If you have spare space in your garden that you want to turn into a peaceful home away from home, a garden annexe is often an excellent way to build a beautiful area to entertain, to relax, or even to house friends and family.
Whatever your needs, our garden room designer will help you develop the perfect place, whether you want somewhere your older relatives can stay where you can take care of them, or a place where you and your friends can relax and unwind without worrying too much about disturbing anyone in the house.
Of the many ways you can make your garden room your own, turning your annexe into a games room is one of the more unique and appealing options, particularly for families and households with wildly different interests.
Most of the time, a garden room is used for crafts, yoga, home gyms, home offices and other uses where the garden’s peace and tranquillity is a major advantage.
However, can the opposite sometimes be the case? Could a games room in the garden be the best choice for you? Here are some of the questions to ask yourself that may shape the design and layout of your garden room.
Do You Need A Separate Room For Gaming?
There is typically a point where a pastime becomes a hobby, and then another point where a hobby becomes a lifestyle. With gaming, you will generally reach that point when your existing rooms no longer meet your gaming needs.
If your games night supplies consist of a dining room table, a box of board games and a games console in a cabinet or on a shelf connected to a TV, a games room of any kind may not be necessary.
Many people have a living room, a dining room or a media room that acts as a gaming room, whilst others use a study or even a bedroom for the same purpose, particularly if they prefer to play in relative solitude.
However, if you are struggling to keep all of your gaming equipment in one place, you are a collector, you host regular games nights, or you have some particularly large pieces of gaming equipment such as an arcade machine or pool table, you probably need a separate games room.
If you have a room in your house that you are not using to its fullest, it could be suitable as a games room, as could a loft conversion depending on exactly how heavy your equipment is.
Do You Have Enough Room In Your House?
If you need a games room, what are your options? This can largely depend on the size of your house, how many people you have in it, how much room you need and whether you have the space to spare.
If you host a regular board gaming night, for example, you need space for a table, chairs, storage and display space for board games, dice, and other equipment, as well as a few comforts and amenities such as a TV and/or a sound system for playing music.
Sometimes you can make a room fit your needs, such as a study or a home office, but if gaming is a serious hobby, it deserves to be treated like any other hobby.
If it was, for example, arts, crafts, modelmaking or woodworking, most people taking the hobby seriously would develop a space designed so they can comfortably and peacefully make the most of their pastime.
You should think of gaming in the same way, and if you do not have the space in your house, it might be worth using a garden room for the purpose.
Should You Use A Garden Room For Your Games Room?
Traditionally, garden rooms are used as a quiet space, as their physical distance from a house makes it perfect if you need some time away from the hustle and bustle.
Whilst this is not a wrong approach, a games room can sometimes benefit from the exact opposite approach, as it allows friends to play for longer and socialise without disturbing the rest of the house.
The combination of distance and strong insulation means that boisterous conversation, music and attract mode sound effects do not carry to the rest of the house, and the separation means that guests can enter and leave without having to necessarily walk through your home.
This, alongside having more space for arcade cabinets, games consoles and decorations, makes a garden room a perfect place to host an amazing games night.