Purchased a house and wife is allowing me to have a dedicated poker room for the regular game in a room right when you walk in the home.

Details
Room is 11 ft wide by 22 ft long
French doors to enter room

Adding
Hardwood floor
Cabinets
Granite Counter tops
mini bar
65 in samsung tv
full size table with gray speed cloth
Nevada Jacks desert sands chips (1k chips)
Poker chip collection (700 chips framed)

I am seeking advice/suggestions for the following:
1. poker room lighting. I have been searching the web/ebay and cant find an over the table light that looks good.

2. I will be posting 4 pictures on the wall (getting made at costco.) Was thinking Bellagio, Wynn, Venetian and WSOP

3. Recommendation for an Arcade game for the room to be opposite of the double diamond slot machine. Was thinking golden tee, nba jamz/blitz or a machine that has 300 or so games already installed.

4. Recommendations for a poker table base and where to purchase.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Regarding the arcade game, I'm wondering about the dynamics of games that take a long time to play (such as Golden Tee) vs. games where the player a) doesn't have a large time investment and so b) won't be upset if someone else plays or discards their game while they're back at the poker table.

My own experience with the "300 games" type machine is you spend more time looking through games than you do playing them.

For lighting, I'd put in some can lights with the high wattage bright ass bulbs. I replaced the regular light in my kitchen with one of those bulbs (the ones that use 60w but produce 110w etc...) And it makes my table vibrant.

Very good point. I didn't think of the length of time to play a game. Thanks for the input.

I prefer indirect lighting to bare bulbs. This is not only more pleasing to the eye, but lights around the perimeter allow players to see their hole cards better. A light right over the table throws hole cards into shadow.

You can find a lot more ideas if you google "indirect lighting."

My suggestion .... don't fall for this ... it's a trick ....

FTFY

And to make a serious contribution:

I have direct lighting (ceiling fan) and it's bright but a bit harsh. The idea of indirect lighting around the room may be worth exploring.

I like a MAME/multi game cabinet. It gives the guys plenty of options while they're waiting on a seat or a post tourney cash game to start.

To paraphrase Mr. Gold of OUAT, all women come with a price.

Regarding the game cabinet, I'd get one where guys won't mind leaving in the middle of playing.

If you are going to use it on non-poker nights and like games, I'd suggest you get the multi-game cabinet.

Definitely go Classic on the Arcade game.
I believe there is a sit-down, combo arcade game with Galaga, Ms. Pac Man, and Pac Man.

Possibly a pinball game, to release a little steam?

Otherwise, Asteroids is a great, classic arcade game that should only take a few minutes to play (I always hyperspace into the big ol' asteroid).


I don't suppose the wife would agree to a dartboard?


I LOVE a Leroy Neiman in a game room. Not because of Bellagio. He's been a favoritre artist of mine for years. My ex-wife got the Whiskey Bar Neiman, but I found another - A jockey with the suit "clubs" on his jersey. I love it, and it fits right in.

I can't help with lighting, but dimmable would seem to be a feature I'd want.

As for the poker table base, It wouldn't be too difficult to build a couple of 27" high (or so) boxes out of plywood, would it? A couple coats of paint, a couple top plates (to attach) and there you go. Should take maybe a weekend to make with little experience.


Oh, and no racetrack.

Evaluate your players and your game dynamic BEFORE getting a dart board.

Again, thank you all for your suggestions. Things are coming along smoothly as we get ready for the renovations. I will be attaching before, during and after pictures once all has been completed so viewers can get an idea of the process.

Prior to Renovation
Head On View


Welcome on in


View of the Room


A look back at the door


And back out


This is all pre-teardown renovations. I will post the tear down work next.

Everything has been pulled out

Back wall has been wired for tv and will have lower cabinets w/granite countertops and leather wall tiles


Going to work in a little chair rail/wainscoting into the wall


Mix in a little hand scrapped "Tobacco Road" hard wood floor (real wood, non floating)


Trying to work on a paint color now. I dont anticipate much will be done with this area for a good 2 weeks or so. Need to finish up some other areas of the crib.

Nevada Jacks DS Chips


On 1 Wall I will have these cases. I am still in need of a few more chips to complete the final rack. I will be looking to trade $1 for $1 chips come the end of feb/start of march if anyone wants to trade. I will post in the trading chips forum or you can pm me.







If anyone has any suggestions or sources where i can get some poker memorabilia, WSOP items, or personally signed pictures from pros to decorate the room, let me know. I am looking for just about anything to help make it as much as a man cave as possible from the up and coming young guns to the old timers.

Great start, getting before photos. I always think of that when I'm halfway into a project.

The flooring looks incredible. What kind of wood is that?

Looks a lot like mesquite to me. If so that is a great choice - one of the toughest woods commonly used and really good looking.

Grats! -=- DrStrange

Some people have it labeled as Acacia and others as Tobacco Road. Decided to go with the real wood, nice and thick so that we can sand it 25 yrs down the road.

Stopped by to check out the progress today and they have started to put some crown molding up.

Freshly sprayed crown (non poker room)


(non poker room) but this should be the look


It is my understanding that this will also be going up in the poker room. I think they call it 3 step crown. I am trying to determine a paint color for the room.

Counter top= black granite
Poker table felt= gray speed cloth

was thinking money green or forest green color. Suggestions?

I vote for the color slightly on the blue side of blue/gray. Something like Nantucket Grey or Cape Cod Grey.

Blue seems very soothing, and will make your guests feel at home.

I think the green might be too dark, and if you don't go dark, it will be too green... Maybe a sage color might work.


Just my $.02

btw, that crown moulding is a nice detail.

I might be late to party but thought I would throw in a few ideas and pitfalls that I would fix if I had it to do over.

Here's my room. Pretty close to yours in dimension. 13'x19'





I gave my lighting a ton of thought because prior to this we'd play using the light from the ceiling fan above and it was horrible. Light was harsh and uneven. I went with three pendent lights on a dimmer switch. Each fixture has a 60 watt LED that fires downward. It gives us plenty of light and they're high enough that they don't block sight lines and hitting them with cards is a non issue. I also installed cans in the soffit to give additional light and also accent the art work on the walls.

Only a few thing I'd go back and change.

Install a floor outlet to run power to the shuffler. Would have been a hassle tearing up the concrete slab but I think it would be worth it.

Run additional cable so I would have two TV's so everyone had a easy viewing angle.

Installed a wet bar area that would allow me to build in the mini fridge, have running water for ice maker, and some counter space for laying out food.

Good luck. What you have done so far looks great and I'm looking forward to seeing the finished product.

Very nice room.

That is some good advice. One of the first steps: installing power, water, sewer, cabling, is where you really need to look into the future and set up what you might need years down the road. Weighing the upfront costs, of course.

On the second TV, though, doesn't your cable provider offer a wireless option? I know AT&T U-verse does, and it works well.

Just a thought, when i got married i had kind of an unfinished basement (it was finished with sheetrock/paint/carpet/etc.. but we couldn't afford any furniture), so I had the open floor to make it my poker room. As time and money allowed, we furnished and decorated and I had to concentrate the poker room to a corner. Then once the kids came along, the basement became a second living room for them with a toy-play area. Therefore, I adapted and made my poker room completely transformable. I had tables that fold and get put away, i put all the coffee tables/couches on removable wheels so I can roll them out of the way easily and by myself. I got rid of the big box tv and mounted two flat screens on opposite sides. I also have had to add two center high-hats for lighting cause the tables end up getting set up in the center of the room and needed more direct light to go with the indirect lighting.
(If you do a search for "What's your scene like", i'm post # 703, but maybe someone can help me figure out how to get a direct link to that post).
Like a few had said earlier, just consider being flexible if you spend big $$$ on a permanent table and then the family-life changes! I did end up having to move all the posters & paintings into my little office.

Very good suggestions.

We are getting there and everything is starting to come together.




Bar/Combo










Hope to have the floor on this room wrapped up on monday and then paint by end of the week. The only things left are for the tv installation, paint, pictures hung on the wall.

3. Recommendation for an Arcade game for the room to be opposite of the double diamond slot machine. Was thinking golden tee, nba jamz/blitz or a machine that has 300 or so games already installed.

Do you have enough room for a bumper pool table, there always popular. I ran a successful game for many years and food was always the biggest item outside of the poker itself...