Classy Gaming Rooms

[nate1749]

I was looking at all the gaming rooms and I am extremely impressed by the size of a lot of the collections, but I am wondering if anyone has a setup that is more of a modern design.

What I mean is, it seemed that just about all the setups were shelves for systems and then shelves and shelves of games. And with no disrespect at all intended, but they often seemed cluttered and a bit messy.

Since I am moving into a condo soon I will not have the luxury of having a whole room dedicated to this (and my collection is very small) so I am looking for a presentable setup that will be in the family room. I only have about 4 consoles right now, but will eventually be expanding to about 10. I am thinking I will keep all the games in a bookcase type of arrangement in the closet and will try to do wireless controllers where I can. I am also going to ask a friend of mine whose an interior designest for ideas about this, but I thought I would check with the experts on here first.

You guys have to have some systems upstairs in the family rooms and I'm sure the wives don't tolerate a cluttered mess, so what does it look like?
Links to any pictures or websites of either your own setup or others would be great.

Nate

[MarioAllStar2600]

It depends on how big your collection is. I have a middle sized collection and it's hard to keep under control at time, a big one is very tough. Draws and shelves are the easy way to store the hundreds or thousands of games. Any other way it impracticle when you get a decent size collection going.

[Melf]

The second bedroom of my three bedroom home is my game room. Everything is nice and neat and my wife even sweeps and mops it for me!

I plan on constructing a 13' x13' room behind the garage, which will be my permanent game room. Wall-to-wall carpeting and air conditioning= no social life.

[Ed Oscuro]

Hmm, my collection sure wouldn't fit in this thread! Shoeboxes full of Genesis and SNES games...in fact, I've done much the same for most of my import collection (bought some cheap stackable plastic file cabinets for x68K games, and these are full) as my one shelf is already full. Well, anything beats stuff getting faded by sunlight.

[Flack]

If I just had four consoles, I'd stick them all under my entertainment center (possibly even hiding them behind a door or something). Most entertainment centers have shelves available directly under the television for the surround sound speaker. If I had just a few systems, I'd stick them there.

Nate, you pose a great question, but unfortunately I think you might be comparing apples and oranges. I'm sure a lot of us would do things differently if we only had 4 consoles hooked up instead of 40. I think many of the designs you see in the Rooms of Doom are a case of function over form. Another apple/orange comparison is the desire to hide your systems -- most of the Rooms of Doom are designed to do just the opposite -- to show off large collections! I think that's the reason for shelves versus tubs and covered cabinets.

If you come up with a way to store 20 full-size arcade videogames that will make my wife happy, do tell. I hear about it on at least a weekly basis.

[vintagegamecrazy]

I can't help you out too much, problem is, is that you get yourself situated and it's all set up nice and you outgrow it and need to rearrange it and it only gets worse. I have almost 50 game consoles and around 1800 games and I am running out of room in my bedroom.

[neuropolitique]

If you come up with a way to store 20 full-size arcade videogames that will make my wife happy, do tell. I hear about it on at least a weekly basis.

Flip away, James Bond style. When you enter the room you see a couch, table, etc. Then you flip a switch, everything flips up, into the wall, and the cabs come up from the floor. Everyone's happy.

I plan on hiding a lot of my collection. I have designed a drawer unit along minimalist lines. It'll cost a bit to build, but once it's done it will hold a ton of games. And it wil look cool to boot.

[charitycasegreg]

Check out these:

Alan D:
http://www.videogamecollectors.com/aland1sm.jpg http://www.videogamecollectors.com/aland3sm.jpg http://www.videogamecollectors.com/aland2sm.jpg


Sylentwulf: http://www.electricquarter.com/gameroom.htm

Goodwill hunter: http://www.videogamecollectors.com/bubik6sm.jpg

Atomicthumbs: http://www.videogamecollectors.com/atomicthumbs2sm.jpg
http://www.videogamecollectors.com/atomicthumbs3sm.jpg

[downfall]

I'm actually "remodeling" my game room if you will. New furniture, new paint job, new decor, etc.

I'm aiming for functionality and a modern design more so than anything. I can't afford to collect anymore like most of the rest of the DP members can, so I've decided I need to switch my focus from 90% collecting / 10% playing to more of the opposite - 90% playing / 10% collecting - thus the need for a functional, yet stylish and relaxing game room.

I'll most definitely post photos when I'm done, but it's been an ongoing process - I'd probably have to take some time off work and dedicate several days to finally complete it. But I'm going to be thrilled when it's done - I'll be so happy to have a room to watch movies, play games, and relax in instead of a room to hop over the piles and piles of games to squeeze into the computer desk.

[Cauterize]

Ill post my pics of my room tomorrow, i think its quite classy, not jsut a games room, also a bass guitar room, magnetic darts room and my bedroom!

