Gameroom window treatments

LeChuck

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I'm working on my gameroom decor, and was curious if anyone had suggestions for creative ways to hide a window (besides just covering it up with blinds, curtains, bedsheets, games, foil, etc)?

Some ideas I had are filling it with mirror, or covering it somehow with art or posters. Has anyone found an interesting way to work a window into the gameroom design?

For what it's worth, my gameroom is around 14' x 15', and has a single wide arched window on the outside wall.

LeChuck
 
I Just closed the curtains and put a big ass game in front of the window to hide it. That seemed to work pretty good.
 
I was toying around with this as well. I have those small glass blick windows. I went with black velvet on a curtain rod. Blocks out all the light. Looks really clean as well.
 
depends on the coloring of the room.
they have some cool fake brick panelling at lowes you can cut to fill your window if it fits.

i filled mine with reflective insulation panelling to help with my bill then hung a framed poster to cover it
 
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depends on the coloring of the room.
they have some cool fake brick panelling at lowes you can cut to fill your window if it fits.
Good tip, I'll have to see what brick colors they have. My room is painted dark blue (color matched to the Defender marquee), so not sure if that would look right in my particular room - but that's exactly the kind of ideas I'm looking for.

Keep 'em coming!

LeChuck
 
yeah brick would not look good with blue.
Second idea: They have chalkboard material you can cut to fit your window. then use the chalkboard with neon chalk colors to list high scores for each game. thats really gonna look good/bad depending on how big the window is and how paynes are split.
 
Your window sounds much larger than the one in my basement :(

For mine, I put my old Hyperball playfoeld in front of it. Blocks the direct light and looks pretty cool when the sun is out too :)


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Chris
 
I closed mine in. I had 5 windows that were 50's vintage, ground level, tilt in windows. They had large openings with 1/8th" glass panes. The metal frames were rather heavy but they ill fitting/sealing. More or less they were unbelievably inefficient (may as well just had 5 huge holes in the house) and were very unsecure.

I caulked the frames shut. I literally filled in every gap around all 5. I also heavily caulked the windows in as a lot of the glazing was crap. I had 1/4" metal plate cut to fit the frames on the outside. Ground out the old paint and a little rust then I welded the plates over the windows. Primed and painted to match the house. On the inside they were already framed into the wall. I put in some 2x2 strips to give me some space off the window to account for the arm that was used to open them then I insulated that space with some unfaced bat. For the 3 actually in the game room (1 is in the bathroom) I used the 2x2 as a stop for some plywood backs I cut. Screw into place, fill the holes, caulk the perimeter to take up any irregularities...and bingo. No more leaky cruddy broken 60 year old windows and no more easy access to the basement for some unscrupulous individual. The side effect is a nice in set shelf.

Some may ask about safety in terms of getting out in an emergency. No problem. First off to the right of the pic, about 6 feet away, is the 5 steps to get out the back door. To the left of the pic, about 4 feet, is a double door large enough you can drive a car through that leads to the drive way.
 

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I was toying around with this as well. I have those small glass blick windows. I went with black velvet on a curtain rod. Blocks out all the light. Looks really clean as well.

Where did you get the fabric? Expensive? Colors available?


You know with all the creative folks on here, someone should make some mylar window posters. Got to be some cool designs that would look nice with the window light coming through them.
 
Where did you get the fabric? Expensive? Colors available?


You know with all the creative folks on here, someone should make some mylar window posters. Got to be some cool designs that would look nice with the window light coming through them.

I think it was around 7.50 a yard. I covered 3 windows. My wife picked it up at a fabric store. I think she said there was black, red and purple. Bought some cheapo curtain rods from Home depot, and the wife sewed one edge over and slid it on the rod. My camera isnt currently working, or Id show you some pics.
 
Nice ideas, all! The playfield in the window is a cool idea (or even just turning the window into a mock playfield if you have a pin theme going).

