Forget ordinary décor, this chess set doubles as art

That empty corner in your living room is asking for something but not another plant, not another frame. Try a velvet chessboard in hot pink and black, its pieces trimmed in gold thread. It won’t blend in, and that’s exactly the point.

That is the Gota-patti Chess Set from The Palace Atelier, and it is closer to a textile artwork than a game.

Chess sets tend to be cold things like polished wood, heavy marble, glass. This one is made entirely of velvet. The board’s squares alternate between rich pink and midnight black, and the pieces share that plush, almost touchable surface. In a room full of sleek surfaces, it adds the one thing they lack, which is warmth.

Gold thread, shaped by hand

The detail that sets the set apart is the gota-patti, the shimmering metallic ribbon work Rajasthan is celebrated for. Here it appears as ornate saddles and trimmings on the pieces. The King, Queen, Horse and Camel are the showstoppers.

Each carries stitching so fine you will catch yourself leaning in for a closer look. Fittingly, the Horse and Camel were chosen to stand in for the knights and bishops of Rajasthani tradition, animals that once crossed the desert kingdoms in royal processions.

Made by women, made slowly

Every set is stitched by women artisans at the Princess Diya Kumari Foundation, and a single piece of this kind takes up to 30 days to complete. Nothing about it looks mass-produced. When you buy it, you are supporting skilled craftswomen and keeping a heritage technique alive.

The Palace Atelier is linked to the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum in Jaipur, an institution known for its textiles, handicrafts and architecture. That lineage shows in the finish.

Where it belongs in your home

On a coffee table: Leave it set up as a centrepiece. The colour does the work of a floral arrangement without wilting.

In a study or library: Against dark wood and leather, the pink becomes a confident accent.

In a minimalist space: Let it be the single loud object in a calm room.

As a gift: For a wedding, a housewarming or an anniversary, it says far more than a vase ever could.

Why it earns its price

At ₹20,000, this is not an impulse buy, and it should not be. You are paying for a month of handwork, a board and 32 pieces made entirely in velvet and gota, and an object that guests will ask about for years. Cheap décor gets replaced. A piece like this gets passed down.

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The best part is that you can actually play. Move a camel across the board, and the room fills with the sort of unhurried evening that screens have quietly taken from us.

If your home has a bare corner waiting for its centrepiece, this might be it.