The Best Room

I'm not sure why, but the other day I was thinking about a 60s phenomenon called the "Best Room". 

Back in the '60s, loads of British homes had what was known as the "Best Room" – a bit of a shrine, really. It was the room you’d spend ages decorating with the finest furniture, all top notch, but no one ever actually got to sit in it unless there were guests over. You’d have a posh sofa, maybe a sideboard with a few bits of fancy china on display, all bought to impress, but heaven forbid you’d relax in there on a normal day.

Because no-one ever went into it normally, the heating was always off and it smelled a little musty and damp in the winter. Children were usually banned from even setting foot in the Best Room, and if you did, you’d get short shrift. Some families even went as far as covering the furniture in plastic to keep it spotless – the sort of thing that would stick to your legs if you dared sit down. The TV, if there was one, might be off-limits in there too – not that you'd ever think to switch it on when this was the room for showing off your good taste, not for lounging about.

It was all about keeping up appearances. When company came round, the door would finally be opened, and you’d shuffle in, like you were putting on a show of how respectable you were. The rest of the time, it stayed locked away from everyday life, with the family cramped into the backroom where everything actually happened.

By the time the '70s rolled in, the Best Room started to seem a bit old hat. People were more laid back and thought it a bit daft to have a room no-one ever used. That heralded the demolition of the wall separating the Best Room and the more comfortable Living Room.

Nowadays, most people have a laugh about it, but back then, having a Best Room was serious business – a symbol that you were moving up in the world, even if you never really got to enjoy it!