by Gabriella Carrera

1900’s - The typical 1900’s home was built not for decor but, more so for function. You would almost always see these homes built out of brick. Typically these homes were quite confined inside, the front parlor and kitchen would be the two largest rooms in the home. The front room would normally be styled with items that symbolized the families status, such as vases or statuettes, the kitchen is where, as today the meals were prepared, but more importantly the coal burning range was in there, which was important because it was the main heat source for the house. Bedrooms in your typical 1900’s home would be very small and dimly lit; most children not only shared a room, but a bed as well. If you think your household could use another bathroom or two, be thankful you weren’t living in 1900; bathrooms were a status symbol, wealthier families would be lucky to have a tub, and toilets would rarely be found inside a home.
1910’s - The homes of 1910’s were quite similar to the homes of 1900, perhaps the only difference is this is when interior designs came into play. The home itself you would probably find wooden floors, paneled walls, the windows are likely to be stained glass, the most noticeable item in a 1910’s home in my opinion would be the fireplace, it would be the focus point of the room, very large hearth placed in an inglenook or recess, you would also notice the mantle to be carved and often there would be a motto above it. When it came to decorating these homes, this is when handmade items became very important, wooden handmade furniture, lots of copper and pewter would also be found in these homes. The most noticeable thing décor wise would have to be hands down the wallpaper, normally made with vegetable dyes and wood blocks.
1920’s - These years the homes started to make quite a change in design. The homes were now being built noticeably smaller than those of previous years. A new style of housing was also introduced, this was the bungalow, or as we sometimes now call them, ranchers. These are homes with all the living space on only one floor. These houses now had toilets as well. The most distinctive style was the Moderne style. Normally the priority was purpose; they avoided decorations and focused on the use of chrome and glass. They would have flat roofs, white concrete walls, and large windows with iron frames. Rather than using decorative items home owners would decorate with their fireplace, furniture, wallpaper, and fabric, often of a brighter color.
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