The Bathroom, the Kitchen, and the Aesthetics of Waste (Village Voice Literary Supplement) (Paperback)

~ (Author), Abbott J. Miller (Author) "Between 1890 and 1940, America's culture of consumption took its modern form: products were mass produced and mass distributed, designed to be purchased and rapidly..." (more)
Key Phrases: continuous kitchen, creative waste, prefabricated bathroom, New York, Christine Frederick, Raymond Loewy (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Where once we dwelt in soft and furry interiors, surrounded by carpets, cloth coverings, and other dust-prone, hard-to-clean surfaces, we now spend much of our time in tiled rooms surrounded by smooth-skinned appliances. The story of how the modern bathroom and kitchen came to be is told in The Bathroom, the Kitchen, and the Aesthetics of Waste. It was in these two rooms that the greatest transformation in home engineering occurred. A process for bringing clean water in and removing waste water transformed the home into a quasi-organic being, eating and excreting through an alimentary system whose inherent cleanliness influenced the design of the rooms where it was housed. Ellen Lupton and J. Abbot Miller present the history of this change in words and historical images in this attractive and surprisingly informative volume.

Review

[This book] brings its exploration of prosperity and the home to exuberant life. It is a fiesta of logos, graphics, illustrations, photographs. Katherine Dieckmann, Village Voice Literary Supplement

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 80 pages
• Publisher: Princeton Architectural Press; 2nd edition (November 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1568980965
• ISBN-13: 978-1568980966
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.2 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,316,999 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Informative, intriguing, and entertaining !, September 5, 2009

By	Sandi Smith (planet earth) - See all my reviews

I've had this book for several years and it's one of my favorites, to reach for over and over again. There's so much historical info, fascinating illustrations, and excellent writing. Highly recommended !

5.0 out of 5 stars A Cultural History of the Kitchen and Bath, July 21, 2009

By	David Holubetz (Telluride, Colorado) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is one of my favorite books, out of hundreds on historic houses, architecture, interior design, etc. It is a survey of the way the kitchen and bath evolved in America over the last 100 years or so, in text and pictures. The pictures are great : lots of old ads are reprinted, and some of the photos are hilarious, given our current sensibilities. As much as the rooms have changed, we have changed too, and the real thrust here is that kitchens and bathrooms and the accouterments found therein are reflections of our shared cultural beliefs, hopes, fears and dreams. They are not just places to cook and clean up, they are mirrors of all that we are, changing just as we are. This is a thin book but loaded with information and pictures, and subtle commentary if you read closely. Highly recommended.