LUXURY BOARD GAMES

London-based artist Alexandra Llewellyn is known for ultra-lavish, handcrafted pieces, including this poker set.

UPGRADE YOUR FREE TIME WITH THESE HIGH-END SETS

Board games are often relegated to a TV cabinet or drawer, but with the right version of your favorite game, they can act as a stylish piece of decor. From leather-lined backgammon sets to hand-painted poker boxes and sumptuous shagreen game kits, luxury purveyors are able to turn game boards into something chic, customized, and totally luxe. A luxury game set encourages people to spend time together in their favorite rooms at home. For your next game night, consider one of these ritzy pieces as you cozy up next to a roaring fire or an outdoor patio table at sunset for some friendly competition. You’ll want to keep these games out well after you’re done.

WILD POKER NIGHT London-based artist Alexandra Llewellyn is known for her ultra-lavish, handcrafted backgammon boards, poker sets, and table games. Using the finest materials with sustainable origins, Llewellyn specializes in marquetry and beautiful hand-painted scenes. She’s even collaborated with luxury brands, including boutique hotel Eden Rock St Barths and fashion giant Net-A-Porter. The Jungle Poker Set ($24,380) was created with more than 1,000 pieces of individually cut wood and depicts a charming jungle scene. Within the eucalyptus wood box, there’s everything you need for a traditional game of poker, as well as four secret compartments (with a key that unlocks them) and 500 traditional clay poker chips made by the oldest poker-chip maker in the U.S. Polished brass hinges and leather-handled trays solidify this gorgeous creation. You can even request a private, handwritten message engraved on the inside of the box.

MAGIC BOX Entrepreneur and beauty heiress Aerin Lauder created a global luxury lifestyle brand based exclusively on her fabulous personal style, and her company, Aerin, is the embodiment of all things elegant and timeless. From sophisticated home decor to lighting, fashion, and beauty, you’ll find everything you need under one umbrella. Embossed shagreen is a fabric Lauder’s known for using across many categories, including games. For an all-in-one luxury games piece, the Classic Shagreen Game Set ($4,500) contains five games crafted from mappa burl wood, brass, walnut, maple, and rosewood. It’s feminine, trendy, and looks great on a shelf or tabletop.

TWO-IN-ONE Beloved childhood games never stop being fun, but Linley’s Games Compendium, Monopoly, and Clue ($4,750) elevates the gaming experience. This double-sided games board features Monopoly on one side and Clue on the other. Each board is made from the finest leather, while the base is made from stained-gray rippled sycamore with sycamore and walnut stringing. The boards are even stackable with other compendiums, like double-sided backgammon and chess and Scrabble and Trivial Pursuit. They can be stacked together for a chic look in your living room—plus it’ll keep you (and the kids) off your screens for a solid period of time. There’s also a games stand made exclusively for this set.

CHECKMATE From textiles to furniture to decor and beyond, Armani/Casa is a natural extension of fashion brand Giorgio Armani’s creativity. Armani/Casa designs homes, superyachts, and private jets, but even if you don’t have interior-design needs, you can buy a piece of his vision. This Italian-made Fair Chessboard ($10,910) is designed to fit on the Oreste table and comes in black and white, as well as wenge wood and gold leaf, with a metal Giorgio Armani signature on the border. It comes in a svelte wooden box, with pieces housed in a sumptuous gray tray, and will entice you to play over and over again.

PLAYFUL ELEGANCE Baccarat brings its glamorous touch to a classic game. The Tic-Tac-Toe Board ($1,950, available at Neiman Marcus) features beautiful crystal butterfly pieces in lieu of the traditional Xs and Os. It has a mirrored nine-square board with blue and clear crystal butterflies that appear as though they’re ready to take flight. It is made in France, like Baccarat’s gorgeous chandeliers, tableware, and light fixtures, and can even be customized in other colors to match your home and taste.

Backgammon is one of the stackable games available via Linley’s Games Compendium, shown at top. The Baccarat Tic-Tac-Toe Board, shown at bottom, features crystal butterflies in place of the classic Xs and Os.