Dabbieri Blog

How to Create an Elevated Game Room at Home

While already a classic tradition enjoyed by families, friends and loved ones, game nights at home have grown even more in popularity. From fan favorites like Monopoly and Jenga, to casual card games like Go Fish and beyond, creating fun with loved ones in the comfort of your own home has never been easier.

It’s obvious that home game nights aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. If you’re a habitual host of Catan nights with friends or family backgammon tournaments, it might be worth considering when it comes to the design of your home. Small changes can make a big impact, and of course, there are always bigger projects that can lend a hand in creating the elevated game room of your dreams right in your home.

To help you create the game room you desire, we’ve compiled some helpful tips and tricks to bring your love of game nights into your home design.

1. Choosing the Right Flooring

Choosing the right flooring for your game room is an important part of the design process. Depending on what you plan to do in the space, the kind of flooring you want to consider will vary. If you’re planning to use your game room as more of a general entertainment space, and are hoping for more of a comfortable, cozy vibe, carpet is going to be your best bet. Not only is carpet soft and comforting, but it is also durable, easy to clean and absorbs sound, so even the most raucous game nights aren’t disturbing the rest of the house.

If you’re planning to use your game room as more of a flex or general living space, you’ll need flooring that can keep up with whatever the day or night brings. From wine nights with friends that devolve into a giant Jenga tournament, to quiet nights in watching the newest Netflix hit, your floor needs to be able to withstand your lifestyle. Laminate and luxury vinyl floors are the perfect solution, thanks to waterproof technology and scratch, scuff and stain resistance.

2. Plenty of Seating Options

Volume 1.0 in Aural Sand by Daltile

One of the key components of creating an elevated game room is to ensure there are plenty of seating options for fellow players and guests. Depending on what games or other purposes you plan to use the space for, your preferred seating options may change. In a more flexible, multi-purpose space, classic couches and chairs may be the way to go. If your family is more of the coffee table board game type, consider cushions or pillows for comfortable seating on the ground.

3. Personalize Your Space

The best way to create a game room you and your guests will love is by designing it with your own personal taste in mind. Are you known for being the backgammon player to beat? Why not spice up your game room with a vibrant board in your favorite color? Just looking to create a rec space in your home, but also love baseball? Consider getting a foosball table with the uniforms of your favorite team. Small, personal touches are a perfect way to bring your personality into your space, while also helping to create a unique, slightly elevated game room to impress guests and loved ones alike.  

3 Ways to Incorporate Grecian Design into Your Home

The beautiful blue and white homes that mark the islands of Greece have long inspired interior design choices far beyond their country of origin. Grecian interior design is known for being clean, simple, and elegant with an airy and bright feel. It emphasizes merging the inside and outside, in addition to utilizing natural materials and fibers to create a Mediterranean feel within your space. 

Wood Shutters by Graber

With so many elements of Grecian design gaining popularity (think of natural materials and blending outdoor/indoor spaces), it’s no surprise that this trending interior design aesthetic is seeing a resurgence in homes across the world. If you’re striving for the simple elegance achieved in Grecian design for your home, check out these three tips for incorporating this style into your space.

1. The Colors of Greece

Natural Drapes by Graber

It should come as no surprise that white and blue are the colors most commonly associated with Grecian design. Not only do the colors blue and white make up the Greek flag, but they also mark the cliffsides of the islands both in the homes themselves and in the environment. From the deep blue skies and oceans to the white puffy clouds that float overhead, white and blue are a combination well known to the Greeks. 

Design Sketch Matte/Satin Porcelain Tile by Emser

In your home, utilizing these colors can be as simple or complex as you wish it to be. If you’re looking to do a complete overhaul of your space, consider painting the walls white, adding in lighter-toned floors, and using blue as an accent color in things like furniture, linens, artwork, and other décor. If you’re looking for something more simple, skip painting the walls or installing new flooring and find ways to add in hints of blue and white through Greek-inspired decor. 

2. Natural Materials

Dabbieri Hickory Butter Hardwood

Natural materials play a large part in Grecian design. Traditionally, things like exposed stone, clay, wood, and natural linens were staples in a Greek household, though today even one or two of these elements are enough to create the Mediterranean feel you’re hoping for in your space. 

