How to Design a Room for Fun
Families need a room at home reserved for recreation. While you can use the room as a media room, don't forget that activities such as board games will bring the family emotionally closer. Invest time in figuring out the types of fun your family will truly participate in, since it's easy to create space that looks great but gets little use. Invite all family members to contribute ideas for the room. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Take a survey. Have every family member contribute a list of activities the family might enjoy in the room. Ask each person to draw the way they envision the room to be laid out. Select ideas from everyone before you decide on a floor plan, furniture or colors. Take a family vote after you sketch the final room design, so you'll feel good about moving ahead.
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Finalize an activities list. Make notes about what to purchase, such as a ping-pong table or a pool table. List types of card games, board games and exercise equipment that will definitely go into the room.
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Measure the available floor and wall space as well as any window areas. Draw the floor plan of the room and include these measurements.
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Sketch storage space and shelves that will hold books, cards, board games and family photos in the floor plan. Include a wall unit to be built in or a media cabinet to hold a TV and media players.
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Sketch the room's wall colors and flooring design. Decide on painted drywall, wall paper, Venetian plaster or other wall coverings. Focus on easy maintenance, so consider wall coverings or paint that will resist dirt. Look at flooring of wood or tile but also use some carpet or rugs in case family members want to sit on the floor to listen to music or play games.
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Plan furniture and accessories. List the necessary furniture, such as a small dining table, recliner, sitting chairs, coffee table, magazine rack and other furniture items. On a separate piece of paper, sketch out various furniture groupings to ensure the family can watch TV without straining to see the screen and leave space between furniture to create individual privacy for reading or working on a laptop. Include table lamps and floor lamps throughout the room, so each family member can read or work while other lights are off.
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Finalize the placement of all furniture and accessories on the floor plan.
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Tips & Warnings
Reserve one long wall for storing all kinds of miscellaneous items. Create a system to hold baskets, bins or crates. Encourage family members to keep things organized by labeling storage boxes or bins.
Use a color system to help keep everything on track. Store pet items or toys in red vinyl bins, for example.
Avoid placing too much glass in the room. Mirrors, glass tables and walls of mirror tiles can easily get broken in a room that's made for lots of physical activity.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Youthful living room interior image by Paul Hill from Fotolia.com
