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1. Install LED strips to add backlighting to your monitor and/or desk to really take your evening ambience to the next level. It does more than just look cool, however — adding backlighting can help reduce eye strain by reducing the contrast between your screen's brightness and the rest of the room!
Using LED strips is one of the oldest tricks in the book when it comes to decking out your setup, but I still had to mention it here, because you might not realize just *how* easy they are to use. These come with a 24-key remote that controls the 16 different colors and four dimmable modes. You can display multiple colors at the same time!
Promising review: "I used these LEDs for the back of my setup, replacing some old cheap RGB strips I had beforehand. These are STARS better than what I bought last time, and they aren't even that more expensive! Being able to edit the colors of each light is amazing, and it's actual true RGB, which is a plus. It really adds a nice ambience to my setup, and I love being able to have the colors be multiple things rather than the strip being stuck to one color across the whole thing. They are also really bright!" —Bailey Smith
Get a 6.5-feet strip from Amazon for $21.99.
2. And hang neon wall art above your desk, because the vibes at night will simply be *chef's kiss* — plus, it further adds to your backlighting.
3. Or! Have your Twitch username customized as a neon sign you can position behind you while you stream.
4. Lay down a larger-than-average mouse pad because that skimpy one isn't cutting it anymore — not only does this give you more mobility with your mouse, but it's also another opportunity to ramp up your aesthetic. This spacious mouse pad from Razer is lined with RGB illumination around the edges, which will add to your glow at night.
5. Or skip the RGB and opt for colorful desk mat that'll become the centerpiece of your desk — it's essentially a gigantic mouse pad that's wide enough for your keyboard or laptop to fit, too. It really helps tie your entire space together visually while also protecting the surface underneath from scratches, stains, and spills.
6. Invest in a sleek ~gaming desk~ instead of that cramped, scratched-up table you've been using since college. The Eureka Z1-S is one of the best I've found, with a spacious textured desktop, sturdy Z-shape legs capable of supporting all your heavy gear, and nice quality-of-life features like a cup holder, headphone hook, controller, stand, and extra-large mouse pad.
But don't limit yourself to an all-black desk and feel free to match your vibe with another color — like pink (!) or white. This highly rated option also comes with gaming-friendly features, like a headphone hook, cup holder, and a cord collector underneath to help with cable management.
7. Or give your current gaming desk a makeover with waterproof, stain-resistant peel-and-stick marble paper if you're not ready to splurge on a new one *just* yet. It'll make your old shabby desk look like a chic new piece of furniture and peels off easily without leaving any damage!
8. ~Elevate~ your screens with a sturdy monitor stand, which adds some height and visual interest to your desk. It can *also* help reduce neck and eye strain by bringing your monitor up to eye level (very necessary when you're on an all-day gaming binge!) AND it frees up extra desk space underneath.
9. Hang your gaming headphones on a stand so they have a dedicated place instead of just being tossed wherever when it's time to take a break.
10. Swap in a TikTok-popular wireless keyboard and mouse set if you're aiming for a specific color scheme — it's vibrant, budget-friendly, and suitable for light gaming.
11. Or splurge on a dreamy Logitech mechanical keyboard with an adorable (and v cushy) cloud wrist rest — perfect for achieving that TikTok-popular ~cozy~ desk aesthetic. It uses Logitech's Lightspeed wireless tech for low-latency gaming, with a 25-hour rechargeable battery life and vibey RGB lighting that can be customized.
It comes in a sleek, gorgeous white, but you can get colored top plates (like the pink one I'm currently using, shown above) direct from Logitech's store for $19.99!
Check out an unboxing + see it in action on TikTok! I'm seeing it in a ton of setups lately.
I've been using the wired version of this mechanical keyboard for months, both for gaming and for everyday work, and absolutely love it. I had a full-sized keyboard before, so I really appreciate the more compact tenkeyless design of this keyboard (which fits on my desk better). The keys sound perfectly clicky and feel great to type on, and the cloud wrist rest keeps my wrists supported really comfortably. And even though I've been using wrist rest for 8+ hours a day for so long, it still looks totally new! My favorite thing is undeniably the aesthetic, though. It's the prettiest keyboard I've ever had, in a really sleek and modern way. I highly recommend it whether you play PC games or just work from home!
