How to Create a Dream Football-Watching Zone for Superfans
Before the NFL season kicks off Sept. 6, designers share their playbooks for the ultimate home football-fan lounge
On Thursday, Sept. 6, the defending Super Bowl champs, the Philadelphia Eagles, will host the Atlanta Falcons for the first official NFL game of the 2018 season. Accordingly, in homes across the country, football fans armed with buffalo wings and seven-layer dip will host their friends and family to celebrate the occasion.
Fumble: Bad angles or seating that intercepts your view
Touchdown: A cozy view from every seat
The most important thing is to be sure that everyone sitting in the space can comfortably see the TV screen, as they can in these deluxe setups.
Touchdown: A cozy view from every seat
The most important thing is to be sure that everyone sitting in the space can comfortably see the TV screen, as they can in these deluxe setups.
The scale of the space itself may dictate the ideal seating arrangement to some degree, but it’s also a matter of how you plan to use it. “I usually gravitate towards a large sectional if you’re spending time with close friends and family,” says Laura Umansky of Laura U Interior Design in Texas. “Everyone can pile up and get comfortable while watching the game together.”
Browse sectionals
Browse sectionals
“If clients often entertain guests that they aren’t really close with, theater-style seating is a great option that allows for a little more breathing room for everyone,” Umansky says.
Fumble: Hungry fans
Touchdown: Easy access to drinks and snacks
Having a place to set down your sandwich or soft drink is helpful when the big game is on, but perhaps even more vital is being close enough to a food and drink storage area that running out of pretzels won’t interrupt your watching. If a full-size refrigerator or a kitchenette isn’t an option, consider incorporating a small beverage fridge or a bar area within sight of the big screen.
Umansky says her team has even been asked to create a full-fledged stadium-style concession stand for home game-watching zones. “It makes entertaining a breeze when you have guests over because snacks and drinks are accessible throughout the game so that no one has to miss a play,” she says.
Touchdown: Easy access to drinks and snacks
Having a place to set down your sandwich or soft drink is helpful when the big game is on, but perhaps even more vital is being close enough to a food and drink storage area that running out of pretzels won’t interrupt your watching. If a full-size refrigerator or a kitchenette isn’t an option, consider incorporating a small beverage fridge or a bar area within sight of the big screen.
Umansky says her team has even been asked to create a full-fledged stadium-style concession stand for home game-watching zones. “It makes entertaining a breeze when you have guests over because snacks and drinks are accessible throughout the game so that no one has to miss a play,” she says.
Fumble: Predictably plain
Touchdown: A customized shoutout to your team
If you’re looking to carve out a designated sports-watching space, there’s a lot of room to have fun with it by celebrating your favorite players and teams.
Touchdown: A customized shoutout to your team
If you’re looking to carve out a designated sports-watching space, there’s a lot of room to have fun with it by celebrating your favorite players and teams.
In the case of this Houston area home, Umansky and her team worked with homeowner Duane Brown, a former player on the Houston Texans who currently plays for the Seattle Seahawks, and his wife, Devi. Aside from the lounge seating and five TVs that allowed multiple games to be shown at once, the room featured the Texans’ logo on each seat and walls lined with Brown’s jerseys and footballs.
Fumble: Forgettable football accessories
Touchdown: Creative memorabilia displays
Rethinking how you show off your sports gear and memorabilia can give your watching area a unique touch. Beyond standard display systems, consider custom shelving or mounting designs. In this Salt Lake City area TV room, for instance, Robert McArthur Studios custom-designed the helmet mounts that frame the television.
Touchdown: Creative memorabilia displays
Rethinking how you show off your sports gear and memorabilia can give your watching area a unique touch. Beyond standard display systems, consider custom shelving or mounting designs. In this Salt Lake City area TV room, for instance, Robert McArthur Studios custom-designed the helmet mounts that frame the television.
That dedication to putting your team pride on display creatively carries over in this Miami home, where J Design Group used custom shelving and poles designed to show off shoes to keep the team spirit alive even away from the TV set.
Fumble: Teetering lap treats
Touchdown: Snack surfaces aplenty
Nobody likes balancing a paper plate of nachos on the leg when trying to focus on the game. When you pair each seat with at least one table or surface within arm’s reach for setting snacks and drinks on, fans can have their chips and enjoy each play too. Just don’t forget to leave a few coasters on each surface before the game gets going.
Touchdown: Snack surfaces aplenty
Nobody likes balancing a paper plate of nachos on the leg when trying to focus on the game. When you pair each seat with at least one table or surface within arm’s reach for setting snacks and drinks on, fans can have their chips and enjoy each play too. Just don’t forget to leave a few coasters on each surface before the game gets going.
Fumble: Limited-use spaces
Touchdown: Planning for the off-season
Even if you want to dedicate your space primarily to football, it’s wise to give the space some flexibility for other uses as well, says Melissa Cheney of Lakeshore Decor in Idaho. Cheney worked with the homeowners in this Seattle area home not only to meet their football-loving needs, but also to make the space practical even after the last field goal. In addition to creating this custom leather football ottoman and accents that capture the homeowners’ love for the Green Bay Packers and the San Francisco 49ers, Cheney’s team added a dartboard, a bar and a table seating area that can be used whether it’s football season or not.
“Themed spaces don’t come up every day, but it’s fun when they do to get creative,” she says.
Touchdown: Planning for the off-season
Even if you want to dedicate your space primarily to football, it’s wise to give the space some flexibility for other uses as well, says Melissa Cheney of Lakeshore Decor in Idaho. Cheney worked with the homeowners in this Seattle area home not only to meet their football-loving needs, but also to make the space practical even after the last field goal. In addition to creating this custom leather football ottoman and accents that capture the homeowners’ love for the Green Bay Packers and the San Francisco 49ers, Cheney’s team added a dartboard, a bar and a table seating area that can be used whether it’s football season or not.
“Themed spaces don’t come up every day, but it’s fun when they do to get creative,” she says.
Your turn: What’s your favorite football-watching setup at home? Tell us in the Comments.
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Go Wide With a Football-Watching Party Outside
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Have you been thinking about taking your football-watching setup further into the dream viewing end zone? We huddled up a few design pros who’ve worked on football-focused spaces to find out.