"Who left the carrom board in the living room?" At one time, that was a genuine complaint. Today, it's probably there on purpose.

Board games have made an unexpected comeback. Marble tic-tac-toe boards, sculptural chess sets and handcrafted backgammon cases now look good styled beside art books.

Unlike most décor, they're guaranteed to get people off their phones.

Here are the board games worth leaving out long after the last move has been made:

Tino Backgammon Game, Taamaa

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Tino Backgammon Game | Image: Taamaa

In a book-style eco-leather case, this backgammon set opens to an Asia-inspired playing board finished of brass and nickel accents. Fold it shut and it blends into a coffee table display; open it up and it's instantly game night.

₹32,600, Taamaa

Minimal Ludo, TANN-ED

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Minimal Ludo board game | Image: TANN-ED

Ludo gets a grown-up makeover with minimalist faux and genuine leather over wood base. Magnetic playing pieces keep every move in place.

₹9,800, TANN-ED

Snakes & Ladders, The Leather Garden

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Snakes & Ladders | Image: The Leather Garden

Premium leather with four leather pawns, a matching dice and a built-in zip compartment, it folds away neatly when game night is over.

₹5,900, The Leather Garden

The Game of Chess, Material Immaterial

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Arena Chess Set | Material Immaterial

Inspired by Roman amphitheatres, this concrete chess set replaces traditional pieces with architectural forms that cast dramatic shadows throughout the day. It feels more like collectible sculpture than a board game.

₹21,846, Material Immaterial

Horse Shoe Tic Tac Toe Game Set, INV Home

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Black & Silver Horse Shoe Tic Tac | Image: INV Home

A twist on the classic tic-tac-toe, this black-and-silver set swaps the usual Xs and Os for polished aluminium horseshoes from engineered wood with a compact 15 x 15 cm design.

₹2,515, INV Home

Black Marble Solitaire, The House of Things

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Black Marble Solitaire | Image: The House of Things

Carved entirely from solid black marble, this solitaire set pairs a weighty monochrome board with 33 hand-polished marble spheres, each showcasing its own natural veining. Cool to the touch and strikingly minimal, it feels more like a sculptural centrepiece than a traditional game.

₹4,790, The House of Things

Kirwani Carrom Board, SHED

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Kirwani Carrom Board | Image: SHED

Marble inlay, indigenous Indian stones, and framed in Saag and Sheesham wood, Kirwani is a functional art with miniature-painting-inspired animals replaced conventional markings, making every game feel surrounded by craftsmanship.

Custom commission, SHED