May 1, 2025 | 1950s, 2020s, publication date, reaction paper, Week 5
Summary: Hilde Heyen discusses the phenomenon of modernity in architecture and how, through the desire for ‘progress and emancipation,’ a metaphorical homelessness is established in domestic life. This form of homelessness is an intentional ideal that intends to remove intimacy and privacy from the home. Modernists argue that intimacy is inherently linked to capitalist values, and to celebrate community and neighborhood, the home should be a transitory place, where you never stay in one place for too long. Yet, this uncomfortability, Heyen argues, is not truly practical for domestic living. Truly modern designs rarely allowed their inhabitants to ‘feel at home.’ The need for transparency and evolution does not have to exclude senses of comfort and well-being. The Rietveld Schroder Home in Amsterdam demonstrates how a new and modern house can still feel like a home. To the family, specifically Truus Schroder, is the quality of ‘messiness’ that brings character and life to the house. Despite the modernists’ desire to erase all signs of personality, it is a quality and expression of life. Homes are more complex, can one ideal, and it is the inhabitants who will dictate the character of a residence.
Application: The January 1950 issue appears to be a direct response to the modernist wave that had been rippling through many households. These seemingly modern homes are now dealing with the issue of privacy, and this issue of House Beautiful attempts to provide its readers with solutions on how to simultaneously allow homeowners to adopt a modern style while also preserving their privacy. In Figure 1, the article explains how the large picture windows in many homes are opting for, are “unwittingly turning American Homes into fishbowls.” They are offering one solution to be “when a big window goes in, some kind of eye-stopped should go in at the same time.”
Figure 1. Is There a Picture in Your Picture Window?
House Beautiful, January 1950, pg. 15-16
Figure 2 also rejects the modernist idea that neighbors should see in. Instead, the literal opposite methods are employed in this home. The Pennsylvania house builds removes the porch and constructs a brick wall around the perimeter of the yard to create an ‘extended living room’ effectivity blocking off the street and providing additional privacy in close quarters.
Figure 2. Which Twin has the Privacy?
House Beautiful, January 1950, pg. 17-18
As noted by Heyen, modernist architecture was not cold because it was an attempt to make society more anti-social; in fact, it was quite the opposite. The idea of homelessness was to remove people from their homes or allow transparency into the home to create community, and in theory, you would get to know your neighbors more. However, in practice, modernism may have had an opposite effect. The “Daily Universe,” a paper run by Brigham Young Students, criticizes how modern architecture and its removal of tradition through its form has led to the loss of community. This article argues that today, modern buildings that are being commercially produced are often cheap and tacky replicas. Without any traditional references, neighborhoods lack a connective tissue and a universal understanding of time and place. Inherently, this creates separation amongst people, especially in an age where no one seems to know their neighbors.
Figure 3. How Modern Architecture is Discouraging Community
The Daily Universe by Elise Kiriaka
Apr 30, 2025 | 1940s, Week 5
Reading Summary/Takeaway
One key takeaway from “‘Leaving Traces’: Anonymity in the Modernist House,” by Hilde Heynen is the discussion that modernist architecture in domestic spaces played a big part in erasing identity in order to promote functional design instead. A modernist house is a space with a lack of decoration and personal expression but obtains a great amount of simplicity and order. This idea promoted anonymity as it took away spaces that held memories and family values. Heynen also highlights how this effect was reflected into society with the goal of reform instead of identity and expression. Le Corbusier is one architect who advocated for minimalism and organization in domestic spaces with the goal of spatial purity and minimal ornamentation, and discouraging any personal belongings that could “leave traces” of life from the person occupying the space. This idea was promoted from a belief that maintaining a simple and minimalistic space would result in a more efficient society.
Application
Figure 1 shows a very minimalist family home with the use of IKEA furniture
IKEA
“How to create a minimal family home – IKEA”
One current example that reflects these ideas is the rise of popularity to use minimalist and modular pieces of furniture from brands like IKEA. IKEA emphasizes clean lines, neutral colors, and universal functionality which are all features that align with the modernist goals of simplicity and standardization. Another reason why IKEA follows the idea of minimal ornamentation with a great amount of simplicity is in order to achieve mass production with their pieces. Furniture pieces like these are perfect examples of furniture with a lack of personality and/or identity but promote the purpose of functionality. While furniture pieces like these are able to make a space more flexible, it becomes unknown how personal identity is expressed within these uniform environments.
