Jamie Lee Curtis's '70s Los Angeles Living Room Was a Blueprint for 2027's Most Controversial Trend: Games as Decor
Increasingly, homeowners have been using games as decoration – but archival photos of the actress's living room from 1978 prove that it's nothing new
What would it look like to put play at the center of our homes? With the increasing popularity of games like Mahjong, chess, and the return of retro game rooms as events in our homes, the market seems to be posing this question. Increasingly, homeowners want to design around gameplay – but this idea isn't new.
Archival photos from 1978 show actress Jamie Lee Curtis in her Los Angeles living room, concentrating hard over a billiards table. The table doesn't clash with the rest of the decor; it grounds it. Jamie selected a tan table to complement the classic California aesthetic of her home, complete with white arched doorways and vintage-style sconces. An antique phonograph (like this one from 1stDibs) on a narrow wooden console table in the background completes the retro aesthetic.
Though many people might consider something like a pool table to be an eyesore, Jamie Lee Curtis's space is a blueprint for how to use gameplay to anchor your home and make it look chic. If she can flip the script, so can you.
Jamie Lee Curtis in her Los Angeles Living Room, 1978
Rather than something to be hidden away, 2027 interior design trends show gameplay becoming a design experience. For instance, celebrities like Hillary Duff, Blake Lively, and Kathy Hilton have declared their love of sets from the stylish Mahjong brand Oh My Mahjong on social media, and British design icon Addison Ross announced the launch of lacquer backgammon sets earlier this year. Interior design and gameplay become one in the same.
Jamie Lee Curtis's space shows that the first step to tapping into this philosophy is selecting pieces that fit into your home's exisiting decor. Rather than selecting a pool table off of pure merit, she has chosen one with stylish colors that naturally blend into her living room.
Recreate Jamie's Look at Home
These are our editors picks for pool and interior design accessories that echo those seen in Jamie Lee Curtis's home – here, aesthetic is just as important as function.
A billiards table needn't be an eyesore. This green version, with intricately patterned wooden legs, is perfect for elevating your family entertainment space (and it's priced under $350).
This timeless brass wall sconce feels right at home in a period property, but it works just as well in a modern space where you want to add a touch of vintage character. The brass finish looks especially beautiful against crisp white walls, creating an elegant contrast perfect for a Califonrnia home.
Turn your pool cues into a work of art with this wooden wall hanger. As we see in Jamie Lee Curtis's living room, it bridges the gap between artwork and gameplay.
This pretty sideboard has a stylish and unique shape. I love the intricate design and dark wood, which feel simultaneously modern and retro, and it would be gorgeous against a white wall as we see in Jamie's home.
Add some extra play to your living room with brightly colored billiards balls that echo those we see in Jamie Lee Curtis's home. From bright pinks to lime greens, they are ultra-playful.
Jamie Lee Curtis used a vintage phonograph to add a retro feel to her home, a record player is a functional, 2026 equivalent. It helps to create an energy where fun is always welcome.
Megan Slack, design expert and Head of Celebrity Style at Homes & Gardens advises: 'From Jennifer Aniston's game room to Benny Blanco's entertainment space, high-end design has shown us that spaces built around play can be ultra-stylish. However, it requires attention to detail. Shopping vintage, coordinating colors, and prioritizing materiality, as we would do in any other room in the home, is essential.'
To recreate Jamie Lee Curtis's look, I would recommend starting with a blank canvas. White walls and wooden floors help the billiards table to feel like a stylish extension of an already beautiful room, rather than over the top. High quality materials, like natural wood and brass also help to make her space feel like a luxe experience.
Design isn't just what our homes look like; it's how we live in them. By taking inspiration from the '70s to now, we can apply the principles of interior design to games, creating a beautiful synergy that makes our homes both more fun, and more beautiful.
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