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7 Tips to Put Your Attic in Play as a Game Room
Got game? You will when you take your attic off the bench and turn it into an active room for the entire family
I'm a freelance writer and design enthusiast who believes the best design is collected, not decorated, and that homes should always be as comfortable and functional as they are chic. In addition to writing for Houzz, I work as the Head Copywriter for Layla Grayce and Zinc Door.
I'm a freelance writer and design enthusiast who believes the best design... More »
Whether you want to host family game nights or entertain guests with a rousing game of ping-pong, a game room is a great place for letting loose in your home. If you feel like your home's layout doesn't have the space for this room, there could be a place you've overlooked: the attic. A transformation on your top floor may be the right way to provide your home with the game you've been looking for.
Follow these professional tips to get your attic off the sidelines and onto the playing field.
Follow these professional tips to get your attic off the sidelines and onto the playing field.
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| Create a focal point with a feature wall. Game rooms usually have a lot of action, so it’s nice to develop a visual focal point so the eye isn’t jumping everywhere. Try focusing on the farthest end wall, since most attics are generally long and narrow. In this particular attic, the designer created a compelling architectural element with a backlit television wall. Jess Green, an interior designer at Deepdale House, also suggests hanging a large-scale mural or adding a sofa flanked with colorful lamps on either side. “This also helps draw your eye through the entire space, making it feel larger,” says Green. |
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| Expand light by opening the stairway. Short on enough light to play your games? Consider borrowing from the floor below. “Remove the walls that typically enclose an attic stairway so that the upper level benefits from the light of the second-floor landing,” says Treffle LaFleche, principal at LD Architecture & Interiors. “This improved visual connection makes the attic space feel more welcoming and enticing.“ |
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| Simplify your color scheme. Try to limit your room’s palette to no more than three colors for the entire space. “It’s best to keep it relatively monochromatic to help it feel less cluttered,” says Green. “Game rooms are busy in themselves with all of the entertainment items, so you want the rest of the space to feel quiet.” |
| Mix up the lighting. Natural lighting is best, but it’s not always ample enough to effectively light a space as active as a game room. “Try to have at least two to three additional sources of light,” says Green. “Traditional pot lights, sconces and lamps work best.” Be sure all game tables and areas are appropriately lit with task lighting from above, so everything from the King of Spades to a cue ball can be properly seen. |
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Forgo hardwood floors. Install wall-to-wall carpet for an extra-cozy space. “It's great for soundproofing, warming the space and making it appear much larger than it actually is,” says Green.
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Equip it with ample storage. Although you want plenty of games on hand, don't let them sit in stacks in the corners. Instead, add built-ins along the walls or utilize awkward areas beneath storage bays or dormer windows for shelving. “The more places you have to store items like board games, puzzles and arts and crafts, the better the space will feel,” says Green.
| Don’t feel like it needs to be fancy. Game rooms in general are casual spaces for play and fun. As long as you’ve deemed the attic up to code as a living area, you can keep expenses down by furnishing it simply with your favorite game tables. Add some basic seating and let the games begin! |
Ideabook updated on Sept. 27, 2012.
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