Figures 2 and 3 show a selection of modern furniture and interiors illustrating the emphasis on clean lines, functional forms, and unity between architecture and furnishing
House Beautiful, Summer 1941, vol. 83 pt. 2, pg 22 & 23
“The Design is MODERN”
The 1941 Summer House Beautiful article “The Design is Modern” supports the argument in Hilde Heynen’s “‘Leaving Traces’: Anonymity in the Modernist House” by showing how modern design was framed as a necessary evolution for prioritizing function, standardization, and unity across furniture and architecture. The piece connects closely with Heynen’s claim that modernist domestic spaces play a part in diminishing personal expression in favor of anonymity. Maas discusses how he appreciates modern design for being logical and also notes that furniture is no longer separate from architecture since it becomes part of the space as it is. This connects Heynen’s argument that modernist homes discourage occupants leaving “traces” left from decoration.
Comparison
The House Beautiful article and the IKEA example both show how modernist ideals continue to shape environments within the home. In the House Beautiful article, modern design is portrayed as progressive and intellectually driven and has an approach where architecture and furniture work together to be part of the space. This idea connects with the goal to avoid leaving the individual “traces” in favor of a new standard of taste. In contrast, IKEA represents a later evolution of this idea. IKEA’s simple furniture completely takes away from the designers of the furniture as their pieces are clean, simple, and functional. IKEA’s furniture is mass-produced, intended to fit into nearly any home while House Beautiful viewed the modern movement as an artistic movement.
Apr 16, 2025 | 1950s, 2010s, reaction paper, Week 3
Reading Summary/Takeaway
One important point from Chapter 3 of Penny Sparke’s “Elsie de Wolfe and Her Female Clients, 1905–15” is that Elsie de Wolfe’s work as an interior decorator caused a huge shift within the gendered world of professional design. Because of her, she essentially pioneered the acceptance of women in design as legitimate professionals. Sparke argues that de Wolfe’s success was due to her ability to navigate the boundaries between domesticity and professionalism. De Wolfe tried to emphasize light, comfort, and a sense of femininity that resonated with her clients whenever she worked on a project through pale colors, simple furniture, and floral motifs. Her aesthetic also put her in the spotlight as an innovator who connected both aesthetics with a woman’s role in the home allowing for both taste and functionality to coexist.
Application
The Wing is a now-closed women-focused co-working space but they connected to the idea that interiors can be expressions of modern femininity, empowerment, and professional identity by maintaining soft color palettes, plush seating, and art by and of women. The Wing had rejected the corporate, masculine office aesthetic in order to provide domestic comfort. This idea mirrors Elsie de Wolfe’s approach by using design to redefine spaces traditionally occupied by men, and allowing them to cater to women. The Wing created an environment that was not just physically beautiful but also supported new roles for women in public and professional realms.
Figure 1 shows the interior of The Wing office with a feminine aesthetic that allows for both work and comfortability.
ELLE
This September 1950 issue of House Beautiful, particularly the feature titled “She’s Getting to Be Quite a Young Lady!” connects to Elsie de Wolfe’s work and influence as both are able to explore how domestic interior design plays such a big role in shaping female identity, especially during formative life stages. The article also emphasizes how a young girl’s bedroom should evolve and change to reflect her personality, interests, and future ambitions that are also changing at the same time. This reinforces the idea that interiors are not just decorative but have an important function embedded within them. Both sources highlight the professionalization of interior design as a feminine realm as taste and ornamentation are linked to emotional development and personal empowerment. The bedroom transformation in the magazine relates to Elsie de Wolfe’s idea of merging beauty with utility while still holding onto the belief that a room that is designed well can contribute to success and empowerment.
Figures 2,3 and 4 illustrate how a young girl’s bedroom was transformed into a space that reflects her independence, creativity, and femininity.
House Beautiful 1950, no. 2, p.113,114,116
She’s Getting to be Quite a Young Lady!
Comparison
Both the House Beautiful bedroom redesign and The Wing reflect how interior spaces have historically been used to construct and reinforce gendered identities. In House Beautiful, the transformation of a girl’s bedroom into a multifunctional, adult-like space supports her transition into womanhood and her room becomes a place for self-expression. Similarly, The Wing was created as a space for professional women with interiors that feel comfortable but at the same time push for success and ambition. While separated by many decades, both spaces are able to use design to show identity and reinforce femininity.