The Drawing Room

The Victorian drawing room was the most important room in the house.  It was the room to which guests would be directed upon arriving to the residence.  In upper class homes, it was usually located on the second floor, accessible by the staircase.  A typical drawing room had high ceilings, a bay window, and a fireplace, with a decorated mantle.  Common decorations included a mirror, vases, and china.  The furnishing of a drawing room could typically cost over 80% of one's yearly wages.  One was expected not only to represent his class well but also to be up-to-date in style.

Source:  Inside the Victorian Home:  A Portrait of Domestic Life in Victorian England by Judith Flanders.