The parlor is the room for entertaining. It and the dining room are the most elegant rooms in the house.

The downstairs ceiling is 11 feet high, whereas the upstairs is 10 feet high. The woodwork downstairs is more detailed than that upstairs. And, even the windows downstairs are counter-weighted to stay open on their own, while those upstairs must be held open with a stick. The upstairs was for family living. The downstairs was, at least partially, for show.

It is important to note that the furniture that is in the house did not belong to the Lattas. These pieces have been purchased to match, as much as possible, the inventory taken at the time of James' death. Many of the small things did belong to the Lattas, however.

After entering the parlor from the foyer, if you look back over your shoulder, you see the scene on the left. The piano forte is identical to one Nancy had as part of her dowry. The framed fan did belong to Jane and it was a gift from her stepson Robert.

If you then look toward the front of the house, you see the fireplace. Above the fireplace is two plaster panels, painted in a pink tone. These are the only plaster in the entire house and are an indication that a mural or other decorative design was one time painted there. In between these panels, is a wood piece containing 13 grooves. The number 13 was not considered unlucky; it was considered patriotic and was often utilized in woodwork or furniture.

The tall case clock ("grandfather clock" was not a term used during the early 19th century) is from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, one end of James' route for purchasing goods during his peddler years.

Looking behind you, toward the dining room, you see a secretary desk. This piece of furniture was made in Charleston, South Carolina, the other end of James' route for purchasing goods. It has 13 panes of glass in each door, and in the cornice piece on the end of each curved-upward section, is a circular decoration containing 13 pie-shaped wedges.

Philadelphia and Charleston were both centers of fine furniture manufacture.
The secretary contains what would be a significant family library for this time period. Books listed on the estate sale indicate that the Lattas were well-read. Many of these same titles are on display in the secretary today, including The Life of Washington.

The floor, like the foyer floor, is covered by a floor cloth. Floor clothes are made from canvas, painted with oil paint (latex could also be used today) and then varnished. They were early versions of "linoleum" and were popular in the back country because of their low cost and practicality. No bugs would attack them, as moths would wool carpeting, and they are easily kept clean of tracked-in clay.

Perhaps you have noticed that the furniture in early 19th century homes seems to be arranged along the walls. If they did bring a table or chair into the middle of the floor for convenient usage, it would be put back along the wall at night. This was called "putting a room to rest." Since most of the the lighting in the back country was by home-made candles or the light of the moon, putting the furniture against the walls prevented many a night-time accident.