How to Transform your Bonus Room to a Game Room
We are participating in the One Room Challenge, making over our bonus room! See the before and find out what we’re hoping to accomplish with the makeover.
Bonus Room Make-over Ideas
Wednesday was the first official day of Calling it Home’s Fall edition of the One Room Challenge. What’s the One Room Challenge, or ORC, as it’s affectionately called by us DIY bloggers? The ORC, a twice-a-year event, is a gathering together of 20 insanely talented bloggers who each commit to transforming one room in six short weeks. Crazy, right? But oh so fun! There is a linking participant event every Thursday for the next six weeks to include those of us not in the 20 group. That’s where I come in!
If you’re visiting from Calling it Home, it’s so great to meet you! My small family of seven (ha!) moved into this house about nine years ago. The first few years we spent most of our time keeping everyone alive – five is a fair number of kids. After being relatively satisfied with that, we decided to tackle a few DIY projects. Since then, little by little, we’ve been making this home truly our own! I hope you’ll stay and look around. Here are a few things to get you started:
This being my second ORC, I can tell you it is the most excruciating, equally frustrating and exhilarating, intense and gratifying experience ever. I loved every minute of it when I took on the challenge last April to make over our dining room into a more multi-purpose space – specifically a playroom/dining room combination. After that, I never thought I’d be uttering these words again, but here we are. So why would I take this all on again you ask? Well, with great challenge comes great reward. Apparently, I thrive on madness with a side of stress. And luckily for me, my husband loves me a lot which helped me to convince him that this is a good idea. So here we go!
THE BEFORE
I’ve decided to make-over the bonus room over our garage. This room has had many lives and purposes in the nine years that we’ve lived here. It began as the shared bedroom of our younger girls. When they became old enough to move into their rooms, it then morphed into a classroom/craft/media room.
As time has gone on, the inconvenience of running up and down the stairs after my son between lessons became impractical and we’ve used this room less and less for a classroom. As a result, we’ve moved most of our school work down to the kitchen table, and all of our school supplies to the office, which is much more efficient. The bonus room is now more of a catch-all – of junk that is! There are a few useful things in there, like an obscene amount of crafting materials!
My goal is similar to that of my first ORC – to create a more functional space that our whole family can enjoy.
And so the challenge becomes apparent! With all of my 13’x21′ space I must overhaul our bonus room within the following criteria:
- An area the whole family can enjoy.
- Includes our buried pool table, a media area, and an area to house crafting supplies
- Carve out a comfy place for an occasional guest to sleep
- Must have: a teeny bit of Art Noveau flare
A piece of cake, right?
So how my going to accomplish all of this? Well, for that answer, you’re going to have to stop by next week. For now, here is a bit of a sneak peek of some of the ideas I’ve been having!
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Option 1 |
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Option 2 |
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Option 3 |
Let the games begin! I’M SO EXCITED!
Update: Wondering where to start? The best place is always the beginning!
If you’re looking for more ORC fun, take a look at these!
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Spring ORC – Dining/Play Room – Week 2 |
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Spring ORC – Dining Table |
Don’t forget it! Pin It!

Oooooh the sofa on option 2! I am swooning! Can't wait to see what you choose!
I'm loving option two!! That green sofa is amazing!
I agree on option 2! Can't wait to see which you pick! This room is going to be so dramatic and good!
I like option 3! Looking forward to following along this fall. I am doing the challenge for the first time. Already scrambling trying to tackle lots of projects with 4 kids under foot. It's going to be great though!! xox, Emily
We can't wait to follow along and see you work your magic! Best of luck!
Vicki and Jenn
2 Bees in a Pod
What a fun area to create! It has so much potential for that large space! I love your option 2 decor choices! Any of them will look great in that space!
This is going to be so fun!! I love the yellow couch but the rug and coffee table in option 3!! can't wait to see what all you choose.
That green sofa is too cool. Can't wait to follow along as you redo this space!
It's fun when you're not just redecorating a room, but redecorating AND repurposing – double the fun! Looking forward to seeing how this progresses!
I am excited that you are in the ORC I love option 3, look forward to seeing the progress.
Maria
Loving option 3. Can't wait to see what you pick.
Wow what a fun project a game room! I like option 3!
Wow, I'm partial to option 1! Love that yellow sofa and the gray in the room; but truthfully, they are all great options!
Look 3 is my favourite! I look forward to following along!
Total piece of cake 😉 I love the design options you've picked. And I totally feel you on the "catch all" room. We have one of those, too, that we call The Christmas Room because it's where we stash our holiday decorations… plus lots of other stuff. I'm really looking forward to seeing how you transform your space, Kim!
Such a fun collection of ideas!! Best of luck! Can't wait to see the final product!
Love your inspiration! I think Option 2 is my favorite. I'm excited to see what you go with.
Thanks so much, Katy! I loved your nursery the last round and can't wait to see how your living room progresses!