If you’ve decided to convert your basement into a recreational room, you’re goal is to make it functional and at the same time fun. You may bring in lots of variations with style, layout, design, and furniture to give the room its dynamism. A recreational space should be relaxing and fun for all, irrespective of the size of your family. It should be such that it will bring happiness to the faces of every family member. But before we can begin with the various basement rec room ideas, let us have a look at the basics of a recreational room.
Basics of a Recreational Room
You should consider certain factors before choosing the furniture style or color, especially its purposes.
When you plan your rec room in your basement, you add privacy to your room. It will remain separated from the rest of the house and can be your escape den from time to time.
What purpose do you want your recreational room to serve? Would you like it to be your game room, where all your friends and family can gather to have fun? Are you planning to convert it into a gym with stretching mats and workout machines? Again if you need a quiet escape, you can make it your reading room with lots of comfortable chairs and proper lighting. You will plan the decor and furniture depending on the purpose you have for the room.
One more thing to consider is your budget. Make it a little flexible, so that the room meets your utility and design needs. It should a space you enjoy spending time in!
So let’s take a look at the rec room ideas
1) Gym at Home
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This can be an ideal design and if there is enough space you may install a mirror along with one of the walls that will give it the appearance of a gym. You may add your desired workout equipment like a treadmill, a boxing bag and more. But you should leave aside some space for relaxation. A TV can be preferably placed within the viewing range of your treadmill, so that you get entertained while exercising. Also, you can create a lounge in the corner of the room, so that you get to cool down with a drink once you finish your workout. The gym will relax you from stress and you will not have to go far to get some relaxation.
2) Second Living Room
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This idea is for people who require a home away from home, but also at home. You can make it your second living room. Everything should be easily accessible. You may add some elegant lighting on the ceiling, put in comfortable furniture, and plan hardwood floors to give the feeling of an extension of your home. Hardwood is a good idea as it makes the room look better, more so if you are planning something chic and classy. Also, hardwood floors are easier to clean as compared to carpets.
3) For the Kids
You can give your kids some fun space where they can hang out if it is too hot outdoors. If they are having a break from school, they would love to have a playroom of their own. You may use bean bag chairs so that the kids can sit in comfort and also get the scope to watch television from a close range. If the kids love to play video games or watch Netflix, they will love the arrangement. A snack bar or mini fridge can be installed, so that the kids can enjoy something as they relax. Basement rec room ideas that involve the kids, are always a good decision to make.
4) Home Theater
If movies are your route of escape after a long tiring day, you can change your basement into a home theater. You can even hold a private party here where you can hang out with your family and friends. For added relaxation, choose a color tone that soothes your senses.
The home theater will be the ultimate for relaxation, where you can treat your families to movies every night within the comfort of your home. You will need some wall space for the flat-screen and you may enhance the effect with a surround sound system. You would love your creation! The seating can be made like a theater, with plush upholstery and cup holders or maybe a bar behind the seating arena, so that you can enjoy a drink while watching a movie.
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5) Billiards – Pool Table
This is one game that brings all together. Everyone loves it and the pool tables are always a sight to behold. You can enjoy your game with your friends and family. You may use custom carpeting on top of the table to match the color of the rest of the room. Simple yet spectacular lighting is required. The pool table should get the most attention.
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6) Bowling Lane
You can transform your basement rec room into a mini-bowling arena with a young spirited design if you love the game. You may add spiral clouds on the ceiling and decorate it with accents and lots of hanging lamps. Parts of the wall can be painted with murals. The image below shows the room painted essentially blue with a few spots of red.
7) Dream Library
If you love quietness and solitude, you may make your basement rec room, a home library. A personal reading room can be the abode of rejuvenation and relaxation. It will give you the scope to be in a quiet space with pleasing color and relaxing furniture. You can also convert this room into a study space within the house, but away from all distractions.
Reading will allow you to escape from reality. It will take you to another realm of excitement. A natural appearance will make the room stand out from the woodwork while the wood adds character to the total room. This is one of the more serene basement rec room ideas.
