The Morning Room

I've always been fascinated with "morning rooms" Isn't this one pretty?



I remember first hearing about morning rooms in the movie "Rebecca" from the novel by Daphne DuMaurier. In the movie, Fritz the butler tells the new lady of the house:

"The late Mrs. DeWinter always did her corresponding and telephoning in the morning room after breakfast. The morning room in that movie had a cozy fire going in the huge fireplace, and there was a pretty writing desk right in front of the ceiling to floor windows.





Here's the morning room at Hearst Castle in California. (This ones a bit too rich for my blood :)
I did some research and found that the Morning Room was always on the East side of the house to catch the morning sun.

In pre-electricity times, the eastern light in the morning room not only saved candles/gas/whale oil, but cut down on the soot produced by candles/gas/whale oil. (Never thought about the soot)
Quote:
A morning room is small and informal- the lady of the house might write her letters there; guests might read the morning papers there after breakfast. If it's a really large house, the upper servants (butler, housekeeper) would come there for their instructions for the day.

Quote:
Ladies' Parlor or "Morning Room"so named for the 19th Century custom of calling on neighbors early in the morning. Such was life before telephones

Here's some modern day morning rooms. I'm not a morning person, but who wouldn't want to get up early for that beautiful sunrise?

This one looks more like a sun room to me.

Warm and cozy!

Here's a new house listing with a morning room. How would you decorate it?

Here's my favorite one! It looks so "40's, and it's cozy. Now if you will excuse me, I have letters to write, phone calls to make, and instructions to give to the servants. :)

Next week: The Drawing Room hehehe