I know that there are regional differences and the like that especially in america that would be a living room that many brits wouldn t fuss and call any lounge a lounge and that mrs bucket would call any sort of main room a drawing room that s why i specifically ask about uppers and upper middles.
What is difference between living room and drawing room. Parlor is a dated word to mean a sitting room in a private house. It s a room where the guests are sited before and after the dinner. However the fact is that the living room is far from being the same thing as the family room and there are some remarkable differences between the two. Both provide space for social activities.
According to joan dejean writing for the new york times living rooms started out as formal display spaces for welcoming guests in the 17th century but slowly morphed into the more casual gathering spaces that we know today. It s a space designed for recreation but also for entertainment the space where guests are welcomed whey visit. A drawing room is a room in a house where visitors may be entertained and a historical term for what would now usually be called a living room the name is derived from the 16th century terms withdrawing room and withdrawing chamber which remained in use through the 17th century and made their first written appearance in 1642. It could also be a room in a convent.
Living room is a room in a house for everyday s informal usage. Both the living room and the family room are two important areas in a house. It is a more formal space. A drawing room is a room in a house where the visitors may be entertained.
In today s context both living room and drawing room refers to a room in a residential house that is used for relaxing socializing and entertainment of guests however the term living room was coined in 19 th century and is regarded as the extension of the term drawing room that came in existence in 16 th century. The term drawing room is not used as widely as it once was and tends to be used in britain only by those who also have other reception rooms such as a morning room a nineteenth century designation for a sitting room often with east facing exposure suited for daytime calls or the lounge a late nineteenth century designation for a. Generally it means a room in a public building used to receive guests. Let s look at the drawing room first.
Along with the kitchen the living room is the main common space in most family homes but the exact nature of how to use it has been mysterious for a long time. Sometimes people get confused and as a result the terms become interchangeable. The term living room is relatively new in comparison with drawing room. Sometimes also called a sitting room or lounge the living room is the space where the home owners and family members gather to spend time together.
Drawing room is a room in a large private house where guests are received. The drawing room is situated near the entrance and close to the front door so guests can go directly inside without having to pass through other rooms. It s origins are in the 16th 17th century withdrawing room or withdrawing chamber.