Ideas To Create A Board, Mahjong Or Card Game Space At Home
Our family enjoys playing cards and board games together. Recently the game Mahjong has taken the country by storm (and swept me up too). So I have been thinking of ways to create a space for Mahjong or board games at home.
Even if you hate the idea of Mahjong, what about playing cards, Rummikub, checkers, Scrabble, puzzles or even Candy Land? Something away from screens? I want to show you some ideas for carving out a game space in your home temporarily or permanently.
I also have a Chicken Piccata recipe and a transitional Fall outfit of the week for you. It’s Sunday Faves time with Annie and Cindy!
Game Tables
Remember how we created an area in Lisa and Jim’s living room? They bought this heirloom quality, David Linley designed table while living in London.
It’s a great excuse to use their more formal living room and a quiet setting for games and conversation. Their table is against the wall but can be pulled out and two chairs added for card games.
Annie from Most Lovely Things
Annie has a charming space in her living room that has multiple uses and right now it’s a Scrabble corner!
Here are other game alcove ideas:
The table is angled against the wall for four chairs.
Jenn Feldman Designs • House Beautiful
Game Tables
Game tables can run into several thousands of dollars. But here are some in the lower range (still not exactly cheap — but you will have it for several years).
These tables by Pottery Barn have inset game tops.
Table with Reversible Chess, Backgammon, and Card Table
Serena and Lily (I like that this would be easily movable) • Four Hands Game Table • West Elm (comes in cream, plum and olive)
Side note: Playing Candy Lane with Real Candy
I taught our four-year-old grand-daughter, Louisa to play Candy Lane while she was here over the Summer. On the board, where you go to win the game at the end of the trail, I put a tiny bowl of Skittles.
When a player won, everyone got to have one Skittle (yes, I know what sugar does to a little kid). Do you remember playing the game as a child and wishing for candy?
Pretty American Mahjong Sets
Since I’m starting to get a little better at this very difficult game, I might ask for one of these for Christmas.
A Delicious Weeknight Chicken Piccata Recipe
Howard served this lemony chicken with angel hair pasta (with the extra sauce on it) and a side salad.
Lemon Chicken Piccata
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1½ pounds), halved horizontally (see tip)*
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- All-purpose flour, for dredging
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
- 1 shallot, peeled and sliced lengthwise
- 1 lemon, halved (half thinly sliced and seeds removed; half juiced, about 2 tablespoons)
- 3/4 cup chicken stock
- 4 tsp drained capers
- Coarsely chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons butter and the olive oil over medium-high heat until the butter has melted. Working in batches to avoid crowding the pan, add the chicken and sauté until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side.
- Remove the chicken, place on a plate and repeat with the remaining pieces, adding more olive oil if needed.
- Once the chicken is cooked, add the shallot and lemon slices to the pan and sauté, stirring occasionally, until lightly caramelized and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the stock and simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low, then stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons butter, capers and lemon juice, to taste. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the chicken with the sauce poured over the top. Garnish with parsley if desired.
- * Tip: Freezing the chicken breasts for 15 minutes will make slicing them through the middle easier.
Transitional Autumn Outfit Of The Week
Here is a case for a burgundy luxe bag and denim. Gerard Darel generously gifted me the new woven leather bag and it makes the outfit. I will use it throughout Fall and Winter. It holds a surprising amount.
Classic white tee • Madewell cropped denim top • Sezane wool bandana • Westman Atelier lipstick • Matchstick jeans • Gerard Darel Woven leather purse (in Bordeaux) • Freyers Sunglasses • Madewell supple leather flats (really comfortable like slippers)
Did you catch the recent post: Why You Should Add A Colorful Shoe For Fall?
Let’s see what my friends have discovered this week:
Hi Mary Ann,
Thank you Howard for the delicious recipe, I have family travelling home very soon and will make this to welcome them in! Big smiles all around I imagine! Love your new bag how heavenly! Love playing games with friends and family.
Let me know how they like the chicken! You could use a different starch other than the angel hair.
I have played American Mahjong for years and at the final game completion we would painstakingly replace the tiles into the designated “holders.” I now play with a larger group of women who introduced the “long-timers” to the notion of storing the tiles in an appropriately sized soft cloth drawstring bag. Quick and easy peasy!! Old dogs can still learn some new tricks.
I know…I keep tiles in an old zippered makeup bag. So much easier than a fancy box…but I do love the look of a nice box.
I began playing Mahjong with zero expectations. I quickly realized I loved both the socialization that surrounds Mahjong, and the intellect needed to keep up! I explain Mahjong to those who haven’t played like this: it requires the mental processing of chess; the social etiquette and graces of golf; and the tablescaping gravitas of Martha Stewart. A beautiful game table certainly helps. I’m conducting a one-woman non-scientific survey of why women prefer Mahjong over men. Perhaps the need to create order over chaos? 🤷🏻♀️
What a perfect explanation, Catherine! It’s certainly a non-drinking game…and sometimes my head hurts from trying to “pivot”…but I do like the order. The group of ladies that I play with at our club are very gracious and were welcoming to me. So that’s another bonus.
You crack me up about Mahjong over men 🙂
I meant to say … why women seem to prefer Mahjong more than men do. But maybe it’s both for some women???
Ha! Our friend, Mark does have a men’s group that he plays with.
I wish we had a space for a game table! Summer loves games. Great options!!
Well, you have more room than we do, Cindy…and I’m still trying to figure it out. May mean moving furniture around 🙂
I walk through our house all the time thinking maybe some of our rooms have grown larger since I last checked and can now accommodate a game table artfully tucked into a corner by the window. Kind of like a teenager opening the refrigerator for the 27th time that day hoping some delicious leftovers have appeared.
Perhaps you could set something up outside, Cindy. You have such beautifully landscaped outdoor areas.