Furniture and how we live
Posted by Beth on May 05, 1998 at 23:10:02:
In response to Interior decoration/design, written by Deborah (MaMa) on May 05, 1998 at 04:59:27
] Which got me wondering: How did Regency-era families arrange the furniture in their parlors? Did it all center around a fireplace as ours now tends to center around that noxious box? Were there clusters of tables and chairs by windows to capture the light for reading and handiwork? Were the rooms as depicted in P&P2 and S&S2 (the Emma Thompson version) accurate and if so, again: what was the general theory on furniture placement, etc.?
I'll take stab at this with the disclaimer that there are far more folks on this board who could likely do a better job :)...
Before the Regency period, furniture was arranged around the perimeter of the room (including dining tables), with specific pieces being pulled out as they were required. Furniture that was not being used and was sitting by the walls was called "at rest."
It was during the Regency period that rooms became less formal and more relaxed. The rooms you see in P&P2 and S&S2 are accurate in that groupings of furniture would be placed about the room acording to function. For example, a grouping near the fireplace, one near a window for work requiring good light, perhaps a small table and chairs for tea.
Further, my understanding is that groupings like these were really the norm until the advent of the radio, then television. Since conversation or other interaction would have been the primary entertainment, this makes sense. Only relatively recently have we begun staring at a corner of the room...:(
- In Style Ann 23:45:31 5/10/98
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- Interior Decoration Captain Everett 00:04:43 5/07/98
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- Supporting Beth's comments : -) Carolyn B 21:16:30 5/06/98
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- To you all, thanks --- Deborah (MaMa) 11:58:13 5/12/98
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- To you all, thanks --- Deborah (MaMa) 11:58:13 5/12/98
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