Toy Chest - Toys - Hope chest

Building family room what kind of things should I include?

We are turning our garage into a family room. One corner of the room will be the "toy" corner. I am working on repainting some TV entertainment centers to use as toy storage cubbies. We know that we want some extra outlets around where the tv will be. Can you think of anything else that we should incorporate that will make life easier down the road? It's always easier to get ideas from people who have done this before!

Answer
It's a garage so I'm going to assume you will be walling in the garage door space. There are a few things I would include.

Put a single receptacle on each wall except where the television will be going. Put a double receptacle box there. You might also want to put a double receptacle box on a wall if you will have a computer in the room. Don't forget to run the cables down the wall for the television and computer.

Put an opening in the center of the room for a ceiling fan and make sure it is secured to the truss or rafter system. You certainly don't want a fan to come crashing down on anyone. You should have a switch installed to turn the fan on. You may want to install a switch to one of the single receptacles too for a table lamp. That way you'll have a choice of which light to turn on...just an practical option.

Insulate the walls if there is no drywall hung yet. Use 5/8" drywall if you're going to hang it new. It's only $1.00 or so more per sheet than 1/2" drywall and it's a better from of sound proofing and adds a little bit more of an insulating factor. Don't be afraid to use a lot of screws. One every 12" will hold the board in place but one every 8" will hold it better and diminish the vibration of the board on the studs.

You have a concrete floor so you can install carpeting or a floating floor system. I don't like carpet because it holds so much dirt. Hence, it's unsanitary even under the best of circumstances. I would install a floating floor system. They're durable and easy to install. It's something you should spend the extra money on to get a good quality product. I just wouldn't skimp on the flooring.

Those are just some basic ideas of what I thing should be in your new room. I hope it helps.