7 gorgeous rumpus room ideas for your home design
The humble home is all about togetherness, but now and then it’s nice to have some time alone! That’s where the rumpus room comes in — traditionally, rumpus rooms have been a place where the kids can hang out, but now the rumpus room can be a personal haven for everyone in the family.
Rumpus rooms are multi-purpose spaces where you can sit back, relax, and enjoy quiet time alone or with the family. Our home designs come with spacious rumpus rooms for you to enjoy. We’ll provide the rumpus room… All you need to do is make it your own!
In this article, we share seven rumpus room ideas to make your space the perfect hideaway for every family member.
What is a rumpus room?
Often called a “recreation room” or “family room,” rumpus rooms are shared spaces that are generally used for children’s playtime, family bonding and relaxing. Rumpus rooms can be any size but are generally as large as a traditional living room, which makes them perfect for group activities and entertaining.
In many homes, a rumpus room can serve more than one purpose in the same space – for example, a television and gaming setup for the kids can coexist with a quiet reading nook for mum and dad. Retirees and couples without kids often transform rumpus rooms into social spaces like dining rooms, which are great for dinner parties. Rumpus rooms sometimes feature large furniture and game machines including dining tables, pool tables and hobby spaces.
So, what is a rumpus room? Whatever you want it to be!
Why do they call it a rumpus room?
The etymology of the word “rumpus” dates back to the mid-18th century and originally meant “uproar,” “disturbance” or “riot.” Perhaps because of its association with chaos and excitement, the term “rumpus room” was first used in 1938 to describe a children’s play area in the family home.
The name “rumpus room” has become less common recently, with many homeowners now referring to these spacious, versatile spaces as the “family room” or “dining room” depending on their purpose. However, despite being used for a variety of purposes, rumpus rooms are still associated with children and are generally seen as spaces for fun activities and gatherings.
How to style your rumpus room?
Designing a rumpus room can be intimidating. For many families, the rumpus home is one of the largest spaces in the house — this gives you a lot of room to experiment… and a lot of space to fill!
Ideally, your rumpus room should be a fun, inviting space that can be used for fun activities and to relax. But creating a space that feels both calm and exciting is a tall order.
If your room is large enough, you should consider adding multiple setups to the same room. For instance, you can design a children’s play area and a quiet reading nook by strategically placing furniture like bookcases to neatly divide each space. This creates a multi-use, “room within a room” design that makes the most of your space — and keeps the kids happy!
Take a look at our gorgeous rumpus room design ideas for your home.
#1. Create a fun play area for your little ones
Give your kids a unique space to have fun and get creative by transforming your rumpus room into a children’s play area! Not only will your kids love it, but it’ll give them a dedicated room for their toys and games — meaning you’re less likely to find them scattered around the house.
Here are some great ways to turn your rumpus room into the playroom of their dreams.
- Add plenty of storage. Be sure to include bookcases, toy boxes and chests to keep toys, games and other activities from creating too much clutter.
- Use wallpaper to add a splash of colour. Make your rumpus room an adventure with vibrant wallpaper that will bring their playrooms to life. Plus, removing wallpaper is much easier than repainting once the kids grow up!
- Build pillow forts and tents. Hide and seek never goes out of style. Pillow forts and tents are both fun and practical, creating a comfortable spot for nap time, playtime and reading!
- Create a reading spot. Speaking of reading, even small rooms have space for a narrow reading nook. Fill your child’s new reading spot with colourful bookcases full of their favourite stories and throws, blankets and cushions for maximum comfort.
#2. Keep the kids entertained with our teenage rumpus room ideas
It’s no secret that teenagers take up a lot of room. A rumpus room gives them a space of their own, adding some much-needed privacy — a must-have during those moody teenage years!
Take a look at our teenage rumpus room ideas.
- Focus on entertainment. TVs, video games, board games and music are all essential ingredients for a happy teen rumpus room. Make sure your kids have areas to read, play and keep themselves occupied.
- Add a sofa bed. Sofa beds are both comfortable and practical, making it easier for your teens to have sleepovers and late-night hangouts! Plus, lounges are important for your teens to crash out after a long day at school.
