The Elements of a Home: Curious Histories behind Everyday Household Objects, from Pillows to Forks

by Amy Azzarito

The Elements of a Home reveals the fascinating stories behind more than 60 everyday household objects and furnishings.

Brimming with amusing anecdotes and absorbing trivia, this captivating collection is a treasure trove of curiosities.

With tales from the kitchen, the bedroom, and every room in between, these pages expose how napkins got their start as lumps of dough in ancient Greece, why forks were once seen as immoral tools of the devil, and how Plato devised one of the earliest alarm clocks using rocks and water—plus so much more.

• A charming gift for anyone who loves history, design, or décor
• Readers discover tales from every nook and cranny of a home.
• Entries feature historical details from locations all over the world, including Europe, Asia, North America, and Africa.

As a design historian and former managing editor of Design*Sponge, author Amy Azzarito has crafted an engaging, whimsical history of the household objects you've never thought twice about.

The result is a fascinating book filled with tidbits from a wide range of cultures and places about the history of domestic luxury.

• Filled with lovely illustrations by Alice Pattullo
• Perfect as a housewarming or wedding gift, or for anyone who adores interior design, trivia, history, and unique facts
• Great for those who enjoyed The Greatest Stories Never 100 Tales from History to Astonish, Bewilder, and Stupefy by Rick Beyer, An Uncommon History of Common Things by Bethanne Patrick and John Thompson, Encyclopedia of the An Anecdotal History of Elegant Delights by Jessica Kerwin Jenkins

Some of the books included in The Elements of a Home Bibliography

Bathtub
Dalby, Andrew. Empire of Luxury and Indulgence in the Roman World. Routledge, 2000.
de Bonneville, Francoise. The Book of the Bath. New Rizzoli, 1998.

Billiard Table
Baird, Sarah. “The Life and Death of the American Pool Hall.” Punch, January 23, 2015. Accessed July 11, 2017. and-death-of-the-american-pool-hall.
Levron, Jacques. Daily Life in Versailles in the Seven-teenth and Eighteenth Centuries. New The Macmillan Company, 1968.

Bookshelf
Mari, Francesca. “Shelf Conscious.” Paris Review, December 27, 2012. review.org/blog/2012/12/27/shelf-cons....
Petroski, Henry. The Book on the Bookshelf. New Vintage Books, 2000.

Candle
Bremer-David, Charissa, ed. Life and Luxury in the Eighteenth Century.Los J. Paul Getty Trust, 2011.
Dillon, Maureen. Artificial A Social History of Domestic Lighting. The National Trust, 2002.

Canopy Bed
Bard Graduate Center. History of Decorative Arts and Material Culture, 1400–2000. New Bard Graduate Center, 2013.
Carlano, Anne, and Bobbie Sumberg. Sleeping The Bed from Antiquity to Now. Seattle, University of Wash-ington Press, 2006.

Chaise Longue
de Dampierre, Florence. A History. New Harry N. Abrams, 2006.
DeJean, Joan. The Age of When Paris Discovered Casual and the Modern Home Began. New Bloomsbury Press, 2013.

Chess Set
Brown, Nancy Marie. Ivory The Mystery of the Most Famous Chess-men in the World and the Woman Who Made Them.Prince Frederick, Recorded Books, 2015.
Dean, George, with Maxine Brady. Chess One Thousand Years of Extraordinary Chess Sets. New Abrams Books, 2010.

Chiavari Chair
de Dampierre, Florence. A History.New Harry N. Abrams, 2006.

Chopsticks
Visser, Margaret. The Rituals of The Origins, Evolution, Eccentricities, and Meaning of Table Manners. New Pen-guin Books, 1992.
Wang, Edward Q. A Culture and Culinary History. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2015.

Clock
Bremer-David, Charissa, ed. Life and Luxury in the Eighteenth Century. Los J. Paul Getty Museum, 2011.
Chevallier, Bernard, and Marc Walter. Empire French Taste in the Age of Napoleon. New  The Vendome Press, 2008.

Cocktail Shaker 
Grimes, William. Straight Up or on the The Story of the American Cocktail. New North Point Press, 2001.
Lanza, Joseph. The The Influence of Spirits on the American Psyche. New  St. Martin’s Press, 1995.
 
Crystal Chandelier
Cooke, Lawrence S