Poker Night- Done Right.

Nothing quite says "duuudes' night" like a round table, a deck of cards, cigars, and a bottle or two of something strong. For this reason, a dedicated poker den is at the top of a lot of guys' home improvement lists. You can go big or small when it comes to designing the perfect poker night, but making sure you have the key elements will increase the chances of a successful guys night in! With that in mind, here are some of our best tips for creating the perfect poker space.

TIP 1: Find the Space

Poker nights can either produce special memories and stories that are talked about for years to come, or they can be dull and forgetful. And the best way to make sure you have poker nights to remember is to create a dedicated space - utilizing a garage, a shed, or a spare room in your house if possible.

You will want to make sure it has good heating and ventilation, and easy access to a bathroom! Poker games can last a long time, and you don't want to be waking up family, roommates, etc. when nature calls for you or your guests. It may be tricky to convince anyone else you may live with to let you set up a poker den, but you can at least sweeten the deal by keeping disruption to a minimum.

TIP 2: Master the Décor

Keep your poker den's décor classy. No one wants to see the same old "dogs playing poker" art, or a collection of cheesy poker posters cluttering up a wall. The most effective way to control your poker den's atmosphere is to make the lighting atmospheric and slick –– and maybe introduce some custom neon signage. You could display a nickname for your poker space, your favorite motto, a famous line from a poker movie, or even set up different signs for different games such as “Texas Hold’em” or “Three-Card Stud” according to what you’re playing on a given night. Is it necessary? Absolutely not, but it's a nice touch!

Plus, it can be functional in a fun way. You can actually make your den more inviting to less experienced players by looking up poker hand rankings and translating them into a neon design. This way you can mount a list of hands in order of their value, creating both an interesting decoration and a convenient point of reference for players. You might consider doing the same with simplified, bullet-point game rules.

TIP 3: Get Quality Gaming Equipment

Another way to establish your poker den as the place to be is to invest in the quality of your games. So replace those beer-soaked playing cards with something fresh, and make sure you have some great-looking chips on hand, for starters.

A real poker table is more costly than, say, a fold-up topper or mat. But you can't beat the authenticity that it brings to a poker night, and this makes it a worthwhile investment if you plan on playing a fair amount of cards. This is the room's main focal point, after all.
You should also think about furniture beyond the table. Fold-up chairs might be the go-to options in gangster movies where poker games are held in shady backrooms, but we're aiming for class and sophistication here. So opt for some comfortable backed chairs or cushioned stools.

TIP 4: Stock Some Goodies

It's also important that you don't forget to consider how you'll keep your guests fed and refreshed. A beer fridge is great, but a drinks cabinet and decanters are even better if you really want the space to ooze class.

It's fairly standard practice to provide a bottle of whiskey for guests at a poker night. But it's also advisable to have some backups and alternatives! In addition to that bottle of whiskey, consider stocking some dark rum, a few bottles of wine, or even some great brandy if you want to change things up.

In terms of food, you'll want to keep things simple. Think nuts, chips, and dips. This isn't the Super Bowl - and you don't want sticky fingers all over your furnishings.

TIP 5: Finish Off That Atmosphere

Once you've furnished and decorated your poker den and stocked up on goods, all that's left is to set the mood with some background entertainment.

A projector screen could play your favorite poker- or casino-related film in the background, for instance, or you could opt for some music to further master the atmosphere instead. Music is all down to personal taste but try and avoid chart music or anything too distracting. Instead, opt for low-key hip-hop, a little bit of low-volume classic rock, or even some good modern jazz to set a mood without distracting from the game.

Tackle these steps and you'll have the classiest and most inviting poker den around in no time.