Entertainment Rooms Are In, But These Updates Keep It Fresh

There are many rooms in your home that serve as spots for comfort and socialization. Your kitchen is the place where you mingle while making dinner, and your living room is a casual area that is perfect for entertaining guests. When it comes to your entertainment room, it's designed for connection, relaxation, and enjoying your leisure activities — from home theaters to lounge and bar areas to gaming setups. But as design trends and technology evolve, designing the perfect entertainment space can be particularly challenging to keep up with architecturally, especially if you have outdated furniture or design features. To avoid dating your space, you may want to consider elevating components in your entertainment room so that it's more than just functional, but architecturally modern, too.

It's not unusual to have bulky, outdated furniture in your entertainment room. The DVD player and surround sound system in your home theater were once all the rage, after all! But to keep it fresh, you'll need to part ways with certain pieces and styling choices and replace them with modern features.

Since the purpose of entertainment rooms can vary depending on the interests of the household, to modernize it, you need to identify what the space will be used primarily for. Will it be a home theater? If so, a modern home theater should sport simple and sleek features, such as clean lines, neutral tones, and space-efficient furniture. You can do this by integrating speakers seamlessly into your entertainment room, mounting a flat-screen TV or projector, and using subtle and sleek lighting. Further enhance your cinema experience with mood lighting, smart controls, and high-tech sofas.

If you prefer your entertainment room to be a lounge or bar area, remember that with modern design, function is everything. Since relaxation and socialization are the focal point in this case, prioritize contemporary seating that ensures comfort while still delivering on style. This can be done by using natural materials, such as wood paneling behind the bar, paired with contemporary swivel bar stools. You may opt for upholstered chaise lounges or large sleeper sofas for optimal comfort.

Maybe you want to devote your entertainment room to enjoying other recreational activities like billiards, video games, or board games. In that case, consider incorporating furniture with hidden storage, where you can store your games and consoles, or even a TV lift console. These furniture pieces can provide the simple and clean design element popular in modern architecture.

Although they've served their purpose in the past, certain furniture pieces and styling choices should be retired if you want to execute a modern entertainment room. For example, clunky seating and large entertainment centers designed to fit old CRT TVs can date your entertainment room. This is because these kinds of furniture were utilized for their function without much thought for aesthetics. Instead, consider contemporary pieces, such as sleek media consoles to upgrade the overall vibe, as well as modular sofas and an accent chair alternative to replace your clunky recliner. 

Another thing to consider when modernizing your entertainment room is the color. When upgrading your furniture, steer clear of incorporating stark whites or millennial gray furniture and upholstery that could lend a sterile and dull look to your space. Similarly, busy patterns and ornate designs can date your entertainment room. Opt for neutral tones instead to maintain a contemporary style and provide a flexible base for your decor ideas.