Game Room Lighting

Game Room Lighting Design

If you’ve ever spent time thinking about your dream home, you have probably considered having a dedicated entertainment or game room. This could include a pool table, arcade games, wet bar, large TV, and more fun and exciting ways to spend your free hours. If you are considering adding a game or entertainment room to your house, or you are working to improve your current setup, the team at Southern Lights in Minnesota is here to help! We have lighting fixtures that will help to accentuate every element of the room as well as make for a cozy and inviting space if you want to just relax and watch a movie or show. Visit our showroom in Burnsville or shop our full online catalog today to discover the best lighting options for your game room.

When you are creating the lightscape for your game room, you’ll need to consider the three main elements of lighting:

• Ambient

• Accent

• Task

The Elements of Lighting

To better understand how the lighting in your game room can come together, it is important to know how the three elements of lighting work together to create the right mood and energy in the room. The first type of lighting to consider is ambient lighting. This will be the main source of light for your room, and it will generally be the largest fixture in the space. If you have enough ceiling space, this could include a hanging chandelier, hanging pendants, or a fan with lighting on it. However, if your game room is in a basement or other area of the home that doesn’t have large enough ceilings, you will need to consider fixtures like recessed lighting or flush wall fixtures to provide your ambient light.

The second element of lighting is accent lighting. For accent lighting, the main goal is to highlight and bring attention to details throughout the room. For instance, if you have collectibles on shelves or posters on the walls, accent lighting will be perfect to draw attention and create a warmer environment. Some great sources of accent lighting are wall sconces, directional recessed lighting, or LED strips. In some cases, if you want a more relaxed feeling in the room, you can choose to only turn on your accent lighting and leave your ambient fixtures off too!

The final element of lighting is task lighting. These bright lights are designed to provide extra illumination as you are working on projects or playing games. If you have a table in your game room that is set apart for board games or puzzles, having a bright lamp or overhead lighting specifically for that area will be helpful so you can easily see what is happening without many shadows.

All three of these elements will work together to make your game room perfect, and depending on the size and layout of your room you may not necessarily use all three. At Southern Lights, we have a huge selection of lighting options that will fit in any game room and make your space look its best, no matter what your design scheme is!

Below we will discuss some of the main elements that could be present in your space and look at the best ways to light them so that you, your family, and your guests can always enjoy a fun and relaxing time when you spend time in your luxurious game or entertainment room.

Lighting The Pool table

No game room is truly complete without a pool table. Not only is it a fashionable centerpiece for many game rooms, but it also can provide unending hours of entertainment as you try to best your friends or your own personal scores. When you are lighting the table, considering island fixtures will be your best bet. If you want a traditional styled billiards light, the team at Southern Lights can help. However, many are opting for more modern looks for updated game rooms. These can include simple square fixtures or hanging pendant lighting. If this will be the main source of light in your room, you will want to make sure that it is large enough and bright enough to illuminate the space.

If pool isn’t your game, but you choose another game table, most of the same rules will apply. There are a few exceptions though. For instance, if you choose a game like ping-pong or anything else that needs a bit more headroom, it might be wisest to choose recessed or flush lighting that will give you enough space to play without worrying about hitting the light hanging over the table.

Bar Lighting

What better way to relax and socialize than with a small bar and seating area? You may have seen large, extravagant bars in catalogs or at a friend’s home, but even small bars with a couple stools can make a huge impact on the game room. If you have space for a little table by your bar, consider adding a table lamp or fixture above it so that it provides a nice place to chat. You will also want to consider accent lighting like LED strips or light panels that will allow you to mix drinks and socialize. If you have shelving for your bottles or snacks, you can light them in a variety of ways that will accentuate the beauty of the bar area. Not sure where to start? The lighting experts at our Burnsville showroom are always happy to help you create the best bar area possible! Visit us today to learn more and view a huge selection of lighting options.

Arcade Lighting

Have you recreated your childhood favorites with a fun arcade section? Or have you modernized your setup with a large multi-game cabinet? Either way, you’ll want to make sure that your game room lighting accommodates your arcade section without creating a glare on the screen as you’re working to achieve a new high score. One great way to achieve high-quality lighting for your arcade cabinets is with wall sconces. These can be placed in between cabinets if you have multiple games, or simply on either side if you have a sole cabinet. Placing them slightly above eye level will allow you to have optimal lighting without it getting in your face or shining off of the screen while you are playing. You could also utilize lamps, which would achieve the same goal and may fit your overall room design better.

Home Theater Lighting

Oftentimes, the focal point of a game room is the entertainment center. While you may still have your arcade cabinets against the wall or a pool table behind the couch, having a huge TV to watch movies, shows, or play video games on will be important. Depending on the general usage of the TV, you will need to make sure that your lighting is not only comfortable, but also functional.

Firstly, you’ll want to avoid glare on the screen, so you generally won’t want to have hanging fixtures on in the center of the room. An alternative is recessed lighting, as it usually will not make a glare, but will still give you plenty of light if you end up playing a game or simply chatting instead of watching television.

You will likely have a central table between you and the TV, or you may have end tables on either side of the couch. Using table lamps or standing lamps is a great choice for these spots. You can turn them on if you need to see your snacks or beverages, or leave them off if you want to create a movie theater-like atmosphere.

Lighting Controls

Since the game room will likely have various different fixtures, areas, and purposes, you’ll definitely want robust lighting controls that will allow you to enjoy each activity to its fullest. Having separate switches for your pool table light, the sconces between your arcade cabinets, and the recessed lighting in the entertainment area will let you take advantage of each individually. Having these lights on dimmer switches is also a great idea so you can set the mood or turn multiple sets on at once without feeling overpowered.

If you want even further control, consider bulbs or fixtures that can be operated with smart lighting controls. This will allow you greater control, and you will be able to operate each light with your smartphone or other connected device! With smart controls, you can program lighting scenes, dim lights, or even sync your lights to your entertainment system. You can then control them with your phone, a wall panel, or sometimes through voice controls.