To expand on my previous comment over a decade ago, no need to choose. Get a pool table with a dining table top. There are loads available. Then cut yourself a piece of MDF or decent quality plywood to fit on top. Make the dimensions enough to allow for fitting a net. EITHER paint it in your own colour scheme as a ping pong table - maybe to match your choice of pool table cloth. Doesn't have to be green & white. Mine's blue & yellow, to match the funky bats & balls I found. OR make the top side a piece of art. hang it on the wall when not in use. You can play ping pong on any sized table. Mine's about 1m x 2m as that's what I can easily store. (Sadly no space for a pool table, but we do have a wide bodied pinball machine & our local pool club, with three pool & two snooker tables, is a 5 min walk away.) You CAN have your cake & eat it.

Which do you think is better?

Installed into a modern fire boarded fireplace opening, with a touch of traditional, being the lovely Welsh slate hearth, which was previously part of a snooker table bed, cut to fit on site & polished, then finally treated. Lovely oak beam/mantle gives you something to pop things on & also makes more of a feature of your fireplace.

Hi Claire ! Adding some thoughts .... If the carpet is going - try to replace it with something equally sound deadening - as otherwise his late night games with the lads will keep everyone below up - with all that pacing and pondering before a shot ! Re decision to go for industrial or gentleman's club - (luckily the lamp will suit either) - which of the two fits in better with the other rooms that lead to or will be enjoyed by guests prior to entering this one.... and which style might you expect from the exterior of the house ? Do you want cohesion with the rest of the home - or is the the wild card room ? If the table is to be the main feature of the room - then don't go too dark on your lower paint colour or it wall blend in too well. But if this IS the effect - then perhaps try ALL graphite - ceilings too ( try a paint a photo app and see if this works for you ) Then add brighter bar seating and warm lighting in that area to make that the prominent piece . Add a separately switched strong white light to aim at the dart board - and I you do go for panelling here too- I'd suggest you mount the dartboard on a layer of either cork or dark rubber matting. I'd suggest, to keep the feel of a billiards room, only light the bar area, and have low lamps in each corner of the room, that can be switched off individually if they interfere with a shot. Nb. As the ceiling is so low - I'd suggest the bar be in the front of the window - so the players can stand upright in that bit much easier. Hope that helps a bit !