The popularity and necessity for basements has risen through the ranks as they have slowly transitioned from storage for old cardboard boxes to family rooms and entertainment centers.
If you’re one of those people wanting to clear out your basement and make room for fun-filled movie and video-game nights, here’s how to go about it:
Plan Ahead
Before you turn the place around, you need to have a clear-cut budget in mind and how overboard you’re willing to go.
A common mistake you should avoid is not knowing the maximum space available and packing the place with appliances. Home entertainment centers are a great way to bring all of your home entertainment needs together in one place. It maximizes the space in your home, allowing you to make the most of the area you have. Keep a certain number of people in mind, and make space by adding dividers or remodeling if the budget allows. Moreover, having a small bathroom and drawers for storage is often a must for more than three occupants.
Overall, remember that an entertainment system is only fun when it puts comfort above all, so make sure to leave enough floor clearance to avoid a cramped setup.
The Right Setting
Decor can often make or break a room, therefore, choose wisely. The room’s color can significantly affect your viewing experience, so matte ones that don’t interfere with the light are best. Black and gray tones can also make the place feel more spacious.
Darker curtains make the room feel cozier, but it is best to go with light breezy ones if your basement is stuffy. If you are using the basement for music, color won’t be a problem, but adding a carpet will improve sound quality. For lighting, dim adjustable ceiling ones are your best option, along with a few lampshades towards the back.
In the end, decorations are still totally up to you, your creative freedom, and how you want the room to feel like.
Comfortable Seating is a Must
No matter how big the screen or how brilliant the sound system, an entertainment center is incomplete without comfortable seating. It should be such that everyone can view the screen without changing their positions or sitting uneasily until their foot falls asleep.
A set of lazy chairs is a good option for comfort, but they block out most people’s views when you have more company. All your seating problems, however, can be solved by a sectional sofa. You can look into classic, smooth leather or fancier, plush velvet according to your taste.
Choosing the Perfect System and Games
The last step is one you don’t want to rush into; setting up the entertainment system and choosing your favorite table games. This is the time to bring out the kids, decide on a sound system to reach all corners of the room, and install smart home devices if you prefer them.
Usually, a simple LED and a high-quality speaker in a home theatre should be enough, but a projector could give the perfect cinema experience. Loudspeakers, subwoofers, and soundbars are great for a more music-oriented setting. One can save space with Bluetooth speakers that also prevent the hassle of detangling a mess of wires. For video gaming, HDMI Ethernet cables are also needed for setup and connectivity.
No entertainment center is complete without at least one table game, eg. a ping pong table or an air hockey table. If you’re limited on space and don’t want to limit yourself by just one game you can also pick a table with multiple games included.
Another great addition to an entertainment center is a cocktail arcade machine. These stylish machines will hold your drinks but also come equipped with with hundreds of old arcade games like Pac-man, Frogger, Donkey Kong and many more.
After all the right placements, you will want to leave some space for storing cables, DVDs, or older cassette tapes. Thus, getting a few cabinets or bins for the sake of organization is the right decision.
Conclusion
After you’ve worked on it for quite a while and achieved the desired results, you should know that no matter the quality of sound or the size of your screen only family and the happy moments spent in the room will truly turn your ordinary basement into a beautiful entertainment center.
