The fun zone at home

Entertainment room will probably be the room where you spend most of your time at home. Natasha Menezes offers some creative ideas to make them look good...

Entertainment has taken a huge precedence in the daily lives of our modern scenario. After all the hard work and toiling, it is imperative to enjoy a good life and that in today’s world is synonymous with entertainment. 

Creating an entertainment zone at home can be fun and the level of experimentation that can be curated here is phenomenal. It can be the centre point for networking and socialising while at the same time being a stress buster from the everyday hustle.If you have a room exclusively for entertainment, you can do lots of things – from hosting movie nights with friends to having karaoke sessions and card parties or other games of interest.

 It is advantageous to design a separate entertainment room so as to maintain the peace element in the rest of the house. You also don’t need to worry about disturbing other family members at home when you have a room purely for the entertainment purpose and it is the perfect spot to find solace and relaxation at the end of a hard day. 

But not everyone can afford the time or space that entails designing a separate area for entertainment. Most of the time, it is the living room that dubs into an entertainment area with a wide screen television set and maybe some good surround sound music system. It also serves as the place to welcome guests, watch programmes together on TV, or just relax. Sometimes this space is re-created in the bedroom to allow more freedom for personal use. 

Whatever be the case, it is important to ensure comfort for yourself as well as your guests as this is probably the room you will be using the most. Also, the style of the room must be in perfect tandem with your personal tastes. 

Let’s look at some ideas for designing a fun and creative entertainment room for your home. 

Location

The starting point to designing any space is its location; decide on whether you want to have a separate entertainment room or a room inclusive of it. When you finalise on this element, you will be able to define the purpose of the room, which is of utmost importance as the rest of the interiors must be in harmony with this space. 

If you have an exclusive entertainment room, designing becomes a lot easier as you can experiment with colours and looks. 

Budget

Know what your budget is before designing your space. If you have the budget finalised, it is easier to create a separate entertainment room. But if you don’t, then you could still create one but with simple interiors, as what matters is the amount of fun you will have in that room. Designing must be done in such a way that you  make the most of your time slotted for entertainment. If you have a basement area, it could serve as the perfect spot to entertain. 

Design flow

There is no specific designing tip to decorating an entertainment room as it varies with the type of entertainment you choose. But there are certain generic factors to consider. First and foremost is lighting, as it plays an important role here. Choose a mixture of spotlights and LED bulbs which change colour. Use dimmers for that dramatic effect. Alternatively,  a single chandelier in the room can change the look to a great extent. Also lamps of different shapes, sizes and colour can be added. 

Make sure that there is sufficient air flow and ventilation to avoid the overheating of your gadgets. Furniture must be classy yet comfortable. For 3D gaming or watching big screen movies, recliners are a good investment. For a playful environment or if space is a constraint, use some ottomans, bean bags or throws on the floor. Floor carpeting can be another option and wooden flooring can create an elegant look. Ultimately, since you will be spending a lot of time in this room, you must ensure that you have good quality seating arrangements with enough leg room and space on the sides to walk around. 

Adorn the walls with paintings, movie posters or frames to add coziness. Books and soft music spice up the feel-good factor. The colour palette of your room can be mixed and matched with bright colours and soft hues. You may even use wallpaper or textured paints. 

Invest in a good sound system that will come in handy for nights devoted to movies, karaoke or gaming. You can add a billiards table, foosball table or even a bar or a dart board. 

Do not congest the room with too many  murals or furniture. Make provision to keep books, CDs or gaming consoles when not in use. 

Classy curves in the architecture of your room, doors or windows will help improve the attractiveness of your room rather than straight defined lines used in the rest of your house. 

When you select a TV, make sure that the screen size is in proportion to that of the room. You do not want the screen to be too big if your area is too small, or vice versa. Use the right kind of wiring to avoid accidents and also to give a neat and clean look. 

Lastly, use sound absorbing materials so that the sound does not travel outside the room. This also ensures that the effect generated within your room will be spectacular. You can use sound-proof glass or walls, thick curtains and carpets or acoustic panelling. 

After you have finished decorating your entertainment room, you can now begin to have some fun! Besides having a home library and a home bar, a home entertainment room will make you long to be at home. 

So, make some efforts right at the beginning while decorating your room so that you can be assured that you will have a fun-filled experience right in the comfort of your home.