Epic Game Rooms From Designers That Will Bring Out Your Competitive Streak (2024)

A brick or stone tile floor makes for a durable (read: dependable!) material in a high-traffic game room, especially if you entertain regularly. In this game room designed by April Tomlin, the materials complement he neutral tones in the elevated pool table. If you're weighing your options between a second parlor room or a basem*nt, just think about how precious you want your game room to be and go from there.

Break the room up into zones so it can accommodate different types of activities. In this lowkey family game room designed by Regan Baker, there's a bistro table for card and board games, but a comfy sofa and built-in shelves also make it a great room for reading and relaxing.

Instead of tossing old board games, frame them and hang them on the walls. It's the perfect way to spruce up blank walls in a fun-centric space, like this one by Jae Joo. Plus, it proves that you don't have to even have an entire room to designate to a foosball table—just use an empty hallway or landing.

Set up a keyboard for live tunes (and lessons). But really, if anyone in your household is learning how to play the keys, there's no better room in the house to accommodate that than the game room or an informal sitting room dedicated to fun, connection, and creativity. We're loving how Augusta Hoffman brought the music motif to the walls while still maintaining the room's elegance with photographed prints.

Two comfy sofas face each other for easy conversation and competitive team games in this family room designed by Rachel Barrett. Use vintage trunks to store games in a playful way!

Our list is chock-full of classic indoor game room ideas, but we'd be remiss not to include some fun outdoor setups to inspire your own backyard fun, too. This skate ramp and treehouse area designed by Cuff Home on a Los Angeles property allows the kids to enjoy the fresh air while engaging in a thrilling activity with their friends.

The custom black Riley England pool table in this room by Greg Natale has convenient under-table storage for all the cues. Not to mention, the bar across from it makes it an ideal hangout space.

Kirsten Krason, cofounder of House of Jade Interiors, selected a table by HD Buttercup with a net made of handstitched leather. “The kitchenette against the back wall has storage for snacks, drinks, and extra balls,” she says.

For added functionality in this home lounge, LH.Designs owner Linda Hayslett customized a table with sides that fold down and legs that lower and raise; it can go from low coffee table to seat-height card table in seconds.

The built-in sofa in this game room allows Foosball players to take a quick break between rounds, and for any visiting parties to comfortably enjoy a front row seat as the action unfolds.

Fitz Pullins designed this natural light-filled room for his husband and stepdaughter, who love to play chess. So how do they keep it tidy? “We have an acrylic trunk that stores all our games,” he says. He also livened it up with a neon sign!

Monochromatic floor-to-ceiling shelves display decor and hold essentials in this game room designed by Nina Magon, while soft surfaces welcome everyone. “The parents use it for entertaining and for their young child to play in,” she says.

When a full bar isn't an option, just take over a corner. This sleek monochromatic game room in the home of CB2 president Ryan Turf and his wife, Jessica, of Turf Design, pulls out all the stops. Though the main attraction is the pool table, the pedestal table and sitting area on the periphery make this the perfect place for a nightcap, too.

There's cool playrooms and then there's this playroom designed by Studio DB. What could be a better game room addition than a twisty slide? When it's too cold to go to the park during the winter, your kids will still be able to slide all day long. Plus, it's visually unexpected, which gives the room an edge. See you later, Six Flags.

A game room isn't complete without instruments, and if you can fit a grand piano in yours, then all the better. Take notes from this space designed by Peti Lau for a musician. The Yamaha grand piano anchors the room and sets the stage for the other instruments and music memorabilia lining the shelves.

Interior designer Michelle Gage is here to remind us that shuffleboard is the perhaps the best (and also most underrated) bar game there is. Who wants to play pool anyway?

If you have less space to work with or you fancy a more cerebral kind of game corner, create a stylish nook for chess matches. Studio Ashby paired kooky, psychedelic fabric with a graphic chess table.

If you don't have enough room to build a slide, opt for an indoor swing instead. It'll make the playroom feel more personalized and unique. Plus, the swing set is always our first stop at the park anyway. This furry one by Studio DB makes it extra cozy. And if your kids have a swing to practice pumping their legs on, you can sit back and relax at the playground instead of pushing them.

In this billiard room designed by Heather Hilliard, there's something for everyone to do. Whether it's hanging out on the sofa with a good book or for family movie night, playing squash (yes, that's a home squash court behind that glass in the corner), or playing pool, this is the ultimate hang-out space.

We love how this console table in a space designed by Katherine Carter is decked out in old-school arcade games instead of traditional décor. Bring it to the next level with a pinball machine in your game room. Make it a coin-operated one if your neighbors start coming over to play too often.