Note that this also comes in a bundle with a mouse, but having used it, I wouldn't say the mouse is worth paying more for *unless* you're in need of a new mouse and really want to match the aesthetic. (I like that it's lightweight and portable, but in terms of ergonomics, and especially for gaming, I prefer Logitech's G502 mouse.)
Get it from Amazon for $146.22+ (available wired or wireless, with three types of switches, and with or without a mouse).
12. Arrange acoustic panels on your wall because they don't just look super cool; they also help insulate noise so that everyone else in your home doesn't hear you playing Apex Legends at 3 a.m.
13. Or invest in modular light panels that'll make your gaming area look like one of those fancy battle stations people are always posting online.
14. Or! Get creative with a neon rope light — its bendable design lets you twist it into all sorts of neat shapes so you can create a truly unique lighting situation around your desk.
Several reviewers compare these to Hue LightStrips and say these are even better, especially for a fraction of the price! You could also pair these with the cheaper LED strips mentioned earlier, using those as monitor backlighting and this neon rope light for more of a visual design (the reviewer image on the top right above is a good example of using both kinds). For a cozy nest vibe, you want as much ambient lighting as possible!
Get a closer look at these on TikTok — the reviewer shows how easy they are to put on the wall!
Promising review: "I'm a big fan of Govee products and this is no exception. I got the 6-foot rope light and it was the perfect addition to my gaming setup. The app is easy to use, and it saves previously used colors so I was able to perfectly match the lights I already had behind my desk. These lights are VERY bright." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $55.99+ (available in two lengths).
15. Hang shelves above and/or around your desk so *all* of your decor and accessories aren't piled onto your desk, taking up precious space. It's great for displaying some of your prized collectibles, art, and other decor.
16. And surround yourself with fake greenery — trailing vines, cute little succulents, you name it. It helps soften the space and add a natural vibe, almost like you're cozied up in your own personal gaming greenhouse.
17. Project the starry night sky onto your ceilings and walls with a galaxy light that'll instantly transform the look of your game room. You'll feel like you're transported to a different world (which is what most of us are trying to achieve while gaming anyway).
18. And harness some celestial energy to power through that Destiny 2 raid with a mesmerizing moon lamp for your desk or nearby shelves. It's another source of cozy ambient light and will function as a cute night-light too.
See it on TikTok.
BuzzFeed Shopping writer Emma Lord has nothing but good things to say about this lamp: "First of all, it really does look hyper realistically like a small moon and adds a chill vibe wherever you plant it. But it's also just so soothing to watch and have in the periphery. You can control dozens of different colors for it and either keep it on those colors or have them alternate, fade quickly, or fade gradually. It's super easy to charge and controlled by a remote, so you can move it off its stand and have it light up wherever you want. Definitely one of my favorite 'the internet made me do it' purchases."
Promising review: "Purchased for my space-loving fiancé, who still has it two years later and works like a charm. He loves the office dim when playing video games and this adds to the vibe. He changes the color as desired, which is pretty cool too. Super easy setup of the stand (literally putting one 'square' on top of the other)." —Brooke
Get it from Amazon for $15.99+ (available in seven sizes).
19. Or add the dreamiest vibe to your setup with a super customizable moon smart lamp. Using its companion app, you can adjust the color of your lighting or choose from 21 preset options, and it also has color modes that are sound-reactive so your moon can vibe to "lofi beats to study/relax to" right along with you (if you know you know).
Check out an unboxing + how it works in this TikTok!
Promising review: "I’m slowly buying things to add fun elements to my office/gaming/stream room. I saw this and thought it would be a cool tabletop display. As soon as I plugged it in I couldn’t believe how bright it actually was. If you set it to the white setting it could easily be used as a lamp for a small room. The app is super easy to use and I love the preset scenes. Plus it syncs to music. This thing is going to be a fun element in my office!" —Loren J
Get it from Amazon for $35.99+ (available in three styles).
