To my complete delight, I recently learned that my employer keeps a ping pong table (and paddles and balls) available in a large, otherwise empty office. Whether it's at your work or in your home, this kind of bulky piece of furniture can merit the space it takes up by virtue of the entertainment it provides.
I grew up with a ping-pong table occupying half of my basement, and it gave my brother and me hours of entertainment and many funny memories. (A favorite family story is how I spoiled the surprise by coming down at midnight on Christmas Eve, complaining of sleeplessness, as my parents assembled the table.) In turn, to me pool tables shout “man cave” and "bachelor pad" — then again, I am no good at pool.
This game furniture isn’t exactly suitable for small space living, but if you have the room, it can be a fun, family-friendly investment.
(If you live in DC but don't have a table, there’s always Comet Ping-Pong — just avoid the early rush.)
Have you ever had or would you consider buying a ping-pong or pool table?
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I have a pool table and at one time considered a large wood top to convert it to a dining table when not in use for gaming. I planned a pully system to raise the top when the game function was in use. The top also included lighting on the under-side.
The house this plan was for went into foreclosure and the bank was unreasonable on price, so the table is now in the basement of a different home, sans multifuntion custom top.
If I had the room, I'd have a pool table. My grandparents always had a ping table in the basement, it's now at my uncle's house. It doubles as a dining table for large family gatherings. We're tight on space, so we have a dart board and we love it. It's always fun to have activities.
You can buy clip on nets you can stow away with bats and balls so no excuse for missing out.
We had a full-size table football in our living room for a long time, and a ping-pong table on the terrace outside. I drew the line at the suggestion of a pool table, though. As a sort of compromise, I agreed to a 62" TV screen (monstrous, I know). Still, it keeps male family and friends entertained for hours on end.