Parlors

Parlors, or parlours (British English spelling parlour; American English parlor), refer to a formal reception room in a private residence designed for entertaining guests. Typically located near the front of the house, parlors were furnished to display taste and status, with seating arranged for conversation, tea service, and ceremonial greetings. In many households, the parlor served as the most formal space for visitors, separate from family living areas and workspaces.

Origins and evolution: The word derives from the French parloir, meaning a place for speaking. In English usage, the parlor became common from the 17th through 19th centuries, reaching peak prominence in the Victorian era in both Britain and North America. The American form parlor became the prevailing spelling in the United States, while parlour remained common in the United Kingdom. Through the 20th century, changing house layouts and social practices reduced the prominence of formal parlors in new homes, with many residences adopting open-plan or multi-purpose living rooms.

Contemporary usage: In modern contexts, parlors more often refer to commercial spaces offering specialized services, such as ice cream parlors, beauty parlours, or funeral parlors (funeral homes). In some regions, “parlour” retains this sense for shops and service establishments, while “parlor” tends to be used in American English for both domestic and commercial senses. The term remains a useful historical indicator of domestic life and social etiquette in the 18th to early 20th centuries.