There is probably no more popular or skilful indoor pastime than billiards. Not only is it a game requiring great accuracy and judgment, but such is the fascination that it has over the majority of its devotees that it has a very excellent effect upon the health. Apart from the fine exercise that is obtainable in walking round the table and the attitudes necessary to adopt in order to play the various shots, the person who is desirous of becoming proficient will take considerable care with regard to his diet, both in meats or wines, that his hand may be steady and his eye true.
In many houses at the present day there is ample room for a billiard table and yet where one has not been installed; there are also houses where I am quite sure it would pay the owner or the tenant to go to a little expense to make room for a table. By knocking out a wall and extending a room by a yard or two, ample room for a table would be provided.
A billiard room should be installed where there is ample accommodation for it, and if not, adequate room should be provided if possible. It will then be found that home life possesses a wonderful attraction which possibly did not exist to such an extent before, and the heads of families will be gratified to know that their sons are spending their evenings in a healthy and rational manner, bringing with them into their homes their own particular chums instead of having to go out and make acquaintances, possibly undesirable, in other places.
The minimum room space necessary for accurately and comfortably playing upon a full-sized billiard table is 21ft. by 15ft. The surroundings of the room should possess an artistic appearance, yielding a sense of quiet satisfaction to its occupants.
Having decided the mode of decoration that is to be adopted in the room, it is quite a simple matter to arrange for a table to harmonize with its surroundings. It may be either carved, painted, or the surface lacquered. It may be inlaid with other woods (Marquetrie) or metals (Buhlwork), or it may be overlaid with" carton pierre "or other prepared enrichments. In a country house the elimination of the alien styles in art is no bad keynote, whilst the lovers of the old English oak period can have a table built on sturdy Jacobean lines. On the other hand, in the town house with its Georgian architecture and Renaissance room, a billiard table executed in dark mahogany will possibly appeal as a fine interpretation according with the free classic details of most London houses.
Before coming to any definite conclusions with architects, etc., I would strongly recommend anyone thinking of going in for this amusement to consult one of the best firms of billiard table manufacturers, who will probably be able to point out one or two matters of detail which would prove to be of considerable value to the recipient.