From gathering and great rooms to old school play or rumpus rooms, the standard rec room vibe — casual, easy and a place to have fun and unwind — is still premium real estate in the home floor plan.
Whether you enjoy table, board, card or video games consider adding comfy casual furnishings, inviting décor and easy accessibility during a room refresh redesign or new build for this essential kick-back space.
Whatever you call it, this space in the home is family-friendly and the top spot to relax, unwind and have fun. From great to gathering, family to rec, these are different words for the same dedicated use.
“We’ve seen the great room, gathering room and family room replace the ‘rec room’ in conversations. It’s really where the family hangs,” said Jaimie Meehan, a Realtor at Melissa Healy Group at Keller Williams Real Estate in Doylestown.
Leigh Nunno, a Realtor and associate broker at the same firm, said the language has changed and few clients continue to refer to the casual space as a rec room.
“The space may be located at the back of the home” away from more public spaces, she said.
As kitchens enlarge to embrace more uses, a gathering room is often incorporated into the footprint.
“About 95% of clients are using a part of an open kitchen or placing space in a great room or open area,” she said.
Having a fun space — for entertaining, casual company, family fun and rainy day activities — is a plus for everyone, according to Houzz.com.
A table tennis or pool table, TV or gaming console consider who is using the space, what their needs and wish-list wants are and incorporate soft portable furnishings that can be moved around, the website said.
“In a great room, you might be looking for space for the kid table, crafts or whatever they enjoy,” Meehan said.
If there’s room in the home to carve out a fun, relaxed hideaway think about how you want it to look, feel and be used.
If you are considering an addition — and a gathering or rec space is part of the plan — John Gemmi, owner of Gemmi Construction Inc. in Buckingham offers some tips.
Gemmi said many clients incorporate a rec room addition when they’re doing a kitchen renovation.
“The kitchen renovation usually spurs [changes to] the rest of the first floor,” Gemmi said.
Think about continuity of flooring, trim and molding, as well as how traffic will flow from one room to the next.
“I encourage clients to think about all the other rooms” when we do a kitchen, Gemmi said.
Simply updating or amending a little-used feature can be transformational.
That approach could mean updating a fireplace surround, installing a new fireplace or other heating appliance or swapping room features.
For one client, Gemmi removed rarely used sliding doors and created a window seat with room for storage and a cushion to create a reading spot.
“We bumped out the space where the doors were and pushed it out from the family room,” he explained.
The bench seating doubled as storage for games, blankets and extra pillows as well as a cozy nook to read or hang out.
Because there was no need for a foundation, construction costs were kept in check. The exterior included a metal roof and siding to echo the panel look.
“It did not encroach on the existing living room, and it changed the look and feel of the room. In fact, it’s the focal point of the space now,” Gemmi said.
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