7 Tips to Put Your Attic in Play as a Game Room
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.
by Vicente Burin Architects »
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 atDeepdale 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.
by LDArc »
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.“
by Dewson Construction Company »
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.”
by Peter A. Sellar - Architectural Photographer »
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.
Follow these professional tips to get your attic off the sidelines and onto the playing field.
by Vicente Burin Architects »
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 atDeepdale 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.
by LDArc »
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.“
by Dewson Construction Company »
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.”
by Peter A. Sellar - Architectural Photographer »
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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