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.