To achieve a Grecian look in your home, consider using things like lighter-toned natural wood, jute or rattan wicker furniture and accents, and natural, sheer fibers like linen and cotton. If you’re ready to take on a major project, consider adding in an exposed stone fireplace, wall, or floor using stone-appearing tiles or actual true stones. Less costly solutions include adding in clay pots, decorative stones, or other small décor items made of natural materials. 

Emser Tile 

3. Classic Grecian Décor 

Cellular Shades by Graber

The décor in Grecian design is just as important as the colors and materials that you use. The emphasis on the natural world continues into décor, as live plants and depictions of nature are especially utilized to create an open, natural elegance in your space. This also applies to natural materials like clay and terra cotta being used for décor, including pots and planters, statues and sculptures, and even classic white Grecian columns. 

To give your space the same classic, airy charm of a Grecian home, use plenty of plants and greenery, natural wood for furniture and décor, and of course, stick to the blue and white color scheme so prominent on the Mediterranean coast. 

3 Ways to Incorporate French Riviera Design into Your Home

The French Riviera has long inspired interior design and décor. From the sparkling blue of the ocean to the stark white homes dotting the seaside, this coastal paradise is the source of plenty of design inspiration. Like many trending design styles, French Riviera is marked by the merging of indoor and outdoor styles, and, of course, is inspired by the coastal landscape the area is known for. 

This trend can be broken down into three categories:

• Neo-Classical
• Contemporary 
• Mediterranean. 

All three of these styles share their ties to the French Riviera but each uses the elements a bit differently. To make it easier for you to bring coastal French charm into your home, we’ve compiled all three styles and offered our tips on how to incorporate them into your home design.

1. Neo-Classical

Biyork Flooring

Neo-Classical French Riviera design is likely what someone would picture if they were to think about Mediterranean-inspired interiors. This design style focuses on pale greys, blues, and of course, white. All about finding the balance between luxurious elements and décor, Neo-Classical emphasizes open-concept spaces. An easy way to add a Neo-Classical edge to your space is by adding smaller elements, like hanging artwork or gilded mirrors, that tie back to the classic coastal French Riviera feeling. 

This design trend also focuses heavily on dark woods, like ebony or mahogany, especially in furniture and flooring. Larger antique pieces, like dining tables, armoires, etc. are often a staple for true Neo-Classical design, however, smaller antique elements can also be a great way to freshen up your space without making any major changes. Neo-classical style can be summed up as the modern take on vintage French Riviera home design. 

2. Contemporary 

Contemporary French Riviera design combines elements from both modern and vintage Mediterranean home design. While much of the focus in Neo-classical design is on the furniture and décor, Contemporary design is more about the way that your space feels. Mirrors, windows, and the color white are most prominent in this style, as it makes spaces appear lighter and more open. Another reason windows and natural light are important facets of this design style is that they help accomplish the purpose of contemporary design, which is to merge not only vintage and modern but also the indoors and outdoors. 

With light and open space being two flagships of the Contemporary French Riviera design, it’s no surprise that this trend tends to lean more toward minimalism. Though, even within the minimalistic tendencies of this design, there are exceptions, the most important being plants and other natural greenery. Incorporating plants help create the feeling of a blurred line between indoors and outdoors that this design style strives for. 

3. Mediterranean

Emily Morrow Design 

As the culmination of the two previous styles, Mediterranean French Riviera interior design incorporates the best of both designs. The color palette still focuses heavily on the color white, but it also includes other neutral, earthy tones that offer a stunning contrast to monochromatic spaces. There is a focus on larger wood furniture pieces, but typically only one per room or space, as the rest of the décor is used to compliment the statement piece. From intricately carved fireplaces to dark wooden four-poster beds, the focus of your Mediterranean design is entirely up to you. 

Mediterranean style also leans heavily into the coastal feeling of the French Riviera itself, utilizing exposed stone, wood, and other natural elements to make your space feel like it belongs on the shores of the Riviera itself. To make it more your own, use rugs, curtains, and other textiles to add a pop of color. Beige-toned pinks and crystal blues are the perfect shades to bring in some color while also staying true to your coastal French Riviera design roots.