8) Gym-Inspired Man Cave
A man cave is an additional room where the man of the house can put in all his manly stuff, from video games to gymnastic equipment, to a ping pong table and more. All the things will fit into this one room. You should preferably keep it simple, as real men do not overstate things. It would be wise to pick a simple color.
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9) Family Gaming Space
Family game nights are real fun! Just place a round table in a quiet corner of the rec room. It will be the ideal space for board games, card games, and trivia games. It would be a nice idea to choose a color that pops. But if you are keener on calmness, a neutral-tone will do.
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Again if you have a big family, this room can be put to various uses. You may create a small fitness area for the family members and also an arts and crafts space, for those who have an artistic bend of mind. A carpet or rug thrown in with proper lighting can make the room appear warm and cozy. The lighting should focus on specific areas of the room, say the playroom for kids, or the pool table area. The furniture and appliances should suit the room size and decor.
10) Luxurious Chandelier
If you wish to make your basement recreational room dreamy, you should go for simple, soft, yet elegant colors and the layout should be attractive. The sofa is kept separated from the bar table using luxurious curtains having a unique pattern. A pool table can be placed in front of the sofa and a luxurious chandelier above this table will make your room amazing and enchanting!
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11) Built-In Bar
You can transform your basement into a hip space by creating a bar where you can entertain your friends. You may also add a television for more fun and plant some secure display cases to hold the alcohol. The look should be similar to a real bar and you can always increase the class factor. A few funky bar stools are bound to finish off the look. If the basement is quite big, you can also add a dartboard or a colorful pool table, which will give the room an extra edge.
Alcohol will help you de-stress and refresh your mind and body. This makes this room so important. It is preferably decorated with gorgeous granite countertops and natural stone walls. The island which houses the bar table is illuminated by light pendants. Basement rec room ideas like this one are real stress relievers, especially when your friends are over.
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12) Rec Room within a Budget
If you have a strict budget, yet want to change your basement into a rec room, you may decorate it with things you like the most. It can have an arcade game, other unique decorations and posters. You may place a pool table in the room and it will become the most important element of the rec room, as it will involve lots of people.
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13) Space for Play and Work
You can change your basement into a multi-purpose space if it is big enough. You can make a workplace for your team-based business or startup. Meetings can be hosted here. But it should have warm lighting. Also, it should have a lot of space for walking around. Just add a pool table, so that your guests can enjoy and play in between the work meetings. Comfortable seating arrangements should be made.
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14) Rec Room for Teenagers
If you have a teenage daughter who loves spending time with her friends, you can always make space for them in your basement. It can be a special place for her. Just equip it with games like ping pong table, pool table, hand-football table and a TV area. You may also place a small kitchen at the back.
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15) Fire Pit
If you are always on the lookout for the latest style and trend, you may choose bean bags as that will make the room appear wider and bigger than it actually is. Here the fire pit becomes the main element of attraction. The fire gives warmth to the entire family and all friends, while the movie is on. This is one of the basement rec room ideas that will really warm the room up.
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16) Sports Room
This idea is ideal for those who love sports. The room is furnished entirely with sport displays. You can place a pool table at the far end and put it next to a wall decoration. The deer head wall decoration will make the room look like a pub. The room also has a built-in, secret wine cupboard.
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17) Cozy Space
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18) Movie Theater
If your basement area is big enough, you can change it into a movie theater and make it a special place during weekends and holidays for your family and friends. You will have to equip the space with proper movie equipment and tools, to meet the standards of a high-quality theater.
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19) Party Central Family Hub
You will have to open the space, yet define specific zones within it. For this, you may rely on ceiling treatments and other finishes. You may have the home theater or the game-viewing area at the center beneath the coffered ceiling. This space is flanked by a built-in banquette for homework and family games at one end and an onyx bar at the other end and both should have suspended ceiling treatments. The wide-plank European oak hardwood floors and wall paneling, add to the decor and warmth.
