t have anyone to play with. Budget is also something that must be considered – using the example from before, you could probably buy a foosball table and a stick hockey table for less than the cost of a pool table and accessories. Would your friends and family rather have the option of foosball or stick hockey, or only billiards?

Another great addition to a game room, is a board game table. You can get a nice multi-game table that includes such favorites as chess, checkers, backgammon and more. People often overlook these classics, but they have been around for a long time for a reason – they are fun and challenging and sure to please your game room guests. In addition, you can use the table to play other board games you buy at the store.table tennis

Don’t forget the music! To really set the mood right, you need some good tunes. If you’re budget is tight, a simple cd boombox will do the trick, but if the budget allows, a nice jukebox is a great addition to any game room. The fun look, flashing lights and old school feel add to the fun, and it allows your guests to play their own favorites as well, making sure everyone has a great time.

Hopefully these tips will get your creative juices flowing and help you design the ultimate game room for your family. It’s easy to get distracted with all of the possibilities, so be sure to talk to the people who will be playing there, and make a list of the most important things to get for the best gaming experience. Prioritize the list and do your best to check everything off. You, your friends, and your family will be glad you did for many years to come!

Game Room Decorating Ideas: Part 1- Game Room Themes

There are many different ways to decorate a game room, and a million different things you could put into it. But your game room should be a personal reflection of yourself and your family – somewhere you will all feel comfortable. That’s why there are so many different styles in game room design: there’s no one right style, just the right style for YOU!

A good place to start, is to pick a theme for your game room. Choosing a theme makes it easier to bring the whole room together with one congruent style. For example, you wouldn’t want to put a modern glass and steel foosball table in a 50’s themed game room. Here are a few popular game room themes to help get your creative juices flowing.

Popular Game Room Decorating Themes


50’s Style Game Room

The 1950’s was an iconic era in America, and certainly one of the times with the most style and flair, which explains it’s continued popularity in game room design. Common elements include checkboard floor tiles, 50’s diner stools and a jukebox with neon light tubes. Here are a couple of examples for inspiration:
 


 

Modern Game Room

High class, luxurious, and usually expensive – the modern game room is in a class by itself.  Common elements include stainless steel, glass, neon lights and high end gaming equipment.
 


 

Luxury Game Room

The quintessential essence of a game room – a luxurious, frivolous room design only to amuse it’s owner. Why not make it look like the luxurious room it is?  Common elements include ornate hardwood game tables, luxurious woodwork and trim, chandeliers, marble, etc.
 


 
There are many other themes you could go with, these are just a few of the more common style choices. A very common theme is sports – if you’ll be watching a lot of sports events in your game room, it might make sense to go with a sports theme. Some of taken it as far as installing indoor / outdoor carpeting and painting lines to make the floor like a football field. Let your imagination go wild – a game room is just that – a room for games. It’s there for you to enjoy and have fun in with your friends and family. Make sure the style reflects the fun you will have and your personal style as well.

Amazing Billiard Table Pictures

There are many unique and interesting pool tables out there, here’s a few that I found that really caught my eye!

If you could have any billiard table in the world – what would it look like?

Personally, I wouldn’t want anything too over the top – maybe a really clean looking brushed aluminum table with black cloth, maybe some subtle lighting under the bumpers, etc.