- Make room for instruments. If your child is learning an instrument, a rumpus room is a great space for them to practice. It’ll keep budding drummers and pianists from making too much noise near the master bedrooms while giving your teens some of their space back in their bedrooms.
- Include group activities. Hands-on games like air hockey and foosball tables create spaces where your teenagers can play together and keep each other entertained. But don’t be surprised if a few rivalries break out!
#3. Build the perfect "Empty Nester" rumpus room
So, the kids have moved out and you’ve got some extra space on your hands. Now what?
Rumpus rooms open a whole new world of possibilities for your home. From small transformations to big renovations, check out our rumpus room ideas for empty nesters.
- Entertain guests. Rumpus rooms make great entertainment areas — dining rooms are a popular choice, but rumpus rooms can also be attached to outdoor seating areas like decks to create a relaxed, indoor/outdoor space to entertain.
- Discover new hobbies. Create an arts and crafts space for sewing, painting, knitting, model-making, or your hobby of choice!
- Build a home cinema. Make the most of your new space with a dedicated home-cinema setup — or, keep it simple and install a new flat-screen, perfect for unwinding with your favourite home design show.
- Create a new living space. If you’ve got more time and space on your hands, a rumpus room is a great place to catch up on some reading. Many couples add custom bookcases to their rooms to create a quiet, soothing reading space.
#4. Decorate with unique wall art and accessories
The last thing you want in your rumpus room is bare walls! This space should feel cosy and warm from the minute you walk through the door — so why not add some character with unique wall art?
In our Brighton display home (pictured above), we’ve decorated the walls with wicker wall art to create a sense of warm, comfortable and stylish atmosphere. Matched with a small timber coffee table, the space exudes simple luxuries.
In our Bondi display home, however, we’ve hung contemporary matching paintings above the couch for a more minimalist feel.
Of course, nick nacks and decorations are always welcome in the rumpus room. Take the colouring of the walls and carpet into consideration, then accessorise with picture frames, candles, indoor plants and more.
#5. Play with contrasting colours for a sense of grandeur
For some more modern rumpus room ideas, consider playing with contrasting colours. Think cushions, footstools, wall art, furniture and throw blankets.
As you can see in our Riviera display home’s rumpus room (pictured above), black and white is always a stunning mix — but again, take the colour of the flooring and walls into account before shopping for decor.
For example, you might choose to mix navy blue and soft greys, emerald green with silver and white, or rich colours like crimson and cream.
#6. Add some life to your rumpus room with indoor plants
Whatever your room is being used for, we always recommend adding indoor plants to rumpus rooms.
Indoor plants have more benefits than you think. While they can add colour and life to any indoor space, they also have psychological benefits, too! Being around plants helps people feel more relaxed and can even help with concentration, improving your memory and attention span by around 20%.
We’ve decorated our Cayman display home (pictured above) with leafy indoor plants and succulents to make the space seem fresh and welcoming. The lively green hues of the plants create a vibrant, energising atmosphere.
#7. Enhance your comfort with stylish pillows and throw blankets
If it’s teenage rumpus room ideas you’re looking for, then you can’t go wrong with piles of decorative pillows and throw blankets! Teens love to nap and veg out after school and on the weekends, so if your teen needs a space to relax and unwind, then the rumpus room will be their go-to.
As you can see in our Byron display home (pictured above), we’ve stacked lots of comfortable pillows for the ideal relaxing space. Plus, there’s a television in the room for gaming and catching up on Netflix, so it’s the perfect place to chill out on the weekend.
For mums and dads who need some quiet time during the day, consider combining your rumpus room with a sunroom! When planning your layout, consider placing your rumpus room somewhere with large windows or glass doors so you can bask in the sun’s warmth while you sip your morning coffee.
Create a relaxing, isolated space with our stunning rumpus room ideas and designs
Loving the sound of a tranquil rumpus room that everyone can enjoy? At Montgomery Homes, almost all of our home designs come complete with a cosy rumpus room that you can transform into your own little hideaway.
During the design process, we can discuss the placement of your rumpus room for maximum relaxation and make sure the space feels totally your own from the wall paint to the carpeting.
Learn more about our designs in our inspiration gallery, or download the home design brochure of your choice for more information about floor plans and inclusions.
Contact Montgomery Homes and find your dream home design today
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