The living room has historically been an overdecorated room used mainly to receive and impress visitors. This room was a status symbol for outside guests, which is why the decor was typically dressed up or done to the nines.
The American living room has changed a lot in the past two or three decades. In today’s homes, we see less and less the idea of a formal living room—aside from older homes or exceptionally large homes, where square footage and budgets are of no consequence. For the rest of us, lifestyles have evolved, and formal living rooms are things of the past.
