The most popular “game table” for a home is the billiards table, colloquially referred to as a pool table. It’s a great game to teach kids because it’s a fun skill to know in early adulthood.
Interestingly, billiards started in the 15th Century as a game played on the lawn and since then evolved into playing on a table indoors with green felt to mimic the grass it traditionally played on (hence the popularity of green felt surface).
As you’ll see below there are many types of rooms, including man caves with a pool table in homes. It could be a dedicated game room, family room, patio, man cave or finished basement. Not only are they fun, they teach a great skill for kids, offer kids and the family something to do together and they look fabulous. While you can spend a fortunate, there are modestly priced tables available too.
Related: Types of Ping-Pong Tables | Pool Table Accessories | Types of Card Tables
Photo Gallery
An orange patio framed with concrete balustrade offers metal armchairs fitted with beige cushions and a traditional pool table that sits on tiled flooring.
Well-lit man cave features a pool table in between the living space and bar area showcasing marble countertop lined with metal bar chairs. It is illuminated by vintage pendants and recessed ceiling lights.
A closeup look at the pool table with yellow and purple balls situated behind the black sectional facing the television and brick fireplace.
A wrought iron pendant hangs over the pool table situated across the seating area by the French door. There’s a potted plant in the corner which gives a refreshing ambiance to the room.
Contemporary room illuminated by a statement chandelier that hung over the blue pool table sitting on a beige area rug. It includes a bar area and a slider that opens to the patio.
Cozy basement offers brown leather couches with a wooden coffee table and a pool table on the side lighted by a linear chandelier.
Warm man cave decorated with a series of framed wall arts mounted above the wooden wainscoting. It has a bar area and a pool table illuminated by wrought iron pendants.
A clawfoot pool table is the focal point in this red classic room lighted by a chandelier that hung from the tray ceiling. It is accompanied by a dark wood console table and round back chairs over the hardwood flooring.
Yellow game room with a contemporary pool table and a Ms. Pac-Man in the corner. There are chrome bar stools on the sides accented with lovely wall arts.
A traditional pool table with a cue stick wall rack on the side situated beneath the pendant light. The room has carpet flooring and built-in cabinetry fitted with marble countertop.
An all-wood room with glass railings and framed windows allowing natural light in. There’s a pool table in the middle that sits on the rich hardwood flooring illuminated by recessed lights.
Bright man cave accented with checkered walls and blue draperies covering the glazed windows. It has a white sectional and a dark wood coffee table across the pool table on a diamond patterned rug.
Yellow basement lined with wainscoted columns that serve as a separator from the living space and game area. It has a pool table that sits on a classic rug lighted by dome pendants.
Mediterranean room features tiled flooring and wood beam ceiling with a hanging pendant light. There’s a pool table in the middle surrounded by a wooden console table and cozy seats.
Deluxe game room designed with gallery wall and arched inset niches on the sides fixed above the white wainscoting. It has a pool table across the console desk lighted by table lamps and ornate pendant that hung from the coffered ceiling.
Warm man cave with a pool table in front of the living area filled with comfy seats and a brick fireplace. The low ambient lighting from the strip lights on the tray ceiling gives a warm and cozy vibe to the room.
Rustic man cave showcases black shelving and a stone fireplace along with a pool table beneath the tray ceiling clad in wood planks.
Yellow basement boasts a black pool table that complements with the leather chairs on the side. It has vaulted ceiling and wood plank flooring topped with a textured area rug.
Craftsman man cave with a pool table in the middle illuminated by a pendant light that hung from the coffered ceiling. There’s a seating area by the full height windows covered in patterned valences.
A wrought iron pendant hangs over the pool table on a floral rug in this room with a bar area enclosed in full height glazing.
Spacious entertainment room accented with paneled walls and brass pendants that hung over the black pool table. It has wood plank flooring and panoramic windows overlooking a breathtaking view.
Family room decorated with black framed wall arts and a blue canvas mounted above the console table. There’s a white chair in the corner complementing with the coffee table on a cowhide rug along with white pool table across the French door.
Classic white room features a red pool table lighted by a linear chandelier and accompanied with black bar chairs by the wooden framed windows.
A gorgeous pendant light illuminates this family room showcasing a stone fireplace and wooden pool table that complements with the wood plank flooring.
An open concept room offering a clawfoot pool table illuminated by an ornate candle pendant along with recessed lights mounted on the white tray ceiling lined with dark wood crown molding.
This room boasts a traditional pool table that sits on a woven rug lighted by glass pendants. It has wood plank flooring and a French door that leads to the lush green yard.
Warm bar area with a small television and carved wood pool table illuminated by round pendants that hung from the coffered ceiling.
Deluxe entertainment room with a living space next to the curved bar area facing the yellow pool table that’s lined with white columns.
