Homes normally had a plain facade, which blended in easily with the shops that lined the streets. Visitors passed the shops and entered the atrium, an open air section of the home which functioned as a central meeting point for all of the various rooms and areas of the home. Further back was the peristyle, which normally had rows of columns, and sometimes a fountain with a garden. Intimate friends were usually the only ones allowed in this area.All households had slaves, although the number varied depending on the wealth and prestige of the family. Slaves performed all sorts of tasks, from estate management to education to food preparation. By all indications, Pompeiians ate well, with diets consisting of meat, seafood, eggs, bread, and figs, all washed down with wine made from grapes grown on the slopes of Mt. Vesuvius.
Houses in Pompeii were built around inner gardens, a design which allowed the family to turn away from the world outside and find solace and peace in this inner sanctum.
Click here to see photos of Pompeii's private homes.