Sorry if this isn't the right subreddit for this question, but I wasn't sure where else to ask. In a lot of English literature, I read about scenes that take place in something called the drawing-room. Is it similar to today's living room? How does it differ from a parlour? And lastly, how has its use or prevalence changed over time, if at all?
It started out as the withdrawing room, where you'd withdraw from a crowd to write your letters or what have you. So it was sort of a den or office, not as much of a family or public space.