 A games room is the perfect place to create a themed environment that is fun and imaginative. So why limit yourself to the ever-present themes of retro 50s, sports or casino for your games room? Try something refreshing and new. When creating a themed games room, embark on a theme that truly expresses your individuality and creativity. Consider the world traveler or the adventurer. Imagine your favorite city. Is it New Orleans or New York? Perhaps it is Paris, Venice or London. Take your theme cue from there and create a room that exemplifies all of the things you like about those cities.
Once you have your inspiration, the place to start is the walls. Before you move in any of the games and furniture, prepare the backdrop to your new games room. Let’s say that your favorite city is New Orleans. Think of the streets of the French Quarter with their lovely buildings fronted with decorative wrought iron railings. Imagine the horse-drawn carriages that travel the streets, the various street performers and favorite hangouts such as Pat O’Brien’s and Café du Monde. Implement all of these things into a great mural.
If your budget doesn’t allow for custom painting, study the colors of the French Quarter buildings and paint your walls with one of these colors. Then search flea markets and architectural salvage yards for pieces of wrought iron railing and bolt it to your walls. Purchase a small green and white awning and attach it to the wall above the card table or a bistro table and feel like you are eating beignets at Café du Monde. There are also wallpapers available that depict street scenes. Party supply distributors offer large plastic panels that you can apply to the wall with non-corrosive wallpaper paste and seal with a protective coating.
How about a Mardi Gras theme? If you truly love New Orleans and the festive atmosphere this celebration conveys, paint your walls in a green, purple and gold stripe. Or paint the walls purple and stencil a gold harlequin and fleur de leis design onto the wall. Hang masks and Mardi Gras posters throughout the room. Hang colorful beads from shelves and the wrought iron railings you’ve attached to the wall. Use word art stencils to apply comments such as, “Throw me some beads, Mister!” Have fun and explore your adventuresome side.
If you prefer the sophistication of London, paper a wall in a rich plaid and paint the room dark green. Consider placing your very own Yeomen guards from the Tower of London or the Palace guards at the entrance to your games room. Search for statues of these familiar symbols of London or hang framed posters of them around the room. You may even be able to track down a red London telephone booth to display in your room. What a conversation starter that would be!
If the mystique and ancient beauty of Venice appeals to your senses, paint your room with either a watery blue evocative of the Venice canals or a distressed terra cotta to add the interest and texture of Venice buildings to your games room. Again, wallpaper or custom painted murals will add dimension and character to the room. Purchase or make your own diagonally striped poles reminiscent of those found throughout the canals of Venice. Decorate the walls with vintage travel posters and the beautiful artistry of Venetian masks. Live la dolce vita!
If you are a world traveler, paper the walls in an antiqued map paper or paint them and bring in posters of maps. Add travel posters and artifacts from around the world. Create an atmosphere that takes you back through your travels. Mix and match the styles of Africa, the French Riviera, Rome, Greece and the Tuscan countryside. Whether you’ve traveled the world by boat, plane or armchair, re-explore those travels in your games room.
For the adventurer in you, create a mountain climbing theme and install a climbing wall in your games room. Hang spikes, ropes and other climbing gear around the room. Is your passion whitewater rafting? Faux paint the walls to resemble the frothing turbulent waters of a whitewater river and hang life jackets and paddles from the walls. Are you a daring skydiver? Paint the walls blue and add clouds at the top and green at the bottom to represent land. Hang a parachute from the ceiling.
Creating a themed games room can be fun and you will be surprised at how many ideas will come to you once you open your mind. Once you’ve decided on a theme and treated the walls accordingly, select furniture that will integrate with your space. Traditional pieces lend themselves well for the London and Venice themed room. Handsome stained wood with ornate carving and sumptuous leather or richly textured upholstered seating pieces integrate well with these themes, as well as the New Orleans or world traveler theme. Contemporary pieces with sleek lines and minimal ornamentation fit well with New York or Paris themes. A simple straight leg pool table, modular seating and chrome bar stools complement these metropolitan cities.
The best part about creating a theme is selecting the accessories. Once the walls have been treated and the games and furniture placed, the truly creative part begins. Choose pieces that represent what these places mean to you. Does New York beckon you to the lights of Broadway? Display ticket stubs, playbills and posters from the Broadway shows you’ve attended. Do visions of Bourbon Street or Mardi Gras fuel your thoughts of New Orleans? Add lots of Mardi Gras masks and street signs of the French Quarter. Place beads and doubloons in decorative bowls around the room.
Does Paris take you to the Eiffel Tower? There are all kinds of quirky lamps, architectural replicas, statues and memorabilia available to add just the right touch to your themed room. Let loose and place souvenirs and collectables on shelving or make your walls art galleries for local artists from your chosen city.
There are numerous resources on the internet for whatever theme you choose. Define what theme you want and make a list of the items you’d like to include. Think of the theme as the backdrop. Once you’ve chosen the theme, add the furniture and games. Creating a themed games room can take you to places you thought you’d never go or can take you back to the places you loved. Let your imagination run wild. Travel the world in the comfort of your own home…and have plenty of entertaining games to keep the fun coming!
|
