What's wrong with this room? (1 Viewer)

To answer a couple of questions, yes, the lighting are canned lights and they are on a dimmer. The refrigerator is on the unfinished side of the room. I had my eye on a hot dog roller on FBM, but it sold before I got it. As far as the lighting, because of the projector, the carpeted side of the room is usually kept pretty dark. The following pics show the whole room. A few specific questions are coming. Thanks for everyones help.
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^This^

You could also try to dress up the main support beam a bit. Could be as simple as painting it white like the trim, or add some fancy molding to match the appearance of the new wood columns.

Your basement is fairly similar to mine in terms of carpet/paint color, so I personally wouldn't change that until you really need to paint. But you'd be surprised how much a difference adding those columns and dressing up the support beam would make.

You can see what I did here with my columns/support beam - which is obviously a completely different style that wouldn't match your room - but it's the same concept, dress it up nice. It really helps to accent the room for minimal cost.

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Taking the support beam advice, which I think is great advice, would using the Vinyl flooring on the beam look good? It will give it the wood look and match or would that be overkill?
Boxing the poles will make a huge difference, and also the chair rail idea is great too.

But doing nothing is ok too, its a lot better space than most basements.
 
Seriously, if you want to jazz up the floors w/out ripping them up, go find a nice big area or throw rug (or two) that complement the room. It will help enhance the existing flooring you want to keep. I also agree chair rails on the walls would be a nice touch and really changes the look of the walls. I installed some in my son's room and it is a pretty easy project as long as you have access to, or can borrow, a miter saw and preferably a nail gun.
 
No one has stated the obvious problems with the room; it's far too clean and bright. If you play poker there it should be dim and look as if a crime is about to or has taken place. More booze/booze holding/booze serving furniture & equipment.
agreed. Poker is a cons game. Hence the major role the bluff plays. Too bright is all wrong. I like the idea of a "film noire" scene.
 
I have now seen it all on this forum - poker players giving design advice! In my experience poker players don’t care at all about the wall color or the type of flooring. most players would play in a swamp if the game is good. all u need is a place for players to go to the bathroom (and that’s more for ur neighbors, not because players won’t just go outside). Get some nice chips and chairs and fire up the game. let’s gooooo.
 
Do you actually use that projector? I question it because of the furniture, if I was using it I wouldn’t put someone in a wooden rocker.

Quit making that wall a focus. Get rid of the projector or make one of the end walls the screen. Pick one activity that you do town there and make it the focus. Is it a poker room, or a theater room, or a laundry room?
Because right now it looks like a storage room where you arranged the storage pieces so you could walk around them. It looks like a place you store hand me downs , not an inviting space to do anything.
 
It's the carpet - both on the floor and those posts. But as you can't do anything about it, don't bother and just carry on.

Your vinyl plank flooring looks great by itself but there is a jarring disconnect with the carpet.

But also, I would not spend a lot of money on a room that is designed to be more functional than aesthetic - if it's comfy then that's all that matters. Spend the money on the kitchen where it'll let you show off and improve your resale value!
 
Do you actually use that projector? I question it because of the furniture, if I was using it I wouldn’t put someone in a wooden rocker.

Quit making that wall a focus. Get rid of the projector or make one of the end walls the screen. Pick one activity that you do town there and make it the focus. Is it a poker room, or a theater room, or a laundry room?
Because right now it looks like a storage room where you arranged the storage pieces so you could walk around them. It looks like a place you store hand me downs , not an inviting space to do anything.
It turns out that the main use of the room has become my work office. I work there every day. I don't need the whole space for my office. The next most common usage is for watching something on the projector, either a movie or sports usually. The room gets used for poker probably 8-10 times per year. The projector is also usually used during poker to show a sporting event. The room will continue to have hand me down furniture because I have many higher financial priorities than furnishing our basement.
 
Nice room! I'd say you need warmer temperature light bulbs and a lamp or two with similar warm-temperature light bulbs. Operating-room temperature lighting is good for hospitals.
 
It's the carpet - both on the floor and those posts. But as you can't do anything about it, don't bother and just carry on.

Your vinyl plank flooring looks great by itself but there is a jarring disconnect with the carpet.

But also, I would not spend a lot of money on a room that is designed to be more functional than aesthetic - if it's comfy then that's all that matters. Spend the money on the kitchen where it'll let you show off and improve your resale value!
Thanks for the feedback. I agree with you about the carpet. I will update the columns to remove the carpet, I think that will help some.
 
"What's wrong with this room?" o_O

It's not mine! I don't even have a basement. :ROFL: :ROFLMAO:

On the serious note it's missing the warm contrast with deep, natural colors like olive, sand, red wood. I would:

- put a round, classy carpet under the table.
- paint at least 1 wall in a warm dark color.
 
People are making good points about the warmth of the light. I think it's just my phone camera correcting the white balance. The bulbs in the room are warm white 2700k bulbs. I'll definitely consider a lamp though so that not all of the lighting is overhead, thanks. Regarding plants, I used to have a nice fake plant down there but the wife liked it and moved it back upstairs :D
 
Hi all. Finished my basement about 15 years ago. Started out with the main purpose of being a kids play area. I originally had bright color walls, multicolor CVT tile on one side, and Berber on the other side. Been slowly updating it into an office/poker room.

The Berber carpet has stayed. Painted the walls a few years ago, and just did the last step of vinyl plank. Now that it's "done", I'm underwhelmed. It's always been a low budget space, but I think the colors don't work together?

Any thoughts/ideas? Thanks!

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Looks like you have room for a bigger poker table, or a second expansion table. Otherwise the room looks great
 
Looks like you have room for a bigger poker table, or a second expansion table. Otherwise the room looks great
Yes, I do have two other tables, including a larger oval, but I much prefer playing at a round table, so if we have 8 or fewer players we play on the round you see. The other two fold up and get stored on the unfinished side, the round one is not foldable, so just stays out.
 
Chair rail with darker paint on lower half is the way to go. Keeps the lighter top half (greater visibility and light reflection) while giving the room a richer feeling (and contrasting the light floor).

Agree with a darkish rug under the table, too.
 

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