Around 211 million people in America play games on at least one device, with more than one using multiple platforms, according to research by Electronic Entertainment Design and Research. With multiplayer online games lasting for hours and millions of people dedicating their free time to watching others play, it has become clear that gaming is an important part of everyday life – meriting its place in our home design. Interior designers and aficionados alike are incorporating new features into their gaming space, highlighting the importance of ‘design for life’, even in entertainment-centered areas like games rooms. What are these new features, and how can you incorporate them into your home?
Outdoor Gaming Frenzy
American homes are shrinking, with Business Insider noting that the average size of lots for new homes has fallen to the lowest in 39 years. Less available land, cost of building, and higher salaries for construction workers are just a few factors that have led to a desire for smaller homes. Gamers who lack interior space are turning to one important space that was once overlooked: the backyard! Those with larger budgets are opting for home extensions with glass and other materials that let in floods of natural light. Meanwhile, those on a budget are opting for stand-alone structures, which they can make themselves using log cabin kits and other DIY products. Outdoor structures can help reduce lighting costs while taking advantage of views out to nature – something that the millennial generation is embracing with enthusiasm.
Eco Friendly Gaming
Green buildings are increasingly growing in popularity, with developers and individuals alike seeking sustainable means for features like furniture, lighting and flooring. The trend is catching on in contemporary gaming rooms, which are being built with the design for life concept in mind. For instance, a gaming room may be used for this purpose for a limited time period. Features such as walls that can be modified (when the room is no longer needed for gaming), modular flooring (which allows individual components to be replaced rather than the entire flooring), and modular furniture that can easily be repositioned are growing in popularity.
From Futuristic To Naturalistic
Gaming rooms are commonly associated with futuristic elements such as LED lighting in colors like green, pink, or purple; minimalistic or geometric furniture; and masculine designs. These days, the desire to marry the human passion for technology with our inner need for natural connection has led to a preference for warm, cosy interiors in which elements such as natural wood, natural lighting, and sustainable furniture hold sway. Materials such as bamboo and cork or natural fiber carpets made in cotton, sisal, or wool are married to other wooden features in main gaming tables, shelves and stone fireplaces.
Gaming rooms in the new millennium are far less ‘alien’ and considerably more eco-friendly than in the past. Searching for sustainable energy solutions and lighting, they reflect the gamer’s desire for balance between technology and nature. From playing in the Great Outdoors in one’s own wooden cabin to filling interiors with plants, sustainable wood flooring and furniture, and eco-friendly fabrics, gaming rooms are a testimony to the millennial interest in environmentally sound living practices.
