A perfectly positioned stack of statement books has served as a centrepiece for coffee table over recent years, with no stylish home complete without them.
The popularity of coffee table books began in the 1950s and 1960s, originally representing wealth and leisure in individual’s homes. Although the trend of coffee table books isn’t set to diminish in popularity entirely, a new home décor trend is emerging on to the scene, set to make a statement.
Following the success of Nextflix popular show ‘The Queens Gambit’, heightened interest in the World Chess Championships, and increasing sales to interior designers, luxury games brand Purling, has predicted chess sets are aligned to become the new décor trend, becoming the focal point of any space and an interior design must-have.
With a range of unique and customisable chess sets to choose from, Purling enables home owners to elevate their living space with a bespoke statement piece that reflects a style completely individual to them.
Fine craftsmanship, high quality materials and expert design make chess sets highly sought after amongst art collectors, interior designers, and luxe accessory fans. In a recent study, a third of art buyers revealed that they have spent between £1,000 and £5,000in the past 12 months[1], highlighting that the demand for rare, or collectable items such as chess sets are still prominent.
[1] Share of art buyers purchasing art and collectibles online in the last 12 months worldwide as of January 2022, by amount – Statista, May 24, 2022
What’s more, having a chess set as a central feature in your home has been labelled as ‘good for the soul’ and linked to the dopamine dressing trend, as outlined in Wayfair’s 2023 trend report.
A Purling chess set makes for a colourful addition to living spaces in contrast to the neutral tones of rooms that a lot of people have adopted over recent years.
Here, Purling have collated a collection of luxury chess sets that are perfect for everyone no matter what their style may be. From art aficionados to those who are house proud, these chess sets look beautiful on any coffee table or side board.
For the classic literature lover: Alice in Wonderland Chess Set
This Purling chess board by Nette Robinson is inspired by Lewis Carroll’s classic novel ‘Alice in Wonderland’. The popular story has been recreated on this luxury chess set, containing a painted maple wood chess board in the style of the beloved novel. Its play with logic gives the story lasting popularity with adults as well as children.
This extraordinary chess set was designed by Olivia Pilling, a landscape artist fromNorthern England, and created with acrylic, brush, and resin. The large brush strokes of paint combined with the lack of blending gives this set an organic, artistic feeling. The chess pieces are also painted with spontaneous strokes of paint, while still maintaining their distinct colour themes. The artist insisted on coating them in resin, to ensure the pieces have a glistening, precious, and treasure-like quality. This chess set is the perfect gift for a loved one, or a lovely addition to a coffee table.
Inspired by the Hubble Telescope photographs, The Cosmos Chess Set is a stunning representation of outer space and its elements, such as planets, stars, and swirling nebulae. Its semi-translucent, shimmery, and resin coated board pairs perfectly with its hand-spray painted pieces. The paint contains glitter, which gives the whole set an unforgettable sparkle and shine. This set brings uniqueness to any space in a home, and is the perfect gift for a cosmos lover in your life!
This set takes an artistic approach on normal chess sets, as it combines the classic black and white colour scheme with a creative twist. The designer, Willum Morsch, wanted to express the theme of ‘hiding in plain sight’ by creating a chess set with several shapes and patterns which cause the pieces to camouflage against the board. Inspired by the patterns used on World War 1 ships, Dazzle Dawn is an eye-catching and unique chess set perfect for adding a pop of creativity to any home.
For the nature lover: Morpho Chess Set
This one-of-a-kind board is made and designed with butterfly wings of iridescent giant blue morpho butterflies and Madagascan sunset moths. The wings are collected from a sustainable butterfly farm, and only after natural death has occurred. Additionally, each chess piece is hand painted, lacquered, and finished with an Italian Nappa leather base with an 18-karat gold Purling logo. This set would lo ok stunning on any coffee table.
