At one time only the affluent had a game room in their home. Now, game rooms have become almost a staple in many new built homes, and many homeowners of older homes are converting basements, attics, and garages into game rooms. Is it any wonder I get several requests a month for some ideas on how to decorate a game room?

Locating a Game Room

The first thing to decide will be where to find space for your game room. If you already have a room, you can skip this section, but if you are just beginning to think about it, here are some thoughts on locating a game room.

The first thought should be about the types of games and equipment you intend to put in your room. Most people immediately think, "pool table". If this is on your list, you'll find you need quite a large space. Here is a chart of standard table sizes and suggested room dimensions.

Here is a chart of standard table sizes and suggested room dimensions:

Table Size	Minimum Room Size	Actual Playing surface
3.5' x 7'	16' 8" x 13' 6"	39.5" x 79"
4' x 8'	17' 4" x 13' 11"	44" x 88"
4.25' x 8.5'	17' 9" x 14' 1"	46" x 92"
4.5' x 9'	18' 4" x 14' 6"	50" x 100"

Keep in mind these dimensions are for using a standard 58" 2 piece cue. If you use a shorter cue you will be able to use a smaller space

As you can see, pool tables take up quite a lot of room. Along with the size, weight is also a consideration. If your room is on the second floor or the attic, remember that this will have to be brought upstairs. Speak to the salesperson about this when you consider your purchase, as some tables can be disassembled, while others only have one piece construction. If space is limited, a two-in-one table. These tables have a reversible top and can be used as a dining table or card table. If your room just isn't large enough to accomodate a pool table, consider locating it in a separate area.

Some families combine a game room with a media center without thinking of the consequences. If you are a loud family when you are enjoying your game room, the person trying to enjoy the media center will be annoyed. It is difficult to use a room both as a game room and a media room at the same time. Think about this carefully before you make a decision to combine both activities in the same room.

Game Room Equipment

• A poker table is also an good option for a family of card players. Some tables, called casino tables, can be used for a variety of games, such as roulette, craps, chess, backgammon, etc., just by flipping the table ttop. When the game table is not in use, it can be covered with it's table cover and used as an area to serve food and drinks. With it's cover on, this table can also be used for playing board games.
• If you don't have a poker table and like to play family board games or make puzzles together, a folding table that can be stored along the wall or in a closet is a good option.
• If you have children, you can add a ping pong table, foozball, or air hockey game.
• An old fashioned pin ball machine or video game is always an eye catcher. Keep in mind however, that these are expensive pieces of equipment to buy and maintain.
• If you are a musical family, set up a music center in your game room. A karaoke machine and a keyboard or small piano will make a fun music center. A juke box will also add to the musical theme.
• If you are gamers, what's more fun than playing Nintendo Wii together as a family? A flatscreen TV attached to the wall will take up no room at all. If you are sports fans, this will be a great place to invite guests to watch the latest, most important sports event of the season.
• Along with a TV on the wall, darts are also a perennial favorite that will add to your game room and not take up much space. One note, if you have children who will be using the darts, opt for an electronic dart game to prevent injuries.
• And speaking of not taking up much space, you can also paint a shuffleboard on the floor for some rainy day activity.

This is just a partial list of game equipment you can obtain. Of course, you don't want or can't have it all in one room. I just wanted to give you a few ideas and a jumping off point to get your creative ideas flowing.

Arranging Your Game Room

Once you've chosen a location and decided on your equipment, it's time to layout and decorate your room. The easiest way to do this is to start with a floorplan. This will save you much aggravation along with your back. Also, if you haven't purchased all of your game room equipment yet, this may save you from making costly mistakes.

The first step is to decide on your focal point. If you have a pool table, this will most likely be your choice. If you are a card family, your poker table will take center stage. Other choices for your focal point could be a smaller game table such as foozball or air hockey. Perhaps you'd like to make a wet bar and food service area your focal point. Whatever, your choice, set your focal point in place first and arrange all other pieces of game equipment and furniture around it.

This is why it is such a good idea to use a floor plan. With so many small pieces of equipment to locate, you can play around with the arrangement to your heart's content, until you come up with something you are happy with.

Game Room Lighting

Good lighting is essential in a game room. Specialized lighting is available to hang over pool tables. A quck search on the Internet will bring up a humungous amount of lighting for this purpose. You're bound to find something that reflects your tastes and interests. The same goes for lighting over a poker table.

Ceiling lights and recessed lighting will all add to the light level. Install a dimmer to allow for whatever lighting is needed for the activity being done. Table lamps and floor lamps can add extra lighting where needed. Many families find they enjoy colored lighting, rope lights, and even neon in their game room.