With the Stanley Cup winding down and the World Cup starting soon, it feels like sports fans have a lot to be excited about these days. We are certainly looking forward to seeing some good soccer this summer. But since we’re not devoted to any teams, we haven’t yet taken a plunge into creating a sports fan oasis. But if you’ve been playing with the idea (or you husband has been trying to talk you into it), know that there are some good options out there which everyone in the family can love.
When it comes to decoration and renovation, our homes reflect our personality, character and tastes. For the vast majority of us, that means choosing wallpaper designs, colour and tone of paint, style of carpet, and all the other items of furniture that compliment the interior of the house.
But while most of us are content to treat ourselves to a new sofa, dining room table, or a comfy new bed – such as those available from the Divan Beds Centre – a handful go the extra mile. These are the few who take a passion for sport, for example, to a whole new level, and dedicate their homes to their heroes.
Fans gather together in sporting temples such as Madison Square Garden, Twickenham Stadium, the Melbourne Cricket Ground and the Bernabeu by the tens of thousands to chant, scream, boo, cheer, sing and clap their team onwards. The atmosphere inside these Colosseum-esque buildings can feel intoxicating. So much so that the true disciples try to replicate it inside their homes.
Source: Designs B K. Love
Southampton Football Club supporter Richard Prosser has taken the role of the football fan very seriously – his club-themed home made news headlines in the Daily Mail. Richard converted his entire basement into a shrine for the aptly named Saints, complete with a vintage turnstile and dugout he purchased from an auction when the club left former stadium The Dell and moved to current home St Mary’s.
This is a sentiment that translates abroad. Michael and Sarah Tyler, of Detroit in the USA, have gone a step above and beyond and made the inside and outside of their home look like a scaled down version of the Red Wings ice hockey team stadium. Their lawn is riddled with trophy replicas, a 25-foot Red Wings symbol made of rope lights sits on their rooftop and their front windows are filled with red team posters.
The prize for public sports obsessive number one probably belongs to Stewart McVicar, another die-hard fan from the USA. The baseball lover and Chicago Cubs fan converted his basement into a fully equipped sports bar complete with 12 different screens, (including a 92 inch projector) beer on tap, refrigerated liquors, seven different sound areas and both an air hockey and foosball table. Also, don’t forget the Cubs team colour themed faux leather lazy chair with cup holders!
I’m a sports fan, how do I compete with that?
Firstly you have to hope you share your home or even your neighbourhood with fellow enthusiasts or like-minded people. Either that or you had better believe the people you love the most, whether they be friends, family or a partner, are tolerant enough of your passions to allow such a bespoke decoration job. Remember, you are not alone in your devotion. Your team’s home page, sports shops and even furniture suppliers will have merchandise themed on whatever sport or collection of players you are fond of. You need not stop at a bed or a single poster. Given time and the money there are probably architects out there who could build your home in the shape of a football, cricket bat or baseball…
