Research Guides: Frankel & Curtis Architectural Collection Research: Scholarly Articles/Academic Sources

Domestic Help/Servants

The Number of Servants: 1900-1940
National Bureau of Economic Research published this essay describing characteristics of the domestic service industry with an emphasis on employment trends.This essay demonstrates the overall decrease in employed servants due to economic interruptions during the Depression and World Wars. Also, demonstrates how wives/mothers took over household duties as a common practice.

Extinction of the Dining Room

Why Dining Rooms Are Becoming Extinct
Non-academic Huffington Post article that illustrates my basic thoughts accurately. Dining rooms are used only for special occasions. It is a traditional room. Servants in 20th century were common; they cooked the meals and the family ate together in the dining room.
Today, the dining room is more of a fixture for that American Dream ideal. We want elaborate meals with family at the holidays, and we want to decorate and entertain, because that indicates a greater wealth, also showing that a woman can handle such extravagances and time management and a man can afford them.
There is something latently sexist in this.

"Death, Anxiety, and Materialism"

Terrifying Thoughts, Terrible Materialism? Contemplations on a Terror Management Account of Materialism and Consumer Behavior
This article links the fear of death with materialism and materialism with well-being. The basic idea is that people try to gain immortality through their belongings, like their massive amount of possessions will preserve their memory. During times of war, which the 20th century saw much of, this is a common reaction.

From Domesticity to Modernity

What was home economics?
Cornell University Library created this interactive exhibit web page that includes, but is not limited to, pages about home economics influence on consumer culture, students' self-definition, women's suffrage, marriage course, timeline of the course at the university, and a few oral biographies and interviews.

China Cabinets

Owning a china cabinet in this modern age is a traditionalist, vintage statement. Often the south is more inclined to own them because of the old-fashioned decor trend due to overwhelmingly conservative attitudes. Built-in kitchen storage or cabinetry is more practical and easier to manage than the traditional fixture. Families do not use china often because it is a luxury item that no one wants to risk getting tarnished. Frequent, large family gatherings are not a staple of every American family. Frankly, who would want to wash all those dishes?

Google a phrase akin to "are china cabinets in style?" These are not academic articles for the most part, but they are popular sites that discuss design trends over the past century, and an analytical mind can investigate their claims.

Residence Style

How American Homes Vary By the Year They Were Built
This report is based on the United States Census Bureau's data. Over the years, the sizes of homes have increased with increasing standard of living and recovering economy in 20th century. Recently there has been a decline in the size because of a recession and a valuing of saving space, environmental consciousness, and saving money. The number of rooms have increased, correlating with size increase. It is a symbol of wealth to have many rooms and restrooms. There are more entertainment rooms and laundry rooms. The invention of the washing machine was a huge deal to American wives because once it became available to the middle-class, women had more time for work, other domestic duties, and even leisure.

American Values

The Values Americans Live By
This is a letter the Executive Director of The Washington International Center wrote for foreigners so they can understand American values and then compare them to more traditional countries.