Ornamenting the »Cold Roast« : The Domestic Architecture and Interior Design of Upper-Class Boston Homes, 1760-1880

This book presents the meticulous case studies of three individual houses from different eras, which serve to depict the social, political, and cultural effects that domestic architecture and interior design had on the upper class, the city of Boston, and a national American identity. It takes the reader on a journey to 18th and 19th century Boston and provides insight into the lives of these prominent men and women as seen through the perspective of their homes. It is a novel examination of the cultural significance of domestic architecture and interior design and, because of its story-telling character and extensive attention to detail, it is fascinating for curious readers and cultural historians alike. Table of Contents Acknowledgements Introduction A Brief History of Living and Family Life in America Growing Urbanization and Its Consequences The Formation of Class Divisions Family Structure and Family Members in American Households The Shift towards Equality among Family Members Everyday Manners and Rituals Life and Living in American Literature The Upper Class in America and Boston The Upper Class in Boston Upper Class Neighborhoods in Boston Politics Religion The Profession of Architecture in America Women Architects in America African-American Architects in America The Profession of Interior Design in America The Architectural Canon of Nineteenth-Century Boston Charles Bulfinch Asher Benjamin Edward Clarke Cabot Domestic Architecture in America Eras of Domestic Architectural Styles in America The Contradiction between Upper Class Domestic Architecture and Democracy Domestic Architecture as a Sign of Status Floor Plans Domestic Architecture in Boston The First Harrison Gray Otis House The William Hickling Prescott House The Gibson House Interiors and Furnishings Upper-Class Interiors and the Rise of Consumerism Rooms of American Domestic Interiors Furnishings and Objects in American Domestic Interiors The Interiors of the First Harrison Gray Otis House The Interiors of the William Hickling Prescott House The Interiors of the Gibson House Conclusion Works Cited Appendix I: Glossary Appendix II: Beacon Hill Architectural Guidelines Appendix III: Harrison Gray Otis Logbook This book presents the meticulous case studies of three individual houses from different eras, which serve to depict the social, political, and cultural effects that domestic architecture and interior design had on the upper class, the city of Boston, and a national American identity. It takes the reader on a journey to 18th and 19th century Boston and provides insight into the lives of these prominent men and women as seen through the perspective of their homes. It is a novel examination of the cultural significance of domestic architecture and interior design and, because of its story-telling character and extensive attention to detail, it is fascinating for curious readers and cultural historians alike. Boston,Domestic Architecture,Interior Design,Upper Class,Architecture,Design,America,American History,Cultural History,Cultural Studies Medien haben als Begriff und Forschungsthema Hochkonjunktur. Dies gilt auch innerhalb der Soziologie: "media go society". Die hier vorgestellte Mediensoziologie stellt sich in unmittelbare Nähe zur Gesellschaftstheorie und untersucht die komplexen Wechselwirkungen zwischen Gesellschaft, Medien und Individuum. Behandelt werden u.a. das Verhältnis von Medienwandel und Gesellschaftsstrukturen, Geschichte und Theorie der Öffentlichkeit, die Funktionen des autonomen Sozialsystems der Massenmedien und die Bedeutung massenmedialer Formate für Identitäts- und Individualisierungsprozesse. Zudem gibt das Buch einen Ausblick auf die aktuelle Selbstbeschreibungsformel der "Mediengesellschaft." Biographical note: Dorothee Wagner von Hoff received her PhD at the University of Munich. Her research interests include Colonial and Victorian Architecture and interior design, as well as urban studies and American literature