If you turn the left immediately after entering the front doors, you
will see this half of the commons area of the house.
The tables are set because it's right before dinner. Besides being the
house's primary eating area, the commons is also a place where people
generally just hang out, get snacks, and commiserate after a long day
at school and work. It's also the scene for Cookie Night every
Thursday evening at 10 pm. House cooks prepare three different yummy
desserts for sharing each weekduring this social hour/sugar fix
extravaganza (OK, maybe it's not an extravaganza, but it's
certainly not to be missed). By the way, the mural in the background
has since been removed but was at one time a house project during a
labor holiday.
[For guided tour] Now let's move on into the kitchen...