What Is a Parlor in an Old House?

The Parlor

• The parlor was the formal public living space of a Victorian house, the room where guests were entertained. It was the most lavishly decorated room, with a round table in its center on which rested a silver plate. If guests came to visit and no one was at home, they would leave their calling cards on the plate. Thick carpets covered the floor of the parlor, and floral designs were in fashion. These designs continued in the fabrics of the furniture, drapes and cushions. Striped wallpaper was also common, and the décor of the parlor often had an assortment of all these patterns. The walls usually held many paintings, prints and family portraits.

Displays

• The parlor was the most important room in the house as it displayed the owner's wealth and place in society. Opulent fabrics and exotic wood furniture reflected the wealth of the family. Expensive porcelain vases and figures sat alongside sterling silver, china and crystal on the large sideboard. Prominent arrangements of family photos and paintings were on the walls, in frames on the fireplace mantle and in photo albums. Alongside these were often commemorative items of royal family members. Most Victorian rooms, but especially the parlor and sunroom, contained many plants, especially large exotic ferns and palms from overseas. Stuffed animals preserved through the new art of taxidermy perched on bookcases and tables. The family members' learning and education were on display through many books in ornate bookcases. Many Victorians traveled abroad, and selections of their souvenirs of maps, postcards, artifacts and wild animal hides were on display in the parlor.

Activities

• In many homes, the parlor was used only to receive guests. In Victorian times, visiting someone's home was a highly ritualized event with rules as to who should visit, when and for how long. Pastimes for guests and family included musical recitals, poetry readings, reading aloud a contemporary novel, perhaps by Dickens, amateur theatricals and parlor games. The hostess served light refreshments in the parlor around 10 p.m., and the activities continued afterward. At a formal dinner party, everyone would gather briefly in the parlor before entering the dining room. After the meal, the women would retire to the parlor to talk while the men stayed in the dining room to drink Port and smoke cigars.

Parlor Games

• Parlor games are indoor games played by friends and family and were common in Victorian times. Played by urban middle class families and their guests, these games were a way to pass the time and to entertain themselves. Riddles and word puzzles were favorite games, reflecting the increase in literacy in the period. Charades gave everyone a chance to hone their acting abilities. Blindman's Bluff is a game of movement and excitement, in which a blindfolded person has to catch another member of the group and identify her by touch alone. In "Squeak, piggy, squeak", everyone sat in a circle and a blindfolded person stood in the center. After being spun around, he staggered to one of the chairs, placed a cushion on the person's lap and endeavored to identify him from his squeaks alone.