Example of a large classic open concept medium tone wood floor and brown floor game room design in Boston with a standard fireplace and a wood fireplace surround

Perfect backyard recreational paradise. Exercise in the pool house gym, cool down with some laps in the swimming pool then relax in the spa! This pool/spa combination has a one of a kind automatic cover system. Both automatic covers extend out in opposite directions simultaneously from underneath the beautiful wood bridge. The all-tile spa and the all-tile sun deck with roman style width-length steps entering the pool both pop at night with color changing lights. Swimming pool & spa: Aquality Construction Photography: Chris Humphreys

Layering of different geometric prints can look stunning like in this contemporary recreation room. Nat Caron Photography
Trendy ceramic tile basement photo in Toronto with gray walls

Hallway - mid-sized traditional light wood floor hallway idea in Nashville with white walls

Elegant backyard stone and custom-shaped infinity pool house photo in New York

The home gym and recreation room
Huge minimalist light wood floor multiuse home gym photo in Chicago with white walls

Angle Eye Photography
Inspiration for a huge contemporary walk-out dark wood floor basement remodel in Philadelphia with gray walls, a ribbon fireplace and a stone fireplace

Photo: Mina Brinkey © 2013 Houzz
Mudroom - transitional mudroom idea in Tampa with gray walls

Mid-sized elegant backyard concrete and kidney-shaped lap pool photo

As dusk gives way to evening the entire recreation area comes to life with an extensive outdoor lighting array. The pool transforms into a glowing field of colour with its 17 lighting fixtures. The LED colour changing system can be set to a single colour or a rotating rainbow of colours.

A brand new poolside recreational area and outdoor kitchen was created to utilize this Jumeirah property in Dubai to its full potential.
Mid-sized trendy patio photo

Mark Boisclair Photography
Inspiration for a contemporary dark wood floor home bar remodel in Phoenix with gray walls, display racks and white countertops

A private home recreation building built into a hillside and overlooking the new tennis court. The building features a central timber framed outdoor gathering space with a stone fireplace and kitchenette, a locker room and bath space tucked behind the fireplace, and two adjoining wings with a “sports bar” on one side with large screen televisions, game area and bar, and a large exercise room on the other side. Thomas J. O'Neil

Finished lower level recreation room with game and TV area, perfect for family movie and game nights!
Game room - large 1950s open concept carpeted and beige floor game room idea in Denver with white walls and a wall-mounted tv

This renovated brick rowhome in Boston’s South End offers a modern aesthetic within a historic structure, creative use of space, exceptional thermal comfort, a reduced carbon footprint, and a passive stream of income. DESIGN PRIORITIES. The goals for the project were clear - design the primary unit to accommodate the family’s modern lifestyle, rework the layout to create a desirable rental unit, improve thermal comfort and introduce a modern aesthetic. We designed the street-level entry as a shared entrance for both the primary and rental unit. The family uses it as their everyday entrance - we planned for bike storage and an open mudroom with bench and shoe storage to facilitate the change from shoes to slippers or bare feet as they enter their home. On the main level, we expanded the kitchen into the dining room to create an eat-in space with generous counter space and storage, as well as a comfortable connection to the living space. The second floor serves as master suite for the couple - a bedroom with a walk-in-closet and ensuite bathroom, and an adjacent study, with refinished original pumpkin pine floors. The upper floor, aside from a guest bedroom, is the child's domain with interconnected spaces for sleeping, work and play. In the play space, which can be separated from the work space with new translucent sliding doors, we incorporated recreational features inspired by adventurous and competitive television shows, at their son’s request. MODERN MEETS TRADITIONAL. We left the historic front facade of the building largely unchanged - the security bars were removed from the windows and the single pane windows were replaced with higher performing historic replicas. We designed the interior and rear facade with a vision of warm modernism, weaving in the notable period features. Each element was either restored or reinterpreted to blend with the modern aesthetic. The detailed ceiling in the living space, for example, has a new matte monochromatic finish, and the wood stairs are covered in a dark grey floor paint, whereas the mahogany doors were simply refinished. New wide plank wood flooring with a neutral finish, floor-to-ceiling casework, and bold splashes of color in wall paint and tile, and oversized high-performance windows (on the rear facade) round out the modern aesthetic. RENTAL INCOME. The existing rowhome was zoned for a 2-family dwelling but included an undesirable, single-floor studio apartment at the garden level with low ceiling heights and questionable emergency egress. In order to increase the quality and quantity of space in the rental unit, we reimagined it as a two-floor, 1 or 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment with a modern aesthetic, increased ceiling height on the lowest level and provided an in-unit washer/dryer. The apartment was listed with Jackie O'Connor Real Estate and rented immediately, providing the owners with a source of passive income. ENCLOSURE WITH BENEFITS. The homeowners sought a minimal carbon footprint, enabled by their urban location and lifestyle decisions, paired with the benefits of a high-performance home. The extent of the renovation allowed us to implement a deep energy retrofit (DER) to address air tightness, insulation, and high-performance windows. The historic front facade is insulated from the interior, while the rear facade is insulated on the exterior. Together with these building enclosure improvements, we designed an HVAC system comprised of continuous fresh air ventilation, and an efficient, all-electric heating and cooling system to decouple the house from natural gas. This strategy provides optimal thermal comfort and indoor air quality, improved acoustic isolation from street noise and neighbors, as well as a further reduced carbon footprint. We also took measures to prepare the roof for future solar panels, for when the South End neighborhood’s aging electrical infrastructure is upgraded to allow them. URBAN LIVING. The desirable neighborhood location allows the both the homeowners and tenant to walk, bike, and use public transportation to access the city, while each charging their respective plug-in electric cars behind the building to travel greater distances. OVERALL. The understated rowhouse is now ready for another century of urban living, offering the owners comfort and convenience as they live life as an expression of their values. Eric Roth Photo

Inspiration for a mid-sized timeless backyard concrete and kidney-shaped lap pool remodel

A wide view of the recreation zone in this finished basement highlights a wood-and-black foosball table centered in the space, set over soft gray carpeting. Along the right side, an exposed thin-brick accent wall features director-style high-bar seating and gallery artwork. The view opens into a golf simulator room at the far end, with a dartboard nook to the left set beneath the staircase, perfectly combining multiple entertainment areas into one cohesive lower level.