Why a games room is the new middle-class must-have

If proof were needed that British interiors have become more playful of late, it can be found in the rise and rise of the home games room. A recent survey by Censuswide for the online gift company Not on the High Street looked at the rise of “self spaces” – rooms in the home dedicated to leisure activities or self-care – and found that 66 per cent of respondents planned to spend more time on hobbies this year. Some 12 per cent were considering creating a room for games and gaming in their own home – and a separate survey for the curtain company Hillarys showed that 27 per cent had already done so, by converting the spare room.

Meanwhile, John Lewis reports a 59 per cent increase on sales of board games since this time last year, while the Conran Shop has seen sustained demand for its design-led football tables, table-tennis tables and puzzles.

Interior designers are also reporting that more and more clients are requesting games rooms to be incorporated when they renovate a new or existing home.