The entry hall served as a reception area for visitors who might be ushered into the parlor, the music room, or even upstairs to the library, depending on the sort of visit being made. Calling cards were left here.

Typically, in a house of this era, the entry hall was little more than a stairwell and a hallway which joined the various downstairs rooms. In this case, the space is luxuriously large, anticipating the twentieth century notion of a front door opening directly onto a living room.

An elaborate etiquette existed for making afternoon calls upon friends and acquaintances.  A lady was advised never to call without her cards, and she would also wish to leave cards as a greeting if the hostess were either not at home or indisposed.

Ladies were encouraged to dress appropriately for accepting callers. The dress should be silk and made to fit the figure neatly. Just as an elaborate costume before dinner is in excessively bad taste, neither is the simple dress worn in the exercise of domestic duties suitable.