A rec-room is an integral part of many homes and offices. It is a place where we can go solely for different recreational activities after a long day working or studying. There are a few general ideas that you can use to upgrade your recreational room, most of which are pretty affordable. You are renovating it, not remaking it, so you don’t need to burn through your wallet in the process.
When designing your recreational room, you need to remember that this room is a place where you can unwind and disconnect. This should be the primary focus when picking things you feel could help contribute to this. Furthermore, you should consider style, design, and layout when making renovations.
The style you choose will be the theme, i.e., colors and textures. For example, a modern video game-centered rec room will have extensive use of RGB lights in it. There will be a bunch of video game-themed decor around it as well. Once you have chosen the style or theme that you want to go with, the next thing you need to do is decide the design.
Are you going to go over the top and stack different things in the room, or will you choose a more minimalistic approach? Finally, you need to decide what item is going where. You want to set the room so that it looks nice and allows you to move comfortably as well. There is no point in having a recreational room if you struggle to move around in it.
We have taken the liberty of finding, what we think, are the best budget-friendly ideas for your rec room. Before we get to this, let us walk you through a few basics you need to know.
Starting Tips
For starters, always make sure your rec room is in a place where you have ample privacy and seclusion. This makes it easier for the people inside to disconnect from the outside world and for the people outside not to be disturbed by what is going on inside.
Next, make sure you know what you want to do with your rec room. Depending on how much you want to be using it, plan accordingly. If you want it for your home where you will casually use it from time to time, plan with that in mind.
However, if you are going to have people coming and going through frequently, you need to design it. You cannot design it one way and expect it to function as the other. In theory, it can, but it will hardly be any fun – which is the whole point of a rec room.
Finally, remember that you are on a budget. As lovely as it would be to have a fully decked rec room with all the most delicate features, be wary of your budget. Prioritize things you like, things you need for the room, and then get the random decorations you like.
These random decorations are essential because they give your rec room personality, but make sure you have a plan before spending money on it.
Furniture
Chairs and Sofas
Your rec room should have enough space to seat all the people that come into it. In a workplace where people are standing for long periods, having comfortable chairs or bar stools is the way to go. It is essential for when people just want to sit and have a chat or have some tea and biscuits.
If you plan to make more use of your rec room, e.g., as a place to watch movies or play video games, you should use a sofa. You can choose between single-seat recliners of more oversized L-shaped sofas and everything in between.
Instead of buying these items brand new, you can always repurpose your existing furniture to make it last longer. Change the cushions in your sofa and polish your wooden chairs to breathe life into them once again.
By doing so, you are maintaining the stuff you already have and saving any money you might have spent on buying this stuff brand new.
Bar Area
One way to renovate your rec room is by adding a bar area. If you are on a budget, you can take all your favorite liquor and stash it on a countertop or in a cabinet if you have kids around. When the adults decide to have an evening of unwinding and fun, this bar area can be opened, and a good time will follow.
You do not need to build an entirely new bar because you won’t have hundreds of people coming and going all day. At most, you will have friends, family, and some colleagues over, so having bottles lying around on a shelf will give you a chance to share a drink with your guests.
Games
As we have already mentioned, an essential part of a rec room is having fun and relaxing. What better way to do this than by playing different games? These games can include arcade games, darts, foosball, or even video games. To many people’s surprise, all these things can be done on a budget.
For starters, many arcade game machines can be bought for cheap. They haven’t been produced in decades at this point, and if you do a little searching, you can find one at an excellent price.
PACMAN and Mario are two fan favorites that people from every age group love. They are simple games that will get people excited and release any stress in their minds.
Next, the two most certain and timeless forms of entertainment are darts and foosball. They only require the tools needed to play them, a willingness to play, and a competitive spirit. You will have people in the workplace having a wonderful time, making wagers with each other, and improving their overall morale in the workplace.
You can use these two to give the game night a new sense of life at home. Something as simple as darts can have people going for each other to one-up each other. Games, at home or the workplace, are an excellent way for people to have a good time between their busy lives. The simple doses of dopamine that our body gets while playing games with friends or colleagues can benefit us greatly.
