Thinking of the old Upstairs/Downstairs:
Downstairs, you can simply be who you are, while Upstairs, there are pretentions, and images to keep up, the high-end snobbery and all that. One has to interact with all the other high-enders.
Much more relaxed downstairs. Of course the Downstairs did have to answer to the Upstairs. It was also the Downstairs that kept the Upstairs running.
OT thought: whatever happend to Jean Marsh (IIRC)?