{{Short description|Room adjacent to a kitchen}} {{For|the 2014 film|The Keeping Room}} {{Infobox room | name = Keeping room | location = Adjacent to kitchen
}} A '''keeping room''' is a room or informal living space adjacent to a kitchen where family and guests can gather while meals are being prepared.
== History == Keeping rooms have their origins in the 18th-century colonial United States, when they were also known as "hearth rooms".<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Sabella |first=Maria |date=December 10, 2024 |title=What Is a Keeping Room—and Why It Might Be the Cozy Space Your Home Has Been Missing |url=https://www.bhg.com/rooms/rooms/what-is-a-keeping-room/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250227215756/https://www.bhg.com/rooms/rooms/what-is-a-keeping-room/ |archive-date=February 27, 2025 |access-date=February 27, 2025 |work=Better Homes and Gardens}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Linberg |first=Joanna |date=October 28, 2024 |title=What Is A Keeping Room? Here's Why We Can Get Behind This Timeless Trend |url=https://www.southernliving.com/home/architecture-and-home-design/what-is-a-keeping-room |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250227215750/https://www.southernliving.com/home/architecture-and-home-design/what-is-a-keeping-room |archive-date=February 27, 2025 |access-date=February 27, 2025 |work=Southern Living}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Turner |first=Oonagh |date=April 2, 2023 |title=What is a keeping room? How to capture the essence of this kitchen trend that's all about curating a cozy spot to host guests |url=https://www.livingetc.com/ideas/what-is-a-keeping-room |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241109025459/https://www.livingetc.com/ideas/what-is-a-keeping-room |archive-date=November 9, 2024 |access-date=February 27, 2025 |work=Livingetc}}</ref> They allowed family members to enjoy the heat of the fireplace—the warmest area in the house—while staying out of the cook's way.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Hoffer |first=Audrey |date=April 10, 2025 |title=Latest chic amenity in new home construction: Keeping room |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/realestate/latest-chic-amenity-in-new-home-construction-keeping-room/2015/04/09/677f3360-d966-11e4-ba28-f2a685dc7f89_story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250227215531/https://www.washingtonpost.com/realestate/latest-chic-amenity-in-new-home-construction-keeping-room/2015/04/09/677f3360-d966-11e4-ba28-f2a685dc7f89_story.html |archive-date=February 27, 2025 |access-date=February 27, 2025 |work=The Washington Post}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite news |last=Smith McDonough |first=Lauren |date=February 9, 2017 |title=Keeping Rooms Are the Best New (Old!) Trend Your Home Needs Now |url=https://www.housebeautiful.com/design-inspiration/news/a8010/keeping-room-trend/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250227215539/https://www.housebeautiful.com/design-inspiration/news/a8010/keeping-room-trend/ |archive-date=February 27, 2025 |access-date=February 27, 2025 |work=House Beautiful}}</ref> Keeping rooms were areas for family members to sew, do household chores, read, play games, or simply stay warm during winter.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> They first appeared in New England, but were also featured in homes in the Southern United States.<ref name=":0" />
In recent years, keeping rooms have experienced a revival in new home construction.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" /> Due to the modern availability of central heating, keeping rooms' purpose has shifted to focus more on entertaining and socializing.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />
== Design == Keeping rooms are considered distinct from dens and family rooms in that dens are secluded areas, while family rooms are not necessarily next to the kitchen and usually feature a television.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> They are typically smaller areas intended for two to four people.<ref name=":1" />
The décor of keeping rooms emphasizes coziness and comfort, such as with rugs, pillows, and cushions.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /> Modern keeping rooms may also feature a fireplace, like their historical equivalents.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" /> In the absence of a separate room, designers can create the feel of a keeping room by adding seating and tables to the kitchen.<ref name=":2" /> Some open-concept kitchens flow into a dining room or other space that can be used as a keeping room.<ref name=":0" />
== Other usage == The term "keeping room" was used among Scotch-Irish immigrants in Georgia and the Carolinas to designate a parlor where a family's best furniture and other items such as silver and porcelain were kept. This usage was revived among interior decorators in the 1930s.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Phipps |first=Frances |date=December 26, 1982 |title=Changes in Rooms' Terms and Use |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/12/26/nyregion/antiques-change-in-rooms-terms-and-use.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250227235537/https://www.nytimes.com/1982/12/26/nyregion/antiques-change-in-rooms-terms-and-use.html |archive-date=February 27, 2025 |access-date=February 27, 2025 |work=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Phipps |first=Frances |date=July 3, 1983 |title=Colonial Kitchens Had Their Charm |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/07/03/nyregion/antiques-colonial-kitchens-had-their-charm.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250227235557/https://www.nytimes.com/1983/07/03/nyregion/antiques-colonial-kitchens-had-their-charm.html |archive-date=February 27, 2025 |access-date=February 27, 2025 |work=The New York Times}}</ref>
== See also == *Inglenook
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{Room}}
Category:Kitchen Category:Rooms
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