So here’s something exciting: In just over a week, Shane and I are getting the keys to our house!
It’s hard to believe it’s so close, honestly. And it’s a little scary too, because for almost two months, I’ve been completely absorbed in the practicalities of buying a house for the first time. It’s been way more phone calls than I ever thought my introverted self would want to do, and it hasn’t left me much energy for anything else.
Now, though, with eight days to go (not that I’m counting), and all but our final signing appointment done, I’ve been finding myself starting to pack. And as I discover more and more things I forgot we had, like long-lost controller collections and games, I’ve been trying to think of ways to fit them into our new home!
After all, we’ve been pretty restricted in what we could do in our rental—so I’m really excited about creating a fun gamer space for ourselves that still has my signature style.
So today, I figured I’d share a few of the ideas I’ve come up with so far, and maybe they’ll inspire you too!
Controller displays
We have a massive collection of controllers, but we’ve never really had the space to display them. We usually only have two or three out at a time, and the rest get tucked into a box under the coffee table.
As I was wandering around Ikea’s website one day, though, I happened upon these shelves.
Normally, they hold picture frames, but I thought they’d be the perfect design and size to hold a row of controllers, too. It’s not the most conventional idea, but it definitely fits how I’d normally design something, and it gives us a way to show off our collection. If you look closely at the image for this post, you can see what I had in mind, too!
Better game storage
One of the things that comes with a small apartment is that you have to be really smart about your storage space. And if I’m being entirely honest, that’s not a skill I have.
It’s gotten to the point that we keep games in a few different places around the apartment, and we even have a few duplicate copies that I didn’t know we had!
So as I was wandering around and collecting all our stray games, I was thinking about what we could do to store them better. I’ve always loved how people on Instagram use bookcases for games, but the more I thought about that, the more I realized it would use up a lot of wall space that I’m not sure we’ll have.
Instead, I love the idea of reusing existing space—so I’m hooked on the idea of a TV bench like this one, which will both give us many drawers for game storage, and also let me sort games into the drawers so they’re below their associated consoles!
A new command centre
Finding space for our computer desks has always been a bit of a challenge in our tiny living room. We used to have them on opposite walls just because that was the most readily available space when Shane moved in, but when we redesigned based on my Sims 4 build, we moved them to be side-by-side under the window.
Since then, we’ve loved having our PCs next to each other! It makes playing things like FFXIV and League of Legends so much easier.
Eventually, our plan is to tear out our house’s existing basement so we can build a gaming den down there, and when we do that, we’re going to build our desks right in just like this—so we can always play together.
And well, the rest of the gaming den
I’ll be honest, we have a lot of ideas for the basement, and all of them involve turning it into an epic gaming room. We still have to figure out specifics, but there’s one display at our local Ikea that I think is pretty much exactly what we want to do.
Of course, I’m silly and never bothered to take a picture of it, but I can still picture it perfectly in my mind. Along with a cute little bar area (which of course I’m sure we’ll want to put in), it had a large TV with a little TV beside it so we could both use different ones at the same time, and one of those sectional couches with an ottoman that slides in so it basically becomes a couch-bed.
Because with that, why would I ever want to game anywhere else?
YOUR TURN
7 thoughts on “Sense and possibility: Planning for our dream gaming space”
I really want a gaming den but we’re only moving to a 2 bedroom from a 1 bedroom soon. I am thinking of ways to make it my dream office!
Ohhh that’s so exciting! I love that idea so much, what are you hoping to do with it? 🙂
I’m honestly not sure yet lol! I know half will be my office and the other half will be the kiddo’s play room 🙂
Awh I love that! It’ll be like her little office too! I can’t wait to see what you do with it 😊
I’m hoping to vlog the whole thing but I get so awkward when I don’t know what to say lol
that is so exciting! im going to move out soon too <3 im actually joining giveaways and hopefuly i win a computer and gaming gear lol!
Thank you!! And congrats, that’s so exciting for you too 😊 That’s such a good idea, hopefully you do, that would be so exciting to have for your new place!!