The Games Room: Space for Billiards, Darts, Arcade and Golf

A games room is pure joy until a cue hits the wall, a dart lands in the sofa or a driver meets the ceiling. Every game has a footprint dictated by the length of a cue, the arc of a swing or the line a player stands behind. Respect those numbers and the room plays like a private club. Ignore them and the most beautiful table becomes very expensive furniture.

Billiards: the table sets the room

Brunswick, whose billiard history goes back to 1845, publishes clear minimums for standard 58-inch cues. A 7-ft table needs about 13 × 16 ft (4.0 × 4.9 m), an 8-ft table about 13 × 17 ft (4.0 × 5.2 m) and a 9-ft table about 14 × 18 ft (4.3 × 5.5 m). Shorter cues save space in a tight room, but shots from the rail will feel cramped. Hang a dedicated billiard light low and centred over the playing surface, and remember that a slate table is very heavy: check the floor before delivery.

Darts: the regulation numbers

• Centre of the bullseye 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) from the floor.
• Throw line (oche) 2.37 m (7 ft 9¼ in) from the face of the board.
• Allow a lane about 1 m wide and keep it clear of doors and walkways.
• Protect the wall with a surround or cabinet, and the floor with a mat.
• Light the board evenly from the front to avoid shadows.

Measure the swing, not the machine. Space is the one upgrade you cannot buy later.

Arcade and golf simulator

Arcade cabinets and pinball machines are compact but heavy and deep; leave room in front to play and behind for ventilation and service, and give each one its own outlet. A golf simulator is the most demanding guest. Trackman recommends at least 3 m (10 ft) of ceiling height and 4.6 m (15 ft) of width; its ceiling-mounted iO needs 3 m or more between the ball and the screen, while the floor-standing Trackman 4 needs about 5.5 m (18 ft) from the screen to the unit. Tall players need more height: take a full swing with your longest club before you commit.

• Use impact-absorbing flooring and padded walls around the hitting area.
• Add a dedicated circuit for simulators, projectors and arcade machines.
• Plan seating for spectators well out of the line of play.
• Store cues, chalk and darts on a wall rack so cues stay straight and darts stay out of children's reach.