Feb 3, 2026 - Real Estate

Charlotte homes are making room for mahjong

Ashley Mahoney

A mahjong room in Charlotte. Round wooden table with colorful board game set in a corner room with large blue-framed windows showing a snow-covered yard and green bushes. Four floral upholstered chairs surround the table. — Photo: Courtesy of Martha Kinney

Mahjong rooms are the latest trend sweeping Charlotte homes.

Why it matters: People are transforming previously underused rooms in their homes, such as formal dining rooms or living rooms, into hubs for social activity.

State of play: Mahjong rooms are being treated less like traditional game rooms and more like elevated social spaces, says Charlotte-based interior designer Ashley Sussman of Ashley Sussman Interiors.

"Think tailored seating, beautiful lighting, and tables designed to feel like furniture, not folding card tables," Sussman tells Axios. "These rooms often double as sitting rooms or libraries, but with a clear purpose of hosting."

Elegant living room with white walls, beige curtains, two upholstered armchairs, a white and blue table with chairs, a piano, blue shelving, a glass coffee table with flowers, and a fireplace with round mirror. — The space was styled by Angie McDermid and designed by Ashley Sussman Interiors. Photo: Heather Ison/Courtesy of Ashley Sussman Interiors

Catch up quick: Mahjong is an ancient Chinese strategy game that continues to rise in popularity, prompting more people to ask where they can play.

Mahjong social clubs have been popping up around Charlotte for years. This summer, Charlotte's getting its first brick-and-mortar mahjong venue.
In the meantime, Charlotteans have been contracting builders and designers to make their own mahjong rooms in their homes.

Light blue and white chairs around a white game table with mahjong tiles, set in a softly lit room with white walls and four framed aqua vase prints on the wall. — The space was styled by Angie McDermid and designed by Ashley Sussman Interiors. Photo: Heather Ison/Courtesy of Ashley Sussman Interiors

Zoom in: Several Axios readers wrote in to share that they host weekly gatherings with friends to play, including the Mahjong on Picardy Ladies, a group of neighbors who meet on Monday afternoons.

People love the game, but it's the relationships it creates that keep them coming back, Meredith Sherrill, one of the Mahjong on Picardy Ladies, tells me.
Sherrill, with help from her daughter Ellison, transformed her rarely used formal dining room into a mahjong room.
"We all learned a lot from COVID, and as humans we need to be in relationship with other humans and away from screens," Sherrill says. "This room allows and cultivates that."

Two views of a green-walled dining room with a wooden table, beige chairs, blue rug, patterned curtains, blue and white vases on a sideboard, a painting above, and a chandelier overhead. — From left: Before and after for Meredith Sherrill's mahjong room. It's a mix of new finds and antiques that have been part of her family for years. The room has been used more in the last six months than it had been in the previous 20 years, she says. Photo: Courtesy of Meredith Sherrill

Zoom out: The extent of renovations varies from home to home. For some, it's swapping out furniture. For others, it's a coat of paint, new rugs or a total facelift.

For Julie Clements, who worked with designer Beth Hahn, that meant choosing the furniture, layout and décor.
"The result is a space that feels intentional and joyful rather than an afterthought," Clements says.

Martha Kinney tells Axios she split her redesigned space between a mahjong lounge and a sitting area, color-drenching the room to create a moody feel.

"It was a beautiful space to begin with, but I wanted to make it cosy and 'vibey,'" Kinney says.

A colorful board game set up on a round wooden table surrounded by four upholstered chairs with floral and bird patterns, next to large windows showing a snowy outdoor scene. — Photo: Courtesy of Martha Kinney

The bottom line: People crave intentional spaces to connect. For some, that means adding a mahjong room.

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Charlotte homes are making room for mahjong

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