My son turns 14 this year. We decided it was time to purge his bedroom of the countless stuffed animals, Marvel toys, old clothes that don’t fit, and the other junk a little boy tends to collect.
His room was initially painted green and beige. We like the bright, lively colors so decided to keep them. Once the room was finally set up, after seven garbage bags and three days of cleaning and organizing, I looked around and realized, “This room is painted in Xbox colors!”
Perfect.
So I’ll show you how we put together the ultimate gaming bedroom, step-by-step. (Image to the right was before… the same green walls in a “Cars” theme.)
The Gaming Desk
We knew we needed a gaming desk to replace the old, worn-out table that had served as a desk for years. We ultimately decided on the AODK 53-inch L-shaped computer desk. It had all we were looking for, including power outlets and integrated USB charging, vented shelves for his game consoles, and a price under $200. It’s also an “Amazon’s Choice” top-rated product with stellar reviews and has fewer returns than similar products.
We looked at some models with integrated LED lighting, more shelving and other features. But we wanted to keep the design simple and uncluttered; he can always add lights later.
My son put the desk together himself in roughly two hours. It seems solid and sturdy. The Amazon listing said it can be assembled in 30 minutes, but this was his first time putting together furniture.
My only complaint? The drawers are made of fabric, not wood, which is hard to tell in the photo.
The Chair(s)
An ergonomic desk chair is a necessity whether you’re working or playing. From the moment we saw it at Staples, Alex loved the Vortex Emerge gaming chair in black and red. However, if you have cats that climb on furniture, you’ll want to keep this chair covered with a thick blanket or not let the cats in the same room as the chair. (Every cat owner knows it’s virtually
impossible to keep a cat away short of locking them out!) We learned this too late and the chair now has claw holes and scratches where the white foam peeks out of the leather.
About a year ago, I received a FlexiSpot ergonomic office chair that Alex loved sitting in to play Xbox in our gaming room / office. It has an adjustable, retractable footrest, 3D headrest, and cool mesh back. I let him put that chair in his room in case he’s got a friend over and they are both gaming.
His assessment? “The gaming chair is more comfortable for gaming, but the gray [FlexiSpot] chair is better for lounging or watching TV.”
The TV
Since we moved the Xbox and Playstation 4 consoles upstairs, he needed a TV in his room for gaming. (Oh, yes, and it was Christmas-time, which was good for snagging deals!) We also bought a Smart TV for my daughter’s room at the same time, so budget was a key consideration.
Yet, I didn’t want to compromise on a budget brand. We use Samsung TVs throughout our house. First, we measured to determine the maximum size. The slanted, attic-style walls in the upstairs of our 1950s cape make it challenging to buy furniture, headboards, wall décor, etc.
My budget for two Samsung Smart TVs was less than $500, combined. Fortunately, the Samsung 4K Crystal UHD DU7200 Series was on sale for under $250. (Model in link is 55-inch, not 43-inch.)
The picture quality on this screen is so good, it makes me want to upgrade our living room TV, as well, which is only five years old. It’s perfect for gaming and streaming, with onboard Samsung TV Plus to gain access to hundreds of TV channels and movies in every genre.
The Gaming Consoles
My son has a PlayStation 4 and an Xbox One S. We are looking to upgrade to the Xbox Series S or Series X for his birthday, since he’s noticing that certain games aren’t available on his older console.
Stay tuned for a comparison article as we dive deeper into which console will fit his needs – and my budget!
The Sound
The TV’s onboard speakers work fine in such a small room with good acoustics. But as I was looking at the shelves on his desk, I had a vision. I remembered the Brane Audio Brane X smart Bluetooth speaker I reviewed that had not yet found a permanent spot in my home.
The solid black, curved design makes this speaker as much about art as audio excellence. The subwoofer packs unbelievable power into a relatively small enclosure. And you can customize the sound profile, so he can turn down the bass if I’m working.
Is it perhaps “too much speaker” for a kid who isn’t an audiophile? Probably.
Does he love it? Definitely.
The Steering Wheel
Alex’s favorite Xbox games include Fortnite, Minecraft, and Forza, which feeds into his love for cars and customization. My husband splurged on the Logitech G923 Racing Wheel and Pedals as a Christmas gift for Alex.
The steering wheel is actually what launched the whole room revamp, as he then needed a gaming desk to mount the wheel, a TV to play on, etc. etc.
The wheel is very well-reviewed with 4.6 stars on Amazon and is rated as the best budget racing wheel set.
The Bed
Alex inherited a futon that has been through every single place we’ve lived. It is constructed of sturdy black metal and has stood the test of time. He liked the idea of a bed that doubles as a couch when friends visit, so we kept the futon. We got a new mattress for it, which turned out to be not very comfortable for sleeping.
We’d been looking at beanbag furniture and other unconventional “beds” that are trending right now. He decided on a giant, human-sized “dog bed.” It sits on the futon during the day, creating a cozy atmosphere and making the futon much more comfortable thanks to memory foam. He pulls it onto the floor at night to sleep.
I wish I had seen this foldable version sooner, as it would take up less space and provide another seat for lounging.
The Storage
We’ve used IKEA Trofast storage options since the kids were little – in the playroom, my office, and in bedrooms. We upgraded the colorful plastic bins to black metal, which makes it easy to see what’s inside. He refuses to hang clothes, so this system makes putting away laundry easy!
After all the organizing, we decided there are stuffed animals he wanted to hold onto. This stuffed animal hammock hangs in the corner and holds a significant amount of stuffies. With three mounting points, it can hang in a corner or on a flat wall for flexibility in tight spaces.
In all, by re-using what we had and shopping for deals on what was most important, like the desk and television, the renovation cost less than $1,000. Of course, if we didn’t have so many items or if we painted or added new flooring (which the room can clearly use!), it would have cost a lot more.
Stay tuned as I embark on a home office renovation next – can I do it for under $2,000, including sheetrock, paint and all new furniture?
Dawn Allcot
Chandi Gilbert
Eli Wood