The best media room ideas cater to the whole family. A multifunctional room that has a variety of uses, the media room is often the place friends and family members come together to relax, play games and watch TV. Ensuring that your media room incorporates a TV, games consoles and an entertainment center will prevent these items from being left behind and awkwardly placed in an area that doesn’t coordinate with your existing family or living room design scheme.
Similarly to your living room TV ideas and movie room, you want to create a family room that reflects your personal style and personality, whilst thoughtfully planning the area to ensure the TV stand ideas fit perfectly in with the design of the space.
1. Use a mixture of comfortable seating
(Image credit: Lindye Galloway Studio + Shop/Chad Mellon)
‘Media rooms need to offer flexibility as they have to cater to different types of “media”,’ says Lucy Searle, global editor in chief, Homes & Gardens, ‘For example, it might be the family loves gaming, tv watching, or listening to music. A space that has both a couch and armchairs will offer variety and also work best if you use the room for socializing too.’
(Image credit: Stone & Ceramic Warehouse)
Porcelain is extremely hard-wearing, making them an excellent choice for countertops and feature walls in media rooms. It’s both scratch and stain-resistant allowing you to place decorative accessories, plants, and drinks directly onto the surface without fear of leaving marks or stains.
‘Porcelain surfaces are virtually impervious, making them easy to keep clean as well as being resistant to UV rays, which makes them suitable for rooms with large floor-to-ceiling sliding or bifold doors,’ says Jo Olivier, director at The Stone & Ceramic Warehouse (opens in new tab).
3. Go bright and bold with a touch of gloss
(Image credit: Samantha Todhunter Design)
For this media room-cum-library in London, the tone is inviting and comfortable with a layer of glossy luxury. ‘Rooms like this are all about indulging in some down time so a comfortable sofa is essential, and the glossy cabinetry and the splash of pink in the rug add a playful hint to the space,’ says Samantha Todhunter, founder and creative director of Samantha Todhunter Design (opens in new tab).
(Image credit: Brad Ramsey/Jack Gardner)
If your media room exists within a larger space or open concept living room, then consider carving out one corner of the room for entertainment and socializing,’ says Jennifer Ebert, digital editor, Homes & Gardens. Here, interior designer Brad Ramsey cleverly crafted this media ‘zone’ using a large rug and furniture to delineate the space.
5. House your TV in custom built cabinetry
(Image credit: Sharps)
‘Whether you are looking for discrete storage or a stylish solution for your home, fitted furniture has the advantage of being built to suit the particular need of your room,’ says Rachal Hutchens, national retail manager at Sharps (opens in new tab). ‘From the configuration through to the finish, made-to-measure furniture ensures you make the best use of available space and tailor it to your unique requirements. After all, if you have invested a significant sum of money sourcing the best TV for your budget the most prudent way to get the most from it is by taking the same care and attention in housing it.’
6. Disguise a TV behind painted paneling
(Image credit: Zulufish)
‘Media rooms are a great space for the family to relax and enjoy time together,’ says Caroline Mins, head of interior design at Zulufish (opens in new tab). ‘This space has the feel of a cozy and cool snug with the walls wrapped with elegant paneling, which creates a cocooning atmosphere in soothing soft tones of grey, as well as bringing a functional, acoustic benefit.’
‘Opting for a refined and more neutral palette will bring a harmonious balance to a room where all the action and excitement of films and games unfold on screen. The clever panel door serves a very practical purpose of giving the option of hiding away the screen, as well as concealing unsightly cabling, allowing the room to also be a quiet space to kick back with a good book and the weekend newspapers. Wall lights are a brilliant way of ensuring a serene ambiance, providing a soft glow around the room that is restful and can be dimmed when required,’
(Image credit: Living with Lolo/Life Created)
‘This is a game and media room at the front of our client’s home, so we needed to make it functional but also ensure that it didn’t look like a typical game room since visitors see it when they first walk into the house,’ says Lauren Lerner, founder and principal designer of Living with Lolo (opens in new tab).
‘We added a Samsung picture TV so that when sports are not on, there is a static piece of art on the TV. Functional but stylish furniture, high-end lighting, and custom floor-to-ceiling drapery complete the space.’
8. Introduce a sense of comfort
(Image credit: Pooky)
‘A media room needn’t be dull, in fact, it can be quite the opposite – beautiful bright patterned pillows and tactile blankets teamed with decorative table and pendant lights will give the space a cozy and welcoming feel for all activities,’ says Melanie Griffiths, editor, Period Living.
(Image credit: Martin Moore )
‘More and more people are asking us to incorporate a ‘media space’ into their kitchen design; a relaxed, informal area within the kitchen where the family can easily come together and catch up, whilst meals are being prepared,’ says Richard Moore, design director at Martin Moore (opens in new tab). ‘Fitted cabinetry is featured throughout this project, including in the TV/sitting room. Part of an open-plan kitchen-dining-living space, we designed this media corner directly opposite the island, allowing whoever is cooking or sitting at the island to have uninterrupted views of the TV, and also allowing them to be part of the company gathered.’