Some other ideas that I've stumbled on are turning the window into a blacklight or fiber optic starfield (as home theater folks have done on their ceilings); or just filling the window with wood, painting to match the walls, and then decorating with signage and other gaming/theme decor. I'm currently leaning towards the latter, although the starfields are not all that hard to pull off (and look amazing).

LeChuck
 
I closed mine in. I had 5 windows that were 50's vintage, ground level, tilt in windows. They had large openings with 1/8th" glass panes. The metal frames were rather heavy but they ill fitting/sealing. More or less they were unbelievably inefficient (may as well just had 5 huge holes in the house) and were very unsecure.

I caulked the frames shut. I literally filled in every gap around all 5. I also heavily caulked the windows in as a lot of the glazing was crap. I had 1/4" metal plate cut to fit the frames on the outside. Ground out the old paint and a little rust then I welded the plates over the windows. Primed and painted to match the house. On the inside they were already framed into the wall. I put in some 2x2 strips to give me some space off the window to account for the arm that was used to open them then I insulated that space with some unfaced bat. For the 3 actually in the game room (1 is in the bathroom) I used the 2x2 as a stop for some plywood backs I cut. Screw into place, fill the holes, caulk the perimeter to take up any irregularities...and bingo. No more leaky cruddy broken 60 year old windows and no more easy access to the basement for some unscrupulous individual. The side effect is a nice in set shelf.

Some may ask about safety in terms of getting out in an emergency. No problem. First off to the right of the pic, about 6 feet away, is the 5 steps to get out the back door. To the left of the pic, about 4 feet, is a double door large enough you can drive a car through that leads to the drive way.

Dude, nice. Had no idea you were that far along. Need to arrange a tour. :)
 
Do you want to block the light or just keep people from seeing in?

I've used Rustoleum Frosted Glass Spray on a patio window. Works great and is removable with a razor blade. Cuts glare and keeps eople from seeing in, but allow the light in.
 
<snip>
Some may ask about safety in terms of getting out in an emergency. No problem. First off to the right of the pic, about 6 feet away, is the 5 steps to get out the back door. To the left of the pic, about 4 feet, is a double door large enough you can drive a car through that leads to the drive way.

Those tilt-in jobs were never a useful escape anyway - the whole tilt-in thing usually makes them a ad way to get out. The door was always your escape anyway.

Sounds nice, too.
 
Window treatments? Seriously?
Maybe you ladies should take this thread over to marthastewart.com

;)
 
Window treatments? Seriously?
Maybe you ladies should take this thread over to marthastewart.com

;)

Bahh - while I'm certain that she'd build her own CP for her MAME cab, I'm also pretty sure she'd use pastel buttons and light up the trackball pink.
 
Dude, nice. Had no idea you were that far along. Need to arrange a tour. :)

Thanks!! I will just say..you have not seen anything yet!!! :p
There is a LOT going in and on through the entire basement.
 
Those tilt-in jobs were never a useful escape anyway - the whole tilt-in thing usually makes them a ad way to get out. The door was always your escape anyway.

Sounds nice, too.

I agree. I am not up on it but I want to say in the 60's and 70's "code" in this area had something in it about some sort of window for emergency escape. That is entirely based on hear say,comments from agents, family and friends, etc. Granted, this house was built in the 50's. At a minimum I have had a lot of folks mention it when I was shopping the idea of glass block. Even folks that had been to the house who knew about the walk out door. Everyone asked about emergency exit. I just said you climb through the window, I will walk out the door. I guess I could help pull them out from the outside.

Anyway..had I done glass block it would have been more expensive, I would have had to rebuild the interior framing to due to the difference in thickness, and I would have still had light issues. I think my solution was a good compromise, I feel its visually appealing in and out, it's more secure than the windows, and I have a nice shadow box inside.
 
Window treatments? Seriously?
Maybe you ladies should take this thread over to marthastewart.com

;)

Hey, if carpet matters and there are whole threads on gameroom lighting. Then windows weigh in too. Besides I got busted for my crappy curtains in a posted pic. And it wasn't a woman doing the busting.

:p
 
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