Parlor
This room was reserved for entertaining guests, so the Otises would have decorated it in the latest style. Keep in mind how different this room would have seemed from the type of rooms one would have found in most Boston homes, which were usually small wooden buildings with low ceilings and very few rooms. A room reserved just for entertaining was considered quite extravagant. Items like wall-to-wall carpeting and fancy upholstered furniture were quite expensive. Because this room was so impressive, the Otises took good care of it by protecting it when it was not in use. Between parties, the shutters were closed to keep sunlight from fading the carpet, curtains, and furnishings. Fires were only lit when the room was in use, and the furniture was pushed back against the wall. Room use was very flexible during the Federal era, and light, wooden furniture was often rearranged to fit the changing uses of the rooms. In this room the Otises received visitors, served tea, and played cards. Their servants set up the room accordingly, before the guests arrived.
Click to view full-size image…
—
Size:
47.2 kB
