Today’s busy families want to spend as much time together as possible, so they are looking for more and more ways to have fun at home. Many families are converting unused areas of their homes into home recreation and game rooms that the whole family—and their friends—can enjoy.

A fun new trend
“Ever since the September 11 terrorist attacks, people have been more interested in keeping the family at home,” says Steve Parker, area manager with Games & Things. “They also have redirected funds that they may normally have spent traveling to create a better in-home experience.”

Parker says that because it has become more expensive to entertain the family at recreation complexes, people see the advantages in investing money into establishing game and recreation rooms in their homes. The family can enjoy similar experiences whenever they like, and in the long run, probably save a lot of money. David Piha, general manager of Greater Southern Home Recreation, agrees.

“Home recreation and game rooms are more of a trend than ever before because people want to be able to enjoy all types of recreation and entertainment without ever leaving home,” Piha says. “People’s time is precious, so they want a great space where they can have friends over and have fun without feeling like they are abandoning the family.”

Parents also see another benefit to creating a recreation room—being able to keep their children close to home. “Our customers who are parents want to make their homes cool with numerous activities, so their children will invite friends over and the parents can supervise while feeling safe knowing the kids are at home,” Piha says.

Where to begin
So where’s the best place to create this recreation space? Most homeowners simply convert an existing space into a specialized, dedicated game room. In the Atlanta area, where most homes have basements, recreation and game areas usually are contained in the home’s basement or bonus room.

“More and more, I see homeowners turning their basements into usable areas of the home,” Parker says. “People are beginning to refer to the basement as the ‘terrace level’ more than a basement, because it’s being utilized for living space rather than unfinished storage.”

Parker notes that using the basement area for a recreation room also is a good idea because basements generally have the space requirements needed to accommodate large table games.

Another option for those without a basement is to repurpose an underused room, such as a formal living room or dining room, on the home’s main floor. In fact, certain styles of pool tables can be purchased with optional dining tops, so that when needed, the game table can convert to dining space. Homeowners also can convert a section of a garage into a recreation area.

Creating space
Once you decide where your recreation area is going to be, it is important to make sure you have ample space to include the games you want, as well as the room necessary to enjoy them.

“Consider the games and the space needed to play them,” says Nancy Bruno, co-owner of Decorating Makeovers & More. “For instance, you need to leave plenty of room for pool cues to clear the walls and any artwork on the walls.”

Bruno also cautions that carpeting, rugs and other flooring needs to be durable, especially in areas where there is heavy traffic or prolonged standing, such as around a game table.

If you have one large room, consider forming game stations within the room, anchored by area rugs and furniture. For example, you can have a children’s game area, a video game area, a large table game or two, and a table for playing board and card games.

Bring in the games
“Home recreation is not just about pool tables anymore,” Piha says. “People want the whole package—table games, arcade games, game room furniture—they want the full in-home recreation experience.”

While pool tables are still many people’s favorites, other games are gaining popularity, including foosball, air hockey and indoor shuffleboard, all of which are fast-paced and easy to play for many ages. Arcade games are also seeing a surge in popularity due to nostalgia.

“The real arcade game experience is something people are becoming more interested in, because most of our customers didn’t grow up with a Play Station,” Parker says. “They are trying to recapture their youth, and that means classic arcade games like Pac-Man are what they want in their game
rooms. They want to share what they grew up playing with their children.”

Combination game tables, which can be utilized for several types of games by switching out tabletops, are a good option for families with limited space. These multiple game tables are usually smaller than a full-size table game, and in many cases, more affordable. Piha says there is a wide variety of gaming tables on the market, so it is important to work with a reputable dealer.

“Customers typically spend between $2,000 to $15,000 outfitting a rec room, depending on whether they are merely buying a pool table or creating an entire home recreation experience,” Piha says. “When you are spending that much money, it is important to look at the quality of the pieces you are purchasing, as well as the service. For example, does the company deliver and install the pieces, and can they service the piece if needed?”

Other gaming options include table tennis (pingpong), dartboards and a variety of traditional board games such as chess, checkers and other games.

Secure storage
When creating storage for your recreation area, consider options that are multipurpose to make the most use of your space.

“Built-in seating is a great storage option,” Bruno says. “A bench-style seat with a lift-up top provides storage, or a bench seat can have a low bookcase underneath for storage, and, if needed, doors can always be added to conceal items.”

More tried and true storage options include custom bookcases and built-in cabinetry to store board games, video games and other gaming supplies. Again, doors can be added if you wish to hide some items. Baskets and other containers also can be used on open shelving to help contain and organize any stray items.

Bruno also suggests thinking creatively and repurposing other pieces of furniture from around the house to use for storage. “An old dresser makes great storage for board games, video games and other items,” she says.

Costs and value
The trend toward creating game rooms is a fairly new one, and has led many homeowners to finishing basements or remodeling other spaces. “Ten to 15 years ago, people didn’t finish their basements—they just used them as storage,” says Julian Harris, president of Basement Builders Inc. “Now, we routinely see homeowners spending as much as $100,000 to finish a basement and add indoor recreation for their family.”

“Most people are not doing single rooms—they are renovating the whole basement,” Harris says. “They compartmentalize the rooms with different zones, such as a media room, pool room, bar room, children’s area and craft area. They want multi-rooms with multi-purposes.”
Harris notes that the bulk of his clients are 30- to 40-year-old parents who want to spend time at home with their families.

Harris says, on average, his clients spend about $30,000 to $75,000 just to finish the basement, which does not include the furniture and games. “It is a luxury and an investment,” he says. “But it also adds to the value of the home and makes it appealing to future buyers.” As far as the games themselves, most arcade-type video games start around $3,000, and a driving game will start in the $6,000 to $7,000 range. Table games start at around $2,500 and can go up to $10,000 or more. “Many people are now spending as much on their game rooms as they are on remodeling their kitchens or other major areas of their homes,” Piha says.

For many families, though, the benefits of a home recreation area outweigh the costs. “Home recreation is unique in the fact that it can bring a family together for social interaction, whereas a television tends to produce silence,” Parker says. “Playing games is a great way for family members to catch up on life or merely have a little competitive interaction.”