The Game Room, History

It's the 20th century and leisure is not only acceptable—it’s aspirational! Following the hardships of the Great Depression and World War II, the 1940s forward ushered in a time of economic growth, one with rippling suburban expansion and a newfound importance paid to down-time and homebody pleasures.

Homes transformed from purely functional spaces or decorative statements, but a family’s personal retreat, and rooms like Fisher’s—-dens or rec and game rooms—began to pop up across the country. 

Much like the hearth privileged in the Pennsylvania Dutch Kitchen, a pool table sits prominently placed at the heart of the room, doubling as a card table and signaling a shift from quaint conversation to competitive sport and social drinking. 

Just as the 18th century drawing room captured the tidy elegance and staple designs expected of domestic life, this 1950s game room tells a specific story of vibrant colors, and home-life centered fun. It offers a playful contrast to how these rooms preserve not just a room, but entire cultural shifts across time!