You may use a projector that pops down from the center coffer behind the walnut bar. The countertops are made from recycled wine and beer bottles. Again the flooring of the wine room is made from salvaged wine barrel staves. All of this creates the perfect ambiance.
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20) Mahogany
You can make your basement rec room sensational by placing a natural element in the room. You need to build a gorgeous home-bar of mahogany wood that will match the ping-pong table and the floor. The standard standing lamp or red color bulb for the lighting fixture, may be chosen to set the proper mood. This red color will make the ping-pong game more intense.
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21) Guitar Fanatic
For the guitar fanatic, a lot of space is not needed. You can express your devotion by creating a music-themed room with guitars as wall art. The cool mural showing cassette tapes creates the perfect ambiance.
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22) Cinema and Bar
This room is going to be your ideal rec room with the essential attributes of entertainment and recreation. It will have a mini cinema in the far right, while at the left will be the pool table and a bar stool. When you get tired of watching cinema, you can head to the bar and enjoy a drink or have a game at the pool table. This is another one of those basement rec room ideas that would be great to watch a sporting event with friends.
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23) Multi-functional
Change your basement into an extraordinary retreat containing a workout space, wine-tasting area, and theater room. The resulting space is beautifully made by increasing the budget for finishes. The wine cellar, game room, steam shower, theater room, and workout area makes it truly multi-functional. It serves the purpose of all age groups.
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24) Second Room and Kitchen
You may plan a spacious living area with a wet bar having counter seating. This will make the basement double up as a second big room and kitchen or even as a serving area.
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25) Small yet Sufficient
If your basement is small, it will not be an issue. You can decorate the walls with lots of framed pictures which will give the room its character. It can house an arcade game and a football for playing with your family and friends. The red on the walls can be eased and you can use a brighter color for the floor, like gray.
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26) Custom Family-Friendly
Here you will have to tie the two prime spaces, the TV area and the wine-tasting room together. The finishes can be expanded with the faux painting, rubber flooring of the workout room, inclusion of the stone, and imported floor tile, making the space amazing. A split-system cooling unit under the stairs will keep the glass-enclosed wine cellar cool. The cabinets are given a beautiful crackle finish.
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27) Room with Views
If your basement has a wall comprising of lots of windows you are lucky! Animal-inspired decor makes it all the more special.
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28) Swimming
You may add a swimming pool in your basement. But you will need a large space and also a lot of money. But it is worth it as swimming reduces exhaustion and stress, while keeping your body and mind fresh. Don’t forget though, basement rec room ideas that involve a pool can be a lot of work, so just be ready for pool maintenance.
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29) Fresh Family-Friendly
You can make your basement “fresh family-friendly” by using vibrant orange hues and outdoor elements, which will give the room a light and airy vibe. The zebrawood coffee table at the center creates the contemporary living room that is minimally furnished. The desk offers working space while the door leads to the lovely patio garden outside.
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30) Movie Screen
Watching a movie or just anything on a film screen is exciting. But for that, you need to make the space cozy. For that, you will need a huge film screen, some tools, and the audio devices. Black is to be used as the background of the screen so that your eyes are properly set to view the movie. For the rest of the area, use a brighter color. The ceiling can be decorated with square ceiling lamps. Basement rec room ideas using a movie screen are an excellent way to give you more family and entertainment time.
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31) Bright Basement
With three closely-set windows and recessed can lighting and pendant lighting, you will get the brightest basement. It may feature a pool table, wet bar, and TV viewing area.
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32) Fun Games
This basement rec room is just for joy and happiness. Once you step inside, you have to do something for fun, like playing games. The room is equipped with lots of wonderful games like a pool table and a chess game on the table. An aquarium will help you relax. If the space is not large enough, you may add built-ins. This will give your friends and family the much needed fun elements!
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33) Contemporary Living Area
This idea will require that you keep the basement light and bright. It should have lots of seating options with a sectional and occasional chair and also a desk, which fits the entertainment console too. The light rug, darker furniture and other modern decor pieces, gives the basement area its rich look!
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