# Whatever happened to "rec rooms"? I haven't heard this term used in quite a while **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 11, 2008, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-rec-rooms-i-havent-heard-this-term-used-in-quite-a-while/459565 "2008-08-11T03:22:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-rec-rooms-i-havent-heard-this-term-used-in-quite-a-while/459565/21 "2008-08-11T16:37:12Z")
Growing up, my house had a ‘playroom’ (spare bedroom where my toys were kept; we later used it for general storage). We also had a separate family room and living room. The family room was for the TV, stereo, books, and fireplace; it opened onto the back deck. The living room was where the nicest furniture was kept; it opened to the front porch. Our current house has an open living/dining/kitchen area. The space between the family room and the kitchen is referred to as “the keeping room” on the house plans. We have a separate dining room; it houses all the nice furniture, and is rarely used, though it is the first thing you see when walking into the house. Upstairs, immediately in front of the stairway, there is an open area called the “bonus room/loft/4th bedroom (optional)” on the house plans. We also have a “finished room over garage”, though it wasn’t called that on the plans; that space is a double walk-in closet off the master bathroom. I vaguely recall several friends’ houses having what is described here as a “rec room”, but I don’t remember what any of them called it. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-rec-rooms-i-havent-heard-this-term-used-in-quite-a-while/459565/22 "2008-08-11T16:46:38Z")
It’s used a lot in real estate, at least in my neck of the woods. Using the basement rooms for any type of living space is illegal, so “rec room” “spare room” and “summer kitchen” are used. ---
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-rec-rooms-i-havent-heard-this-term-used-in-quite-a-while/459565/23 "2008-08-11T17:35:24Z")
Since I am single and do not have a family, I would feel silly calling my big room in my walk-out basement a “Family Room” – so I call it, of all things, my “Rec Room”! (Okay, sometimes I just call it “Downstairs… where I watch TV!”) ---
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-rec-rooms-i-havent-heard-this-term-used-in-quite-a-while/459565/24 "2008-08-11T19:03:44Z")
[QUOTE=beowulff] They’ve been replaced by “Media Rooms.” [/QUOTE] and “Man Caves” ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-rec-rooms-i-havent-heard-this-term-used-in-quite-a-while/459565/25 "2008-08-11T19:05:41Z")
The “green room”. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-rec-rooms-i-havent-heard-this-term-used-in-quite-a-while/459565/26 "2008-08-11T19:16:16Z")
[QUOTE=GuanoLad] What about the drawing room, rumpus room, spare room, guest room, library, study, and the cupboard under the stairs? [/QUOTE] They’re in the Parlor. “Rec Room” was a 70’s term for that (as others have mentioned) partially finished basement room with the bad 1/4" panelling and the ping pong table that was used mostly as a place to pile up your mom and dad’s unused craft stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-rec-rooms-i-havent-heard-this-term-used-in-quite-a-while/459565/27 "2008-08-11T19:22:39Z")
Well, if people don’t have rec rooms any more, where the heck do they put their hi-fi? ---
**Author:** ![gravitycrash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@gravitycrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gravitycrash)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-rec-rooms-i-havent-heard-this-term-used-in-quite-a-while/459565/28 "2008-08-11T19:41:24Z")
We converted our sitting room, whatever that means, into a rec room complete with pool table and a 60’s juke box. My ex’s mother was not pleased. I still get joy from remembering the look on her face. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-rec-rooms-i-havent-heard-this-term-used-in-quite-a-while/459565/29 "2008-08-11T20:09:10Z")
My dad referred to my bedroom as a Wreck Room. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-rec-rooms-i-havent-heard-this-term-used-in-quite-a-while/459565/30 "2008-08-11T20:44:42Z")
[QUOTE=Purgatory Creek] On home improvement shows, they seem to call them “Man Caves” these days. [/QUOTE] No, those are dens. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-rec-rooms-i-havent-heard-this-term-used-in-quite-a-while/459565/31 "2008-08-11T22:06:19Z")
[QUOTE=Lute Skywatcher] No, those are dens. [/QUOTE] Dad would point to the room and say there’s my den. This was before the next kid needed a bedroom. The den actual had many locations over the years. The den had the office desk and dad’s other stuff, including his television at times. The house had two televisions, and the family had to fight over what to watch in the living room. Only dad got to choose what was on his television, and I think it was only fair. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2008, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-rec-rooms-i-havent-heard-this-term-used-in-quite-a-while/459565/32 "2008-08-12T02:09:23Z")
They’ve been taken over by adult kids in need of a life. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-rec-rooms-i-havent-heard-this-term-used-in-quite-a-while/459565.md?page=1)