6 Tips to Designing the Rec Room of Your Dreams

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Rec Room

Pool room, rec room, man cave – whatever you call it, it’s a space for hanging out and relaxing. Whether you’ve finally bought a home big enough to accommodate a rec room, or you’ve just finally cleared out your basement and are wondering what to do with it, there are a few practical design tips to make your rec room come to life.

In addition to some must-have accents, you’ll want to consider the overall
functionality of this room. Is it where you’ll host big parties and shindigs? Or just some casual get-togethers? No matter what the form or function, here’s how to make it a killer space.

Determine the Focal Point

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In most rec rooms, this is a pool table. Its centered placement and grand appearance make it the first thing the eye is drawn too. However, not everyone is into pool. Think of your rec room as a popular lounge. What’s the primary feature that gets people through the door?

Whatever it is, you’ll want to call attention to it. You can do this by placing it in the center of the room, accenting it with a rug, or spotlighting it with an attractive light fixture.

Invest in a Bar

Invest in a Bar
Every rec room needs a bar. Even if you and your friends aren’t drinkers, it’s a place to keep snacks and refreshments, as well as sit around and chat. If you’re hosting a party, you can even hire a certified bartender to serve snacks and beverages.

Bar fixtures can be pricey, but you can invest in a portable bar table and antique bar cart to bring it all together. Find an attractive way to display your bottles and glasses – aesthetic is everything. A hanging wine rack is one way to save space and accent the bar area with some style and sophistication.

Based on the overall décor of your rec room, you’ll want to buy some corresponding bar stools. If you’re going for an industrial look, metal bar stools are a fitting touch. For more classic rec rooms, leather bar stools tie the whole look together.

Choose Your Lounge Décor

Designate a little lounge area in your rec room for hanging out, chatting, and relaxing. Keep this area along the wall so it’s more intimate, and furnish it with some sofas, loveseats, a coffee table, and an elegant rug.

You might consider adding some board games, bookshelves, or a magazine display. Add plenty of throw pillows and ottomans to give this a plush look. Because a rec room is a place for unwinding, you’ll want to avoid rigid, cool-toned furniture.
Wingback armchairs, upholstered loveseats, and chaise loungers are right at home in these spaces.

Decorate the Walls

Decorate the Walls
A rec room is no place for bare walls. Whether you’re hanging up vintage posters or antique artwork, make sure to generously fill the walls in this space. This is one room where you’re even allowed to go overboard.

Is your rec room committed to music and dancing? Invest in some framed band posters.

Are you going for a speakeasy style? Maybe some antique mirrors and wall lights.

Since artwork can be expensive, large tapestries are another way to fill up the walls.

They provide insulation and make the space look cozier, while adding a touch of color.

Select Finishings & Accents

If your rec room is going for an industrial aesthetic, you’ll want to invest in steel and copper accents. Wiry copper lighting fixtures with Edison bulbs are a novelty that give industrial spaces the little bit of warm they need. Meanwhile, dark steel beams and shelving offer a stark yet eye-catching contrast.

Rec rooms opting for more traditional décor will benefit from dark woods. Deep mahogany, cherry, or maple toned cabinetry and surfaces will hark back to underground lounges of the 50s and 60s.

Accent walls are a great touch in rec rooms too. Brick or wood paneled accent walls go with every style, and give the room a little bit of personality.

Pick the Recreation

Pick the Recreation
This is a recreation room, after all. So, what’s the recreation? Maybe there are multiple, but there’s one that’s the focus. If you’re going to be hosting parties in this space, that may be a dance floor with a jukebox, or a bar.

If it’s a game room, fill it with quality, and not just quantity. Vintage pinball machines, restored pool tables, and high-end card tables are one way to achieve this.

The quality of these furnishings is what will separate your game room from the local arcade.

Note that the recreation you choose for this space will determine the remaining décor, so although it’s last on this list, it’s actually the first thing you should decide.

Our downtime is short-lived and extremely valuable, meaning the place we spend it should be tastefully decorate and undeniably enjoyable.

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