[s1lence]

Yeah if ai had a good way to attach all the systems to the tv and store them at the same time I would have a clean gallery. But like flack said, I have 20 some systems hooked up at the same time, not 4. If I had none it would be easy to be clean.

[qbertandernie]

FLACK: i can talk to yuor wife...maybe shed like to store 15 or so of those in my basement!

[boatofcar]

I'm actually "remodeling" my game room if you will. New furniture, new paint job, new decor, etc.

I'm aiming for functionality and a modern design more so than anything. I can't afford to collect anymore like most of the rest of the DP members can, so I've decided I need to switch my focus from 90% collecting / 10% playing to more of the opposite - 90% playing / 10% collecting - thus the need for a functional, yet stylish and relaxing game room.

Hey downfall, I'm moving back to WV most likely in July, maybe to Winfield or Poca even. I'll be looking to buy a house, maybe you can give me some room of doom tips!

[Flack]

I think downfall's got another good point -- I know my RoD is constantly being "remodeled". The pictures of my gameroom show the last generation of shelves I owned which were replaced by the ones I have now which are about to be replaced. It seems like I'm always upgrading, redoing, or messing with stuff. And just when you get everything perfectly situated, you end up buying something that won't fit.

[ManciGames]

I was looking at all the gaming rooms and I am extremely impressed by the size of a lot of the collections, but I am wondering if anyone has a setup that is more of a modern design.

What I mean is, it seemed that just about all the setups were shelves for systems and then shelves and shelves of games. And with no disrespect at all intended, but they often seemed cluttered and a bit messy.

Nate

I don't think there is a way to display any type of large collection. Forgive me, but every single "collection pic" that I've ever seen looks like crap. "Cluttered and a bit messy" is an understatement. The weird thing is that it could be the most tidy setup ever, and it still looks like a confetti bag exploded.

After pondering this question for about 10 years, I finally decided to pack all that video game and Star Wars stuff away and just display a couple of really cool pieces in a classy way.

For example, I've got a piece of the actual model used to make the Death Star in A New Hope. I now have it in an acrylic case with a little metal badge that says "Death Star - Episode IV". It looks really cool and sits on our bookcase.

Video game-wise, I just took a couple of my favorites (Panzer Dragoon Saga and Phantasy Star) and had them framed. They hang on the wall in my office next to a framed copy of Issue 1 of Manci Games (wink, wink) and look really nice.

In short, I think the only reasonable way to display a video game collection in a "classy way" is on a very small scale. Once you start lining shelves with 'em, they start to look like a landfill. So, put a couple out and put the rest in crates, or relegate them to some obscure corner of your house that not many people see. Just make sure that you still have easy access to that corner so you can still wow your semi-interested friends with when they come over.

[nate1749]

Thanks for the pictures and links (I want that mame cabinet!) and I guess you're right, most people are trying to show them off and not hide them. I know that the minimialist approach is best and that is the style of the condo so I will be keeping just about all the games in cases and shelves in a closet. I'm envisioning pull-down type drawers (think mailbox door) rather that ones that open up, and once you pull it down wa-la a console is there. Having the option of course to close (push up) all the pull downs so that no system is shown.

"every single "collection pic" that I've ever seen looks like crap," well yeah I could agree with that, but I'm new to this board and not trying to cause any conflict. I guess what I'm looking for is how a female would set this up in her family room.

I still have hope though. In my little 2-door g35 I have seen people squeeze a multiple systems (xbox and ps2) all in the car and include 4 tvs and an awesome sound system, while still maintaining a very classy and presentable setup. Video game systems and their wires are just ugly, the ability to hide them is crucial. The guy who has the shelves lined out with each system on paper is a neat idea, I think that type of thing (on a much smaller basis) with doors that close is what I'm going for. Please keep the pics and links coming, thanks!

For those interested these condo links are below are type of feel that I'm interested in. BTW, I'm a young bachelor, so showing off an elaborate video game collection is not exactly what I'm aiming for.
http://www.realtor.com/Prop/1042157660
http://www.realtor.com/Prop/1040286871

Nate

[Flack]

If you are looking at those condos (especially the second one) then you are a young RICH bachelor and the ladies in your life will not care about your game collection when they see your bankroll.

God I love living in the midwest. Cost of living =

[Chunky]

God I love living in the midwest. Cost of living =

boooo, chicago is kinda the midwest, but everything in the city is going higher, my dad sold my grandmothers 2 story in 90-91 i think for 160. It was resold this year for 1.1 i mean chicagos gone nuts in 15 years.

i still perfer to escape to the suburbs, howevers it's not much cheaper.

[mr_jiggles_13]

man, my parents paid maybe 220 k on our house and tackle shop(very big when combined all together) invest in something like that, not a CONDO!

i agree about living in the midwest though(well atleast the non insanely populated sections) it is cheap, very laid back too.

[Flack]

1.1 million?

I just checked realtor.com. For $1.1 million here you can get this house, 10,000+ square foot sitting on 16 acres.

Link