It's official: the days of designing a living room around a TV are over. I'm all for the growing pivot away from an awkward 'audience' of seating, towards analogue spaces that invite real connection instead. Conversation pits, vinyl-filled listening rooms, and dedicated 'games' corners are enjoying a revival as screen-fatigue sets in — and furniture (like Dunelm's Harmon Games Side Table) is following suit.
Interior designer Rebecca Hughes has noticed the trend first-hand. "Games rooms are having a real renaissance right now as people fall back in love with analogue activities and consciously try to limit their screen time," she tells me. "We just designed a games barn — a dedicated space for hosting and entertaining, complete with a fully bespoke bar — and it perfectly captures this shift towards more tactile, social forms of leisure."
But you don't need to dedicate a whole room to it. And that's where clever furniture design, like Dunelm's Harmon Games Side Table, works best: the striped ash and walnut veneer taps into style trends, while the chequerboard top actually doubles as a chessboard. Clever, huh?
Chess devotee or agnostic, with its eye-catching design and plinth-like cuboid silhouette, Dunelm’s inexpensive Harmon Games Side Table ticks so many boxes. 47cm high and 35cm wide, the mango wood frame and pine interior are wrapped in striped ash and walnut veneer in an otherwise graphic design grounded by its natural palette. Lift off the top to reveal generous hidden storage, ready to swallow remotes, coasters, or, of course, chess pieces (which you'll need to buy separately — I'd recommend this Bauhaus Chess Set from Amazon).
For a cohesive look, consider the Harmon Coffee Table, which also conceals storage (although the chequered top doesn't double as a chessboard, unfortunately).
"The key to keeping a games space feeling sophisticated is in the materiality and detailing," interior designer Rebecca Hughes explains. "Beautiful joinery, considered, warm lighting, quality upholstery, and a restrained palette elevate the room, while subtle references to heritage — such as leather, timber, or brass accents — add depth."
And, as I said, it doesn't have to be a completely separate room. "Increasingly, we’re designing flexible, dual-purpose spaces that can shift between lounging, socializing, and play," says Rebecca. "This adaptability makes the room feel more relevant to modern living."
Whether you are planning a dedicated games room or simply introducing a note of tactile playfulness, "cohesion is essential," Rebecca shares. "We always ensure the games room speaks the same design language as the rest of the home, whether that’s through color, finishes, or architectural details, so it feels like a natural continuation of the overall scheme rather than a stylistic outlier."
And that's where the chequered and striped marquetry really sets the Harmon Games Side Table. But, if you're not sure it'll work in your space, there are other options out there. I've found some super stylish ones to shop for below.
OKA's Capablanca Games Table can also be folded away, though it's good-looking enough to deserve permanent display. Its gold-painted metal frame with bobbled legs supports a hand-painted green-and-white chessboard on one side, and backgammon on the reverse. There is also an additional felt top that can be added, perfect for card games. Hand-carved chess pieces, draughts pieces, and a fresh deck of cards are all included, too.
Playful yet polished with its marbled white and inky black chequered top, this Chess Side Table brings a welcome dose of whimsy to any overlooked corner. The slim bronze-effect metal frame rests on spherical feet and has an allure of vintage glamour. At 65cm, it stands taller than the other side table options, making it better-suited to hunch-free gameplay. And when the match is over, the glossy glass top is more than ready to host cocktail glasses and vintage coupes instead.
Another brand embracing the games-room revival is Zara Home, which offers a more traditional take that would slip seamlessly into the corner of a classic billiards room. With semi-hidden drawers to house chess pieces, games are played on a classic white and black marble chequered board — but of course, you could bypass the games entirely and style it as a refined side table. If you are feeling competitive, Zara Home also offers a set of 32 wooden chess pieces to complete the scene.
Eliminating tech is one thing, but we humans are wired for stimulation. But in 2026, instead of centering our spaces around tech, why not try something else? A listening room, book nook, or even just a few chic games can change everything, a moonlight as decor if you do it right.