Last updated on February 23rd, 2023
Have you ever heard of keeping rooms? You might probably even have seen one! But since the term ‘keeping room’ isn’t as common, you might not know what exactly it is! After reading this article, you’ll surely want to add a pleasant keeping room to your house. Keeping rooms are becoming more popular in contemporary residences.
A keeping room is an area next to the kitchen where family and friends can get together to chat with the cook as they make dinner. Since the kitchen is very much the soul of the house, no matter how tiny, everyone tends to gather there. Consider a keeping room to be an extra room. As you sit in a comfy chair and inhale the aromas wafting from the kitchen, you can easily communicate with the chef because it is just outside the kitchen.
Let’s Dive Into a Little Bit of the History of Keeping Rooms!
Having keeping rooms, sometimes known as hearth rooms, added right next to the kitchen was a common practice in the late 18th century. The only room in the house with a fireplace was the kitchen, so the warmth and glow of the fire spread throughout the keeping room and gave people a place to stay warm throughout the chilly winter months.
Families would congregate in this very compact space and spend the day cooking, sewing, or performing other household tasks. Although the initial keeping rooms originated in New England, they are common in many Southern historic homes.
Keeping Rooms in Today’s Times
Although a keeping room’s function and design have changed throughout time, its primary use is still as a central location for informal gatherings. A keeping room is most frequently found in older homes, but for a good reason, owners and developers are also starting to include them in newer construction as well.
Due to its proximity to the kitchen, a keeping room’s position is practical and comfortable. It makes a terrific place for friends and relatives to gather around while scrumptious meals are being prepared.
People can be near the activity in the kitchen while still staying out of the cook’s way. The kitchen serves as the social center of the home and is made up of durable and hard surfaces. The sturdiness of the kitchen is balanced out by the soft, comfortable furnishings of a keeping room.
What is the difference between a Family Room and a Keeping Room?
Although it may seem that a keeping room and a family room are very similar, there are a few variances. Keeping rooms are located toward the front of the house, next to the kitchen. On the other hand, family rooms typically have a TV and are not always next to the kitchen. Most family rooms are in basements or near the backyard, overlooking the back porch. They are both regarded as additional spaces. Even though keeping rooms today may not appear exactly like those from the 1700s, they still offer warmth and charm to a house.
How You Can Decorate Your Keeping Room
A keeping room needs soft, cozy fabrics. The emphasis in this area is on coziness and warmth. A keeping room makes use of neighboring space to provide a gathering place for guests to interact and converse without congregating in the kitchen, as opposed to gathering around the kitchen island. Sizes and styles may change with time, but the comfortable element never changes.
A keeping room often contains a large selection of inviting furnishings, such as a comfortable sofa with numerous fluffy cushions and blankets. Some of them have a dedicated breakfast alcove or wicker furniture that looks like it belongs in a sunroom. Others are big and have a fireplace in the middle, like the historic keeping rooms. The fireplace can be surrounded by cozy chairs where guests may relax and chat, sip wine, or play games.
To Sum Up
A keeping room isn’t necessarily an entirely independent space. Modern kitchens frequently have open spaces that flow into the dining area or a nook that could serve as your keeping room. To know more about these unique spaces that you can add to your home, check out the different recommendations on Homebliss.
