Gorgeous Tabletop Games to Pass the Time

A lot of unprecedented things have happened in 2020. Not chief among them, but still bizarre in today’s tech-dominated world, was a jigsaw puzzle shortage. With so much of our lives moving online over the last few weeks, it makes sense we might turn to something simple and electricity-free for unwinding indoors.

And, if puzzles and card games are going to be covering our homes, they might as well be as aesthetically pleasing as possible. An added bonus: Find one from a local shop that could use our support. Below are some eye-catching options sourced in Dallas.

Blue Print

Every curated corner of Blue Print is a feast for the eyes, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that even a simple stack of cards or Jenga set at the Uptown furniture boutique is almost too pretty to play with.

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Legos, but make them architectural.

Ellis Hill

Monogrammed playing cards and a handful of stunning mahjong sets are among the tabletop-games goodness in Ellis Hill on West Lovers Lane.

Commerce

A few weeks ago, some good friends bought a Jonathan Adler puzzle with the goal of framing it after they finished it. Unfortunately, they choose a ridiculously hard rounded puzzle (zero corners!) and have never been able to make much headway on it. These pretty Piecework Puzzles, which just landed in the downtown Dallas shop Commerce, demand to be framed and have corners. A win for all.

The Conservatory

You won’t find any crystal in this Baccarat box, but the handcrafted cards may bring the beauty to your tabletop-games collection.

St. Michael’s Women’s Exchange

The “games” section of this Dallas institution (where every dollar spent is given to beneficiaries in need) is fully stocked with stunning tabletop activities, from a Gray Malin backgammon set to a stylish movie quiz game.