Green pendant lights stand out in this entertainment room filled with bar counter and pool table situated behind the leather sectional and round wooden table.
Industrial man cave with brick accent wall features a pool table illuminated by pendant lights that hung from the black ceiling lined with exposed pipes.
You’ll never get bored in this room as it offers various games you’ll surely enjoy from the bowling alley, arcade machines and a pool table at the far end.
Traditional family room showcases a carved wood pool table that sits on a classic area rug lighted by drum pendants that hung from the coffered ceiling.
This entertainment room boasts a brown pool table and flat panel TV on a white built-in cabinet surrounded with black leather chairs and open shelving.
Well-lit entertainment room offers a comfy home theater setup and a farmhouse pool table accompanied by a Cleopatra chair and flat panel TV mounted on the gray wall.
Long and narrow family room furnished with wooden tables and gray seats. It has a stone fireplace and a bar area along with a pool table that blends well with the tiled flooring.
An airy room with framed windows and a French door overlooking the serene outdoor greenery. It has beige walls and ceiling lined with wooden panels that complement with the pool table.
Cozy game room features rich hardwood flooring and coffered ceiling with a hanging chrome pendant. It has poker and pool tables along with arcade machines next to the bar area.
Marvelous family home accented with bricks and wood beams showcases a pool table in between bar area and living space with fireplace.
An open entertainment room with gray skirted seats surrounding the ornate coffee tables and chevron fireplace with a television on top. It includes a wood paneled pool table on the side lighted by industrial pendant.
This entertainment room showcases carpet flooring and cathedral ceiling framed with metals and wood beams. There’s a pool table in the middle surrounded with wooden furniture.
Sophisticated man cave with an ornate clawfoot pool table across the bar area sporting a unified look. It is lighted by yellow pendants that hung from the coffered ceiling.
Deluxe game room decorated with white framed wall arts and custom jellyfish tanks that add class and a sense of tranquility at the same time. There’s a pool table nestled in between black leather chairs and blue chesterfield sofa.
Green man cave offers a freestanding fireplace next to the corner bar area along with a pool table that sits on a patterned rug lighted by a brass pendant.
Spacious room designed with huge wall arts mounted on the white wall. There’s a pool table on a patterned rug accompanied by black round back stools.
Recreational area with a huge television mounted on the wood paneled wall and a pool table that sits behind the coral sofas over beige carpet flooring.
A black pool table sits on a jute rug accompanied by leather wingback chairs in this open game room decorated with large black and white wall arts.
Traditional game room framed with ornate railings boasts a carved wood pool table illuminated by glass pendants that hung from the stylish tray ceiling.
A lime green pool table on a shaggy rug stands out in this transitional family room with a bar and vanity area. It has pendant lights and a French door that leads to the concrete yard.
What’s the best room for a billiards table?
I’m partial to billiards tables in a dedicated game room or large family room with both a lounge / TV area and adjacent pool table area. I like the larger entertainment oriented rooms where many people can gather and enjoy one another’s company. However, if you’re an avid player you may have to make due as best as you can. In my view it’s better to have a table in some room that’s not ideal than no table at all. It doesn’t take much work to dress up a room to make it more enjoyable. Lighting, a small home bar, wall art etc. can turn a room from drab to fab inexpensively.
One pool room design consideration that’s very important is to ensure you have sufficient space for the table. You need a great deal of clearance on all sides. There’s nothing worse than being hedged in having to angle your cue steeply upwards to make a shot.
How much space should you have around your pool table?
The key here is how much clearance to have on all sides of your table.
You want at least 4.5 feet clearance on all sides assuming you use a 58″ pool cue (the standard length). That means you need 9 feet of extra length or width beyond the dimensions of your table. Yes, pool table sizes vary.
Example: If your billiards table is 4′ x 8′ your room should be 13′ x 17′ in size.
Another consideration is the length of your pool cue. The standard length is 58″ long but if you have longer cues adjust rooms sizes accordingly.
A final consideration is any other furnishings or shelving you have in the room. The 4.5′ clearance on all sides of the table should be unfettered space. If you have floating walls protruding 1 foot off the walls, you need to have 4.5′ of distance between the table and shelf.
What if you have a smaller room?
If you have a smaller room, you may be better off getting a smaller table. While regulation size pool tables are 4.5′ x 9′ you certainly don’t need one that large. You can opt for a smaller table such as 3.5′ x 7′ table.
Pool room lighting
Ideally, you’ll install a pool table pendant light which is a long suspended light directly over the table (centered). Fortunately you have many lighting options that can work in a variety of room styles.
If a typical suspended pool table light doesn’t work in your space, consider recessed lighting spread evenly throughout the room that evenly and brightly illuminates the table surface.
Pool room flooring
Any flooring material will work just fine… hardwood, carpeting, laminate, tile. The key is that the floor is absolutely level. The slightest tilt will skew the game.
