Final Exam: The Ideal Home

Over the course of history, the American people have been faced with constant evolving social norms and pressures swaying them to conform to a set of prescribed standards, particularly in the realm of building and designing the ideal home. The Puritan ideals called for an environment of houses and towns that reflected the divinely ordained structure for creating an idyllic structure for family and social relations (Wright 5). This post examines the complex interplay of the overwhelming commercial, and social influence aimed at guiding people down the right path for building their ideal home and investigates how two different artists, Andrea Zittel and Thomas Kincade address the importance of the ideal home as it relates to the broad concepts of space and place, in light of their unique design qualities and artistic choices.

After the Second World War, the United States government encouraged builders to experiment with mass production techniques, satisfying the huge demand for single-family suburban houses, which had become the most common image of the American way of life. According to Gwendolyn Wright, this has proved the most popular, and fertile, icon of family life and economic success across several centuries of American history (32). In one of his speeches, President Hoover told the people, “to own one’s home is a physical expression of individualism, of enterprise, of independence…it makes for happier married life, better children…(and) it makes for better citizenship” (Rome 24).

"William Levitt, credited as the father of modern American suburbia"

In response to the huge boom of homes, followed by an immense interest in interior designing, and a growing demand for household appliances, an array of model homes emerged, created by various architects attempting to showcase their visions for the ideal American home. In particular, the Walker Art Center exhibited synthesized aspects of modern home design in order to encourage viewers to borrow ideas from a range of examples, instead of “accepting a prepackaged, standardized home design” (Idea House Project 378). These promotional techniques claimed not to be intended to sell specific goods or materials, but rather displayed to encourage a collection of standards considered intrinsically idealistic promoting a collection of ideas on homebuilding and interior design (Idea House Project 392).

The single-family house, the ultimate mark of a freestanding private entity in suburban surroundings reflects longstanding American interest in home ownership. The works of artist Andrea Zittel and Thomas Kincade mirror these ideals with their own interpretations of the ideal home, using specific qualities and unique design choices in their creative works.

Thomas Kincade (1958-2012), the American “Painter of Light”, was America’s most collected living artist, with at least 1 in every 20 homes owning a copy of one of his paintings. He was a talented artist that created pieces reflecting rustic, pastoral and idyllic landscapes with perfect, cozy homes amidst a peaceful, serene and heavenly looking natural surroundings.

"Lamplight Manor by Thomas Kincade"

A key feature in his painting named "Lamplight Manor", is the glowing highlights and saturated pastel colors, that enables Kincade to reveal a highly idealistic home that transports the viewer into a world of beauty, adventure and intrigue. The viewer can easily picture himself living in this tranquil and peaceful painting. The inviting, grand rustic manor house is made accessible by a romantic stone bridge, crossing a slow moving river in a colorful natural spring setting hidden away from civilization.

"Deer Creek Cottage by Thomas Kincade"

In the painting "Deer Creek Cottage" the world is surrounded by a deep wintery natural beauty, a true hideaway that attracts the attention of two fawn standing on the opposite side of a partially frozen stream, gazing into the lights emanating from the cottage windows. A fire is lit inside the snow covered, snug cottage, where a family lives in intimate, warm comfort.

These two paintings reinforce the American ideal of owning a home, preferably in a natural setting with an emphasis on privacy, and located at a certain distance from densely populated urban areas. They promote the ideal of living in American suburbs, considered the safe, clean and healthier alternative to living in cities in 1950 (Hayden 186). Kincade’s images subtly tell viewers that these are the qualities American homeowners should strive to achieve in order to create the same sense of tranquility, peacefulness and richness reflected in these paintings.

Andrea Zittel’s work investigates life in Western societies through her clever installations, which explore the economical, and simplistic approach to domestic living. Her clever designs reduce the amount of items necessary for living in a small cramped apartment setting. Her unique installations minimize the amount of appliances, objects and tools necessary for everyday life and use space efficiently by easily folding up inside themselves. Her work is small and compact, and shows that livable spaces do not always need to be the typical large single-family homes.

"Green Design by Andrea Zittel"

She brings attention to a simpler way of life, living in isolation for long periods of time in a sustainable way far away from the temptation of consumption and the noise of cities.

"A-Z Wagon Station by Andrea Zittel"

These two artists, as different as they may seem are trying to provide examples of ideal homes and modes of living in contemporary America. Zittel’s work shows a modern style, whereas Kincade keeps the style rural and rustic. They both emphasize the importance of finding a natural, peaceful setting, with ample privacy removed far enough from civilization. Zittel promotes a minimalistic approach in terms of material wealth, whereas Kincade seemingly pushes for an excessive amount of materials goods to decorate, and fill up the picture perfect homes. Kincade’s idea of space is far more resource demanding, promoting and propagating suburban sprawl much more than Zittel’s environmentally friendly designs, which taking advantage of every last inch of space available, creating a minimal impact. Zittel’s installations are designed for apartment living, drawing attention to the newest trends and the potential shift towards more practical, and smaller living environments.

Works cited

Hayden, Dolores. Redesigning the American Dream: The Future of Housing, Work, and Family Life. New York: W.W. Norton, 1984. Print.

Griffith Winton, A. "'A Man's House Is His Art': The Walker Art Center's Idea House Project and the Marketing of Domestic Design 1941-1947." Journal of Design History 17.4 (2004): 377-96. Print

Rome, Adam Ward. The Bulldozer in the Countryside: Suburban Sprawl and the Rise of American Environmentalism. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2001. Print.

Wright, Gwendolyn. Building the Dream: A Social History of Housing in America. New York: Pantheon, 1981. Print.


Images cited

Time Magazine Cover: “House Builder Levitt”
http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,19500703,00.html

“Transforming Furniture into Green Design”. Photograph: http://inhabitat.com/andrea-zittel/

“A-Z Wagon Station” by Andrea Zittel: http://www.friezeartfair.com/yearbook/artist/100050010/

“Lamplight Manor” by Thomas Kincade
“Deer Creek Cottage” by Thomas Kincade http://www.thomaskinkade.com/magi/servlet/com.asucon.ebiz.home.web.tk.HomeServlet