• Make it more environmentally friendly. Nowadays there are so many appliances and power resources that use alternative energy – not only are they good for the environment, but they’re also cost effective.
• Save the hassle and expense of moving. One of the biggest stresses in life is the process of moving homes, so why do it if you can avoid it? Use the money instead to invest on improving on what you already have and save the bother of paying agent commissions and legal fees.
• Restore a house of character. If your home was built or designed in a particular or historic way, why not do a little research on how you can bring out those hidden corners or hallways to make your abode truly stand out? Although old houses can be more of a challenge to renovate, many architects or interior design firms now have techniques of blending the modern with the classic in order to combine efficiency with old-fashioned style.
• Prepare for retirement. Your kids have flown the nest and you’re counting down the days to your first pension. Don’t wait until it’s too late to make your house the perfect spot to put your feet up and count all those blessings you’ve worked so hard for. Install safe and easy to use features and make accident-prone areas like kitchens or bathrooms more secure and stable.
• Raise the value. Thinking of upping sticks and selling? You can increase your sales potential with a coat of paint here and a few upgrades there. We advise silencing any creaky windows, looking into what style is currently popular out there and consulting some property agents for advice.
• Better your lifestyle. As the saying goes, home is where the heart is. It’s the place that’s supposed to give you comfort and happiness and a refuge from the outside world.
• Give it a face-lift. It’s time to throw away that sofa that the cats have been scratching away at for years now, and invest in a nice comfortable Lawson or Mid Century Modern. Maybe put down some parquet in the master bedroom too…

1. Shoot for the Stars

This project is large and ambitious, so if you’re going to take it on, you should be ready to go all the way. Think hard about what games you’ve always wanted to have access to in your home and start there. Play a lot of pool? Get a luxury pool table. Love board games? Get a set of bookcases for them and a large table to play them on. Prefer multiplayer video games? Make your big-screen TV the focus of the room. Start your plans with these initial big ideas and build on them from there; it’ll give your design more energy and direction.

2. Keep Things Consistent

A game room is for fun, sure, but that doesn’t mean you should just put whatever looks fun in there. A room that’s styled after an old-fashioned gaming parlor would look strange with a random arcade console in the corner, and the same goes for a fully-built retro arcade with a felt-topped card table in the middle of it. That’s not to say you can’t have varied tastes – just try and make sure you actually include a true variety of games that doesn’t leave any one selection standing out too much.

3. Always Keep Space in Mind

It might be tempting to cram as many games as possible into your new game room, but there are some considerations involved in working with a physical space that might slip your mind. If you’re a fan of one of the many online versions of roulette, for example, you might forget that playing the game in real life often involves a small crowd of people huddling around a table that is quite large on its own. To include a game like this in your room design, you’ll need to reserve a lot of floor space. Not every game will require quite as much room, but most should have some extra space reserved for them beyond what the actual apparatus requires. These three fundamentals will help you construct a fun, attractive and useable game room that you’ll be able to enjoy for years to come.

Why renovate?

In 2018 the average semi-detached house cost £225,000 to buy. With the cost of buying (including fees and taxes) being so much higher than the average salary, it has become increasingly important to find ways of utilising the space already available to you in either your own property or a family home. Here are just some way to make the most of your current space by renovating and using your basement or even your garage.

A separate utility room

While we don’t advocate putting a child’s bedroom in either a basement or a garage, this space is still valuable and if renovated properly can add thousands to the value of your home. Both can be insulated, painted, and generally brightened up to create a hidden utility room. The benefit of this is that any children are unlikely to go near dangerous laundry powders, tablets and equipment as they would be kept separate from play areas. A separate utility area also frees up space in the kitchen or hallway to add extra storage for home supplies and toy boxes. Just make sure that the ventilation is checked and up to spec before going for it.

Gym

A home gym is a useful room and can make use of any leftover floor space in your new utility room basement. Particularly for stay at home mums and dads, this provides the opportunity to work out whilst the kids are napping or even to encourage children to consider exercise as an enjoyable and useful hobby. It also saves money on expensive membership fees.

Hobby room

By renovating your basement you can add a hobby room to your house which can be used for anything from your very own mini-casino for friendly nights with poker to a painting studio or a games room. Through soundproofing, a basement or garage also becomes the perfect space for a music practice room.