Gaming is growing in popularity. With more people ‘logging on’ than ever looking for a distraction from the stress of day-to-day life. The benefits of losing yourself in an RPG (role-playing game) or completing the latest strategy game are vastly reported.
It’s not just a way to switch off and de-stress after a long day, although that in itself should be reason enough to invest. Gaming also has a long list of other benefits. These include increasing your cognitive focus, problem solving, improving your memory and learning how to multitask. The kind of skills you will easily transfer to the rest of your life.
Trying to game in a house with constant distractions such as phones ringing, children fighting or noisy neighbours can prove more stressful than calming. This is why we are showing you how to turn your Man Cave into a Log Cabin Games Room. Designed and customised by you, this room can become a singular escape from day to day stresses. It could also become the social centre at each family event.
The log cabin you choose counts.
The first thing you will need to do is look at what space you have available in your garden. Think about where you want your Log Cabin to go. Do you have an overhanging tree branch that, if you cut it back, would show a large unused space? Would a Log Cabin fit perfectly at the base of your garden?
Once you have decided where you are going to place your cabin, you’ll need to find one that suits you. Our Log Cabins are designed so you do not need planning permission to place them anywhere within your back garden. Not all companies can say the same so make sure you ask them or your local authority.
The majority of gamers will choose to game late in the evening; once the working day is over and the kids have gone to bed. It is worth considering insulation when opting for your Log Cabin. This is so that you stay warm when the session goes late into the night. Do you want a simple roof and floor installation, a fully insulated log cabin or would you simply add a heater into the cabin to keep off the chill.
How will you use your log cabin?
Do you prefer playing your games on consoles or a PC? Or do you want a Log Cabin where you can play more traditional board games? Will your Log Cabin be the hosting point for friends and family throughout the year so perhaps will need a table?
Will it just be a Log Cabin Games room or will it be a place to watch sports, a home office, a home cinema or double as your personal space to unwind in the evening. If so, it may be worth looking at the optional extras that you can add to your garden building.
The addition of a bar to your games room can take your entertainment to the next level. Whilst it can be used as a standard bar, perfect for mixing cocktails or having your favourite drink on hand, it can also be used as a snack bar. If your Log Cabin is going to have multiple uses, such as a Log Cabin Cinema, then it will be a unique place to display the snacks and nibbles.
A quick look online should be all you need to find custom made tables that have removable tops to double as storage for your board games, or a desk for your PC set up that doubles as storage space. It may take time initially but it will stop your Log Cabin from looking cluttered.
SideStores make a great alternative to garden sheds, attaching to the side of the log cabin and giving you extra space to store all of your supplies when you are not using them. The side stores are less space consuming than buying an extra shed, fit against your cabin and are made from the same long lasting slow grown spruce.
Finishing touches
A log cabin is a timber building shell. Once it has built, it is time for you to decorate it with the little touches to make it yours.
The first task is to paint your Log Cabin. Our Log Cabins are delivered to you untreated, allowing you to choose the colour you want for it. We do tell you to treat your Log Cabin straight away as moisture is timber’s enemy. If water gets into the grains of the cabin, it can become susceptible to rot and fungal decay.
We do sell a range of coloured treatments. Have a look online for inspiration on how to paint your cabin. You can paint the interior too, all we would recommend is that you use a water based treatment so you don’t have to deal with any lingering smells.
Take some time planning the layout, you want to ensure the TV will be free from anything that can stop you viewing it clearly, such as glare from the sun. The same considerations will need to be used for your monitors if you are a PC gamer. Alternatively you could look to add curtains and blinds to the large windows and wide opening doors for added privacy.
Look online for display cabinets to show off the merchandise and memorabilia you have collected over the years. It will always make you smile when you see it, you will always have a talking point on any nights you host and it is safe. Just be sure your Log Cabin has leading locking mechanisms on the windows and doors to keep any unwanted visitors at bay.
Gaming furniture
We are not just talking about what sort of seating you are going to add to your cabin, although the debate between individual seating and a communal sofa will be a long one, but about what furniture you have in there for games.
Will you have a desk, complete with strip lighting and gaming decals? Perhaps a pool table for everyone to enjoy or a vintage arcade game. Will you have a basketball hoop on the wall or a dartboard? The choice is up to you, although you want to make these early as they will take up a majority of the interior space.
Has our blog inspired you to extend your living space with the addition of a games room? Are you sitting looking at your garden thinking ‘a Log Cabin would look great in our garden?’ We agree! Call our sales team on 01234 272 445 or look through our Log Cabin range to find the perfect garden room for you.
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