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On the Enterprise-D in The Next Generation, the Captain's Ready Room has a little side room that contains a replicator. Picard is often seen going into it to order his "Tea, Earl Grey, Hot".

Captain Picard ordering his tea.

As far as I can tell, we only ever see the little room from roughly the angle in the screenshot above. However, there seems to be more space in the compartment than would be necessary for just the replicator, as this design sketch shows:

enter image description here

The drawing doesn't show anything else in the room, but it's not an official sketch. (Also notice that the "captain" has hair...)

If the only purpose of the room is to house the replicator, then it would be possible of course to do away with the alcove altogether and have the replicator on a main wall, as in Janeway's Ready Room.

Design sketch of the little tea room.

This begs the question:

What is the intended purpose of the extra room? Does it house anything other than the replicator? Does it have a washroom or wardrobe, etc?

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  • I'm thinking since the Enterprise was a diplomatic ship, closing the door kept it hidden and more professional-looking (and the odd shape just caused by where on the ship it was positioned)
    – Izkata
    Jul 12, 2015 at 17:36
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    Replicators can make clothes, maybe that room is so he can get changed when he has guests over?
    – Crow T Robot
    Jul 12, 2015 at 18:34
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    Perhaps a nice minibar, for when the "ready" room serves as a "done" room.
    – goldilocks
    Jul 12, 2015 at 20:02
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    Its a portal to narnia
    – David says Reinstate Monica
    Jul 13, 2015 at 0:55
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    It contains a hair replacement surgery unit.
    – Wad Cheber
    Jul 13, 2015 at 3:01

2 Answers 2

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It doesn't house anything other than the replicator, as you can see from this walkthrough of the ship from the interactive 1994 CD-Rom

As to why the room is there at all, I'd guess that it's simply that it was in the original plans (possibly as a small bathroom?) and Picard just couldn't be bothered to have them do the remodeling.

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  • Janeway's personal bathroom is through a separate door; oehler1990.bplaced.net/blueprints/intrepid_original/…
    – Valorum
    Jul 12, 2015 at 17:12
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    Nice finds. I guess in-universe, Picard's alcove was probably supposed to contain a personal loo, as you say, but I can't find anything to confirm.
    – Praxis
    Jul 12, 2015 at 17:22
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    Well, according to Duke Nukem 3D, this is a little imprecise...
    – Malcolm
    Jul 12, 2015 at 20:10
  • Knowing Picard, I would assume perhaps a small bookshelf and a spare uniform. Ah, well.
    – Omegacron
    Jul 13, 2015 at 15:14
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The space appears to have been originally intended to be a "head" (navy speak for a ship's toilet) as you can see from these early designs of the Enterprise D floor plan by Andrew Probert.

enter image description here

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