The Dining Room highlights some of the developments that transformed American homes and social habits in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.

Until after the Revolution, American homes had no special room reserved for eating. Meals were taken on small tables in parlors or in bedrooms. During the summer, the coolest room in the house might be used. In the winter, a table might be placed near a fireplace. Tables were designed to be portable, enabling them to be easily moved and stored when not in use.

In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, Americans enjoyed growing wealth and increased leisure time. As houses became larger and people found themselves with more time for entertaining, a room dedicated to eating emerged. The development of the dining room led to the creation of new forms of furniture--the dining table and the sideboard.