PRINTWORKS: Play

Playing Cards

Two decks, and suddenly the evening has a plan

The cards are shuffled, someone asks which game you are playing and, a few minutes later, everyone is unexpectedly invested. PRINTWORKS Playing Cards from the Play collection gives you two complete decks and packages them in a box you will not feel obliged to hide once the game is over. The playing cards themselves have a clean, pared-back appearance on a white ground, with selected illustrations picking up the light blue and red shades of the presentation box. Turn them over and the design becomes more graphic: a geometric diamond pattern in red, pale blue and white gives these familiar cards a distinctly contemporary PRINTWORKS character. Both decks sit neatly inside a sturdy light-blue box accented with red and white. Measuring 14 × 10 × 4.2 cm and weighing approximately 0.2 kg, the set is compact enough for a bookshelf, coffee table or weekend bag. The cards are made from FSC®-certified, acid-free paper. In other words, this is a PRINTWORKS card game that gives the familiar deck of playing cards a rather good wardrobe update. Your poker face, regrettably, is still your own responsibility.

From poker faces to slow Sunday afternoons

Having two decks to hand opens up plenty of possibilities and makes Play an easy companion for all kinds of gatherings. Use the cards for familiar classics, games requiring two decks or whatever rules someone around the table happens to remember. That versatility is precisely why playing cards have remained part of our homes for generations: one evening calls for a quick game, another somehow carries on long after dinner has finished. The compact box also makes the set easy to bring on holiday, take away for the weekend or carry to a friend’s house. Once the final hand has been played, both decks return neatly to their own place in the box rather than slowly making their way into different drawers. A small detail, perhaps, but tomorrow morning will appreciate it.

PRINTWORKS looks rather good offline

PRINTWORKS was founded in Stockholm in 2017 by Annette and Patrik, inspired by the feeling that increasingly digital lives were leaving less room for slower, shared moments. The brand brings familiar analogue objects such as photo albums, chess, backgammon, memo games and playing cards into the present through a distinctive graphic approach. These are objects designed to be used together and, just as importantly, to remain visible afterwards. The Play card set captures that philosophy particularly well. Its colourful presentation box feels closer to a small design object than traditional games packaging, so there is little reason to send it back to the cupboard once everyone has gone home. That idea feels naturally at home at LIVOSY too: we like objects that bring something to everyday life, invite people together and earn their place in a room without making too much noise about it.

The last hand does not have to be the last

With its combination of classic playing cards and bold graphic design, PRINTWORKS Play works just as naturally at games night as it does sitting on a coffee table. Pair it with PRINTWORKS backgammon, chess or one of the brand’s memo games to build an analogue games collection that is enjoyable to play and equally pleasing to leave on display. Alongside a PRINTWORKS photo album or a gift set from The Essentials collection, it also makes a thoughtful present for someone who values shared time over another forgettable object. Or simply keep the box within easy reach for your own evenings at home. Two decks can start a surprising number of stories. Which game comes first is entirely up to you.