Drawing room, parlor, study, or library?

[major bill]

During the Civil War large manors might have drawing rooms as well as parlors, or studies. Many fine houses had a library or study as well. A library would have books, but what was the difference between a drawing room, parlor, and a study.

What was studied in a study?
What was drawn in a drawing room?

 

[Nathan Stuart]

These questions raise some interesting distinctions.

The 'parlor' (from a French word meaning, 'place for speaking') was the main front sitting room off the hallway. It was used as the central conversation room for family gatherings and for receiving and entertaining guests. The room was usually elaborately decorated as a showplace for visitors.

The 'drawing room' (from the term, 'withdrawing room') was the smaller size second sitting room with a less opulent design than the parlor. It was normally used for holding more private conversations and conducting intimate family activities. The room was often off the parlor.

The 'study' was a separate room dedicated for undertaking commercial work, reading and writing activities. It would also contain any library of books. This space was intended to be a private and quiet setting.

 

[J. Horace]

Whenever I hear the word "parlor" I think of Elvis Presley's song, "Are you lonesome tonight?"

"Do the chairs in your parlor seem empty and bare?
Do you gaze at your doorstep and picture me there?
Is your heart filled with pain, shall I come back again?
Tell me dear, are you lonesome tonight?"

 

[major bill]

When I was 18 my parents bought a huge older house. When you came in the front door a wide wooden spiral staircase went to the second floor. There was a 1 foot tall stained glass window next to the stairway. Before you went into the main door to the living room was a door leading to a medium sized room which my mother called a sitting room. Her sitting room was well done with huge stain glass windows. The room had 10 foot ceilings and the walls were entirely covered by maple boards in an ornate design. Ornate trim was everywhere in the sitting room. An old ornate chandelier hung from the ceiling.

I wondered at the time why my mother called it her sitting room? It was obvious that this is where guests were taken when they first entered the house. This made me wonder if 'sitting room" was the proper term for the room. Why not parlor or drawing room?

 

[major bill]

I should add there was a second less ornate room off the downstairs living room, perhaps a study? The downstairs living room was more for entertaining than for the family. The real family living room was upstairs with the bedrooms.

 

[Demaster30]

I had always heard that the living use to be where they laid out the dead so family and friends could come pay their respects. They started calling it a living room so it wouldn't be associated with death.

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

These questions raise some interesting distinctions.

The 'parlor' (from a French word meaning, 'place for speaking') was the main front sitting room off the hallway. It was used as the central conversation room for family gatherings and for receiving and entertaining guests. The room was usually elaborately decorated as a showplace for visitors.

The 'drawing room' (from the term, 'withdrawing room') was the smaller size second sitting room with a less opulent design than the parlor. It was normally used for holding more private conversations and conducting intimate family activities. The room was often off the parlor.

The 'study' was a separate room dedicated for undertaking commercial work, reading and writing activities. It would also contain any library of books. This space was intended to be a private and quiet setting.

That is a perfect and concise explanation.

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

I had always heard that the living use to be where they laid out the dead so family and friends could come pay their respects. They started calling it a living room so it wouldn't be associated with death.

You may be correct.
But I've never heard that theory.
However, it is very plausible.

As a young child, I do remember a few traditional families still following that custom.
For a six-year old kid, that practice was bizarre and very traumatic.
The few times I had to witness such a morbid "display ... in the parlor", scared me more than anything.

To this day, I still occasionally have nightmares about that scene.

 

[Demaster30]

You may be correct.
But I've never heard that theory.
However, it is very plausible.

As a young child, I do remember a few traditional families still following that custom.
For a six-year old kid, that practice was bizarre and very traumatic.
The few times I had to witness such a morbid "display ... in the parlor", scared me more than anything.

To this day, I still occasionally have nightmares about that scene.

My Dad told me about when he has a kid they had his grandfather laid out in their front room for a couple of days. They gave everyone time to come by and pay last respect. I think he said they put silver dollars or half dollars I can't remember over his eyelids so his eyes wouldn't open while he was laying there.
I believe when they did this someone would sit up with them day and night till time for burial.