Examples of subtle, aesthetic, furniture-esque living room cabs?

[Martoon]

Okay, I'm an apartment dweller with a wife, and looking to build a cab.  The cab will be visible from most of the apartment, and needs to be subtle, tasteful, and blend.  So no garish orange and yellow side art, neon marquees, etc.  I'm thinking probably a natural wood finish.

One problem with some of the big wood finish uprights I've seen is they often have a kind of tacky 70's look to them.  I'm not sure what it is, but there's something about a big, wooden angular thing with plastic buttons.  Maybe having a cover that closes over the CP (kind of like a piano) would help?  I'm not sure.

I'm considering a cocktail, since they tend to be a little less intrusive.  I like a variety of games and this will be my only cab, so it would probably need to be a 3-sided cocktail to accomodate the controls (I need a trackball, spinner, and a couple sticks).

I have to admit, Com[Plex]'s giant kitchen-table cocktail (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,32551.0.html)  is incredibly cool, but would be a little overwhelming (to build and to have in the kitchen).

So, any ideas?  Tips?  Links to examples?

Thanks!

[Flinkly]

i always thought that pixelhuggers cab was pretty nice to have in the living room.

[DrewKaree]

Here's a tip for you then.

I believe a lot of the reason people don't like naturally finished wood cabs is the garish grain pattern usually evident in the wood they select.  This isn't something that you can't see until you stain it, it's readily visible the moment you step up to the pile of plywood. 

Get yourself a buttload of patience, first of all, because you're going to need it to sift through all the wood you'll look at to find a decent grain pattern.

Want an idea of what generally will look good?  A nice subdued grain pattern like you'll almost always find in Birch plywood.  Why is it that people use the radial-sliced plywood with the zig-zag grain patterns that evoke a psychadelic 70's poster?  COST!

Plain and simple, cost will be the difference between the two types you commonly find used here.  If you have found some patience, and are willing to use it, you can sift through the plywood pile to find a cheaper piece of wood that has a reasonably decent looking grain pattern, or you can skip spending your money on patience and instead buy Birch plywood for the visible pieces, and save money on the pieces not likely to be seen, such as the top, base, back, and anything you will be painting.

If you'd like an idea of the difference in grain patterns, check out the wood used in "The Gold Mine" (search project announcements) before he laminated it, and compare the grain to almost any other wood cab.  His plywood is an even higher-quality plywood, but the grain pattern is very similar to the standard Birch you'll find at HD or elsewhere.

To all of you who have built natural wood cabs:

I LIKE THE WOOD LOOK!  DO NOT TAKE THIS AS A SLAM ON YOUR CAB!  PLEASE REALIZE MANY MANY MANY PEOPLE DO NOT LIKE NATURAL WOOD CABS FOR THE REASONS I LAID OUT ABOVE, AND WON'T BUILD ONE DUE TO THOSE REASONS!  THE GRAIN IS A HIGHLY SUBJECTIVE ISSUE, AND THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM FOR THOSE WHO ARE ON THE FENCE WHO MAY DECIDE AGAINST A NATURAL WOOD FINISH!

SAVE YOUR "YOU SUCK"S FOR SOMEONE WHO TRULY HATES WOOD CABS!

[DrewKaree]

i always thought that pixelhuggers cab was pretty nice to have in the living room. 

Pixel is also supposedly using wood for the base (I'm not sure if he's actually doing so, since we have yet to see anything but photoshopped stuff and pictures of a garage and other assor....Pixel, put down the frying pan!  I was just sayi...OUCH!  KNOCK IT OFF!  BEAT ON SOME WOOD INSTE...OUCH!)

Pixel, IIRC, is doing a glue-up of individual boards to get the size of panel he needs.  No crazy grain pattern normally if you do it like that, as you are using pieces of wood with far less grain variance than a piece of plywood. 

[Martoon]

Flinkly,

I love PixelHugger's cab (or I'm sure I will when it's actually built).  I've been watching his "progress" for a while, and it's the kind of thing I think would be great in a rec room with some space.  But it's not the look I'm looking for.  I'm looking for less center-of-the-room "Holy cow, look at that!  I gotta play it!" and more over-in-the-corner "You're apartment looks nice - very understated.  I don't even notice that innocuous piece of furniture, whatever it is."

DrewKaree,

That's a good point about the woodgrain.  I think that is part of what gives some cabs that tacky 70's look, now that I think about it.  That's not the only thing, but definitely a factor.  Thanks for pointing that out.

I think another thing could be plastic T-molding.  T-molding looks great on a lot of arcade cabs, because that shape around the edge is often like genuine arcade machines.  But for nice-looking wooden furniture (forgetting arcade machines for a moment), T-molding looks cheesy (IMHO).

My brother-in-law will be building it with me, and he's a former cabinet maker (e.g., kitchen cabinets, etc., not arcade).  I'm sure he'll keep me safe from bad wood choices.

So, any more ideas/examples?

[Flinkly]

well, if it's just the overall look of the cabinet that your worried about, i'd have to say that a dark stain is what your looking for.  do a dark walnut or cherry so that it blends in, and just have your bro use some thin routered wood to give the edges that same rounded effect, but without t-molding.  if he keeps the strips small enough, they should bend well around the corners of an arcade cabinet.

lastly, i would point you in the direction of a midway cocktail table or something similar, since those can be hidden very easily either by themselves or with a bit off tablecloth.

[Martoon]

lastly, i would point you in the direction of a midway cocktail table or something similar, since those can be hidden very easily either by themselves or with a bit off tablecloth.

Hmmm... cocktail with a tablecloth.  Not a bad idea.  As long as the top completely overhangs the control panels, I could make it look however I want.  Throw on a tablecloth and vase of flowers, it's a decorative table.  Pull off the cloth, and Voila!  An arcade cab.

But keep the ideas coming.  I'd like to consider all options.

[countchocula8]

i saw this cab a whle back...not sure if it belongs to anyone here in the forum, but i think it looks pretty good: http://www.slam-tilt.com/~bwillis/gallery/view_album.php?set_albumName=mame
the woodgrain makes it look kinda weird at first since not a lot of cabs have that look, but i think u will really like it once u get used to the look.

[Flinkly]

not to dock you or something, but thats a mameroom two peice cab that must have been done from the templates or instruction book.  it would be nice for an arcade cabinet, but not really to hide.

as for the midway table, you could just bring the glass out further to cover and control panels you decided to put on it.  i've always liked the look of midway cocktails anyway though.  good luck with the choices...

[Quarters]

I'm considering a cocktail, since they tend to be a little less intrusive. I like a variety of games and this will be my only cab, so it would probably need to be a 3-sided cocktail to accomodate the controls (I need a trackball, spinner, and a couple sticks).

My cocktail would look at home in most living rooms. I guess one could chop the design down to a 3 sided version.

<----web site

[Grasshopper]

I would build a black cocktail cab with chrome t-moulding, and get some chrome stools to match.

[APFelon]

Why not make it your kitchen table like this guy did?

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,32551.0.html

APf

[RayB]

going back to the original question... it's a bit of a vague question really. We don't know your taste. You could ask "can you suggest a couch that will suit other furniture", but really, the couch *I* like might not suit your taste and existing furniture at all.

Personally I like modern styles. But alot of people are into traditional (bleah) stuff. So... what are you into?

[quarterstringer]

Take a look at Buzzdalf's cabinet.

http://users.coastalwave.net/~buzz/arcade%203.htm

[JonnyBoy]

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,30506.msg263638.html#msg263638

[DrewKaree]

I think another thing could be plastic T-molding.  T-molding looks great on a lot of arcade cabs, because that shape around the edge is often like genuine arcade machines.  But for nice-looking wooden furniture (forgetting arcade machines for a moment), T-molding looks cheesy (IMHO).

My brother-in-law will be building it with me, and he's a former cabinet maker (e.g., kitchen cabinets, etc., not arcade).  I'm sure he'll keep me safe from bad wood choices.

If your b-i-l did that stuff for a living, he should (but in case he doesn't here it is to tell him) be able to add a piece of half-round molding instead of T-molding, or he'll add a piece of solid wood to the plywood edges (if that's what you use for the larger panels) both to hide the edges and allow himself something to take a router to and finish the edges (usually a roundover bit in a router).  If he's gonna do a glue-up and make a large solid wood panel, it won't even be an issue.  He'll finish it the same way.  I dunno if an ogee would look right (or if there's even enough material or small enough bit to do both sides), but he can mock up some examples for you when you get that far.

If you'd like to do a nice glue-up, I'd recommend aspen.  Easy to find, reasonably inexpensive, and easy to work. 

One other thing I might suggest is taken from one of those computer armoire's.  The "keyboard drawer" could be turned into your pull-out control panel, and the upper area could have doors that open and slide in alongside the monitor.  It would then look as any other piece of furniture, perhaps you could even do shelves along the bottom for storage/frou-frou items wives always seem to collect and crap up the house with.  Atop that, you could throw a fake spider plant (or real, if your wife wants to deal with it) to more "housify/class" the thing.

Buzzdalf's is the closest I've seen to what I"m suggesting, but I'd stick the PC more up inside the unit, allowing the shelves on the lower section, and some other stuff I just can't put my finger on yet.

[RoboG2]

Saw this a while back:

http://www.arcadeathome.com/pic.phtml?images/netbox.jpg

[DrewKaree]

i saw this cab a whle back...not sure if it belongs to anyone here in the forum, but i think it looks pretty good: http://www.slam-tilt.com/~bwillis/gallery/view_album.php?set_albumName=mame
the woodgrain makes it look kinda weird at first since not a lot of cabs have that look, but i think u will really like it once u get used to the look.

Let me point out what it is that I'm talking about, and before I piss some people off, state that I understand why these things are done - it usually comes down to cost, or that "CRAP!  I don't wanna make ANOTHER trip to the hardware store" where we cut corners or think "it'll look fine once it's done".

I'm not pointing these things out to pick on this guy's cab, I'm pointing them out to demonstrate what I'm talking about.  On the first page, click DSCN2373.  It's the CP.  Notice the nice grain to that, the tightness of it, how the stain seems to add to the beauty of that piece of wood.

Next, click DSCN2371.  Notice how the stain seems to bring out the vast differences and accentuate the wildness of the grain?  And lastly, notice how the bottom piece, where the grain runs horizontal kinda makes your eye just "STOP" there?  Now, I know it's a "I'm not wasting a whole 'nuther sheet" thing, but things like this, if you do not like wood and have no understanding of how grain pattern will affect your project, these are the things that people who may be considering a natural wood finish could/would be put off by unless they do a little homework.

I personally think the CP on that cab is just one SWEET piece of work, and the horizontal grain - the guy went with that pattern around the whole base, so at least it's not a totally out of place piece there.  Pretty good work on that cab, and a fairly decent example of how nice a natural wood look can be.

Check out the side panel on Buzzdalf's hide-a-cab.  See how the grain is SUPER SWEET up top?  Unless you look carefully, or if it's out in the open, you hardly realize the crazy grain on the bottom.  Another example of working with the wood to accentuate the better parts of it!

Just some things to look at, anyway.

[mahuti]

If you are going to build an upright cab it will stick out more if it is wood grain if it is the typical cab shape. It's shocking and weird to see a wood grain cab. Plain black with no or only basic adornments would be the least obtrusive upright machine. They're all gonna stick out, though. If you really wanna do wood, find a woodworkers specialty lumber store. I used to go select really nice wood for design projects in college from this great indoor lumber yard. Really rare and expensive wood, but plenty of top of the line standard boards too. In general, the wood there had less imperfections, knots, warps, etc. Real, quality wood is way heavy, but it can look great. If you get the wood from a specialty store, you'll have more selection on the grain.

The best thing to do for an apartment anyway, is to have a cocktail machine. Cocktails are cool, and they can have a second function which is very handy for apartment living. Used really dark smoked glass for the top glass... that will help conceal all of the monitor and stuff If its off and you don't have a tablecloth on it. The tablecloth though, can add a lot of color to a typical drab apartment anyway, so the cocktail with cover seems a natural.

[paigeoliver]

Big funiture cabs are still overwhelming. The two most subtle cabinets I own are my Midway cocktail (no NOT do a 3 sided, those ARE overwhelming), and my Candy cabinet. The Candy cabs are small and they are very manufactured. They have a real appliance look to them.

I find HEIGHT  to usually be the biggest wife-turn-off when it comes to games. The shorter the machine the better. A cabinet that is 3 feet wide but only 4 feet tall will look smaller and less offensive to a woman than one that is only 2-feet wide, but that is 6 feet tall.

[Sasquatch!]

I find HEIGHT  to usually be the biggest wife-turn-off when it comes to games. The shorter the machine the better. A cabinet that is 3 feet wide but only 4 feet tall will look smaller and less offensive to a woman than one that is only 2-feet wide, but that is 6 feet tall.

I was just thinking that a cabaret cabinet would be this guy's best bet.

[elvis]

I really like the black+chrome look.  Two good ones are stuzza's:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,25051.0.html

And Blakey's:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,22821.0.html

I'm actually in the process of building a black+chrome cocktail cab for my living room inspired heavily by Blakey's creation.  And much of the reason for the black is also to keep the wife happy by not having a tacky woodgrain unit in the living room.  I'll be using uniform colours on the buttons for player 1 (all red js and buttons) and player 2 (all blue js and buttons) to hopefully keey things not too overt.

Of course, I'll be making a tacky woodgrain unit for the games room next year, but she doesn't know that yet.

[Martoon]

going back to the original question... it's a bit of a vague question really. We don't know your taste. You could ask "can you suggest a couch that will suit other furniture", but really, the couch *I* like might not suit your taste and existing furniture at all.

Personally I like modern styles. But alot of people are into traditional (bleah) stuff. So... what are you into?

That's a valid point.  The problem is, I don't really know what I'm looking for yet.  I thought I'd get sort of a general survey of examples of cabs that other people felt were inobtrusive, "living-room" style cabs, and see if I could get some ideas.

Here's a little more detail on my situation.  My wife is a professional harpist, so we have one of these:
http://www.lyonhealy.com/products/lyonhealy/pedalb/85-CG-web-FS.jpg
...and one of these:
http://www.thorharp.com/photos/models%20page/model_swan.jpg
There's also a small upright piano, a couple wood music stands, a light beige sofa, and a couple glass-doored wood bookshelves (full of books).  So there's a lot of wood.

She teaches harp lessons at the apartment, and some of her child and teen students have parents of the upper-class, snooty variety.  Some of them may take offense to a giant party toy in the living room, and that can cost us income.

[Martoon]

Thanks for all the ideas and info so far, guys.  That's a big help.  So far, I'm leaning toward either a cocktail or a cabaret sized armoire-looking thing.

I think cocktails are cool, anyway.  The only problem I have with a cocktail is that I want a versatile cab (2 sticks + trackball + spinner + buttons), and cocktails have such limited CP space.  I'd almost have to do a 3 sided.

If I did the cabaret armoire, it would have everything hidden behind panels, kind of like Buzzdalf's, but smaller, and with the monitor tilted back.  The CP would need to flip up instead of slide out, because of the tilted monitor.

And of course, all of the sliding and flipping would be motorized, so I could press a button and it would turn into an arcade machine while playing the "Transformers" theme song.

[Buddabing]

Com[Plex]'s table-top cab

[kcoleman]

I am almost finished with my cocktail cab.

[kcoleman]

have your bro use some thin routered wood to give the edges that same rounded effect, but without t-molding.

[Tiger-Heli]

Thanks for all the ideas and info so far, guys.  That's a big help.  So far, I'm leaning toward either a cocktail or a cabaret sized armoire-looking thing.

I think cocktails are cool, anyway.  The only problem I have with a cocktail is that I want a versatile cab (2 sticks + trackball + spinner + buttons), and cocktails have such limited CP space.  I'd almost have to do a 3 sided.

3-sided wouldn't be a problem, though.  One REALLY nice thing about cocktails is that you can have dual sticks on the long side for horizontal games and individual on the short sides for vertical games, so you can use MAME's auto-rotate commands and get the advantages of a rotating monitor without the complexity.

Another thing you might consider is running the glass out so it extends over the top of the controls and the controls are recessed under the glass.  This will make it look more like a table when covered up.

Here's a thread on building one:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,26020.0.html
and here's a thred on buying them, at the end I point out my favorites:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,15890.0.html
Note that the only (really limited info I can still find on Smack's cab is here:
http://www.beerisgoodfood.com/mame/cocktail/home.htm

If I did the cabaret armoire, it would have everything hidden behind panels, kind of like Buzzdalf's, but smaller, and with the monitor tilted back.  The CP would need to flip up instead of slide out, because of the tilted monitor.

And of course, all of the sliding and flipping would be motorized, so I could press a button and it would turn into an arcade machine while playing the "Transformers" theme song.

Another cool idea would be making it look like a roll-top desk, but with a CP and Monitor when you rolled the top up, but that might take some real skill to build.

[paigeoliver]

Also, stick with all black controls. Black controls don't stick out, they aren't noticed. Most living rooms have a good deal of black plastic in them, but few have neon green, bright red, or electric blue.

[jcroach]

Take a look at Buzzdalf's cabinet.

http://users.coastalwave.net/~buzz/arcade%203.htm

That's freak'n cool.  I'd never seen it before. It's not for me, but I think it's ingenious.  I love the flip up marquee and pull down bezel.  Lots of thought and planning went into that one I bet.

[ChadTower]

Holy CRAP how snooty do your parents have to be to make you take HARP lessons?   

[Sasquatch!]

Holy CRAP how snooty do your parents have to be to make you take HARP lessons?   

I was more thinking along the lines of "How hip are your apartment neighbors to you guys having a HARP?"  When I lived in an apartment, the neighbor next door had a PIANO, and I was ready to throttle her.  I should've dragged the drumset over from my parents' house. 

[Lilwolf]

I considered creating one that fit inside a rolltop desk.  I was going to have the controls in the pull out drawer and the monitor inside.  So when it was closed it looked like a desk.  But open it up and it looked like a .... well... maybe one of the angled sitdown cabs.

But my monitor wouldn't fit in the cheap rolltop desk I found.  And I bought a new house with a basement.  Now I'm trying to make everything look MORE arcadish..

[RayB]

I'll tell you this much... if you can have a desktop computer in that room and not have it raise eyebrows, or a telelvision set, then follow those aesthetics.

[JDSkydiver]

Annother idea taken from Buzzdalf's cabinet...

Why not pick up a cheap (finished or unfinished) armior (sp?) for the living room that matches your current furniture/harps.  You han then HACK THE HECK out of it, installing doors/drawers, etc with the required MAME elements (PC, CP, Screeen).

You may even be able to do something with a table/box type furniture, where the monitor would rise up from the box.

Just an Idea, but if MON-Gaming aestetics are important, maybe start with a non-gaming piece of furniture an work from there!

My 2 pennies...

JDSkydiver

[Flinkly]

i think the big deal in this situation, more than hiding such a machine from the snooty parents, is to hide such a machine from the kids.  i know not all kids are interested in arcade machines as much as all us grown men (and women), but kids still love games, and more and more girls love them too.

so in this light, i'd stick with the midway cocktail table ideal and make it look like a midway cocktail with the woodgrain veneer (or real wood) but also have black t-molding and whatever you want for a picture around the monitor, but when your not using it, cover it with some nice looking tablecloth thing and stick some pictures on it.  it'll be annoying to take stuff off and put it back on, but if you dont, it'll be even more annoying to have to deal with kids and parents.

so basically, cocktail is the best way to go in this situation.  i mean, you can't hide any other kind of cab, with or without a sheet (or at least very well), and it sounds like you need to hide it more than have it blend it.  good luck though.

[shmokes]

Well...I'm late to the party and my ADHD wouldn't allow me to read through the whole thread, so I apologize is these points have already been addressed...

1- NO OAK!!!  You weren't able to put your finger on it, but you knew something wasn't quite right.  It's the oak.  THAT, my friend, is the cause of the 70's look you were talking about.  Oak is out baby!  Go with birch, like Drew said.  Or, I don't know, I'm not much of a wood afficionado, find something nice, but NO OAK.

2- Have you considered a coffee table cab?  You wouldn't be the first.  Here is an example of one, though I think he must use the TV as the screen.  It could easily be made with a built-in screen as some kind of cocktail cab (but you might get back pain having everything so low)

3- Don't use oak.

[PixelCloud]

Here is some advice...

Don't


Living area + arcade cab = BAD

just put the cab somewhere else

[elvis]

2- Have you considered a coffee table cab?  You wouldn't be the first.  Here is an example of one, though I think he must use the TV as the screen.  It could easily be made with a built-in screen as some kind of cocktail cab (but you might get back pain having everything so low)

I think that brings up a good point: the design there uses the TV, rather than a dedicated cab setup.  Almost like a home console.  That's probably the best way to hide an arcade setup in a lounge room, if you really want to keep it under wraps.

Even just making yourself two joysticks, and putting them in a cupboard when not in use.

[evlbeaver]

Also, stick with all black controls. Black controls don't stick out, they aren't noticed. Most living rooms have a good deal of black plastic in them, but few have neon green, bright red, or electric blue.

You talkin' to ME? 


I dont think its so bad.  I did think about all black though but since I used a Galaxian underlay I decided to go with the same color scheme.