20. And bring the sun into your gaming space with a sunset lamp — it's *almost* like actually going outside, right?
21. Give your hard-working gaming laptop a dedicated place to rest during long gaming sessions — this RGB-lit pad has a total of six fans to actively cool down your laptop without being so loud it's distracting. Bonus: You can also prop up your laptop so that it's more level with your monitor, as this pad has seven different height settings!
22. Address the controllers scattered across your desk by arranging them on a stand so they can be displayed without taking up precious desk space. It can even prop up your Nintendo Switch or hold headphones when not in use.
23. String fairy lights along the wall behind your desk for one of the cheapest and simplest ways to add ambient backlighting and making your gaming setup feel ~cozy~.
They have eight different lighting modes and come in warm or cool white along with multicolor options.
Promising review: "I've been looking for fairy lights for my curtains for a while. These are great and look great! I love the multiple settings you can use to set the right mood/ambiance. I'm currently using them in my gaming office and really like the aesthetic feel to the room now." —Charlie V.
Get them from Amazon for $19.99 (available in five styles).
24. Keep track of the time with a minimalist 3D digital clock that'll look so good nestled among your collectibles, peripherals, and other various decor. Oh, bedtime was two hours ago..? Maybe just *one* more day in Stardew Valley...
25. Have multiple smaller light sources around your desk or nearby shelves, both as decor and to add to the room's ambient lighting.
26. Ramp up the cozy cottagecore vibes with a plug-in color-shifting mushroom light, aka the CUTEST THING I've ever seen (and personally own). It'll add an adorable forest-y touch to your game room and provide a cozy glow at night alongside your other lighting.
Hello, I bought this night-light on a whim a few months ago and it might be the best $6 I've ever spent in my life. I have it plugged into an outlet near the floor of my kitchen, near my cats' water fountain and food bowls, and it surprisingly provides a good amount of light to see by — not to mention looking absolutely ADORABLE. Seriously, I have to take a moment to appreciate this light every time I walk into the kitchen at night — the way it changes colors is so beautiful! The light flips on automatically when it gets dark, so you don't have to remember to turn it on and off. Also, you might have to gently pull apart / "fluff" the leaves and mushrooms a bit since they come a bit squished inside the packaging, but they'll take on a good shape in no time. Though I use mine in the kitchen, I think this would look incredible in a gaming desk setup if you have a spare outlet.
Get it from Amazon for $5.97.
27. Lean into a retro aesthetic with a cute Bluetooth speaker that'll remind you of the computer your family owned in the '90s. It features real, RGB-backlit buttons and a screen you can program to display the time, pixel art, and all sorts of animations.
28. Aaand speaking of the '90s: Relive your childhood days of catching 'em all with one of these stunning Pokémon terrariums, which look awesome in a retro-inspired gaming desk setup since they light up too.
Lxjery is a small biz that's one of the top stores selling Pokémon terrariums on Etsy, but there are a lot of other stores out there selling them nowadays, if you're looking for a specific Pokémon.
Psst — You can spot a very similar Pokémon terrarium (and the same Bluetooth speaker as above!) in this TikTok. I see them in setups all the time!
Promising review: "One of the best gifts you can think of for Pokémon lovers! Had the best reaction and it's so pretty to have! Real eye-catcher for your desk!" —Leezle
Get the Eevee terrarium from Lxjery on Etsy for $59.29+ (available with or without light), and check out their store for more options.
29. Rep your favorite gaming platform in the form of some sleek lights, which will make you think back fondly to the first console that made you fall in love with gaming.
30. Finally, consider channeling some spa vibes into your gaming setup — hear me out, OK! It's where you go unwind after a long day, so make it as relaxing as possible by adding an essential oil diffuser, candles, warm lighting, maybe even pillows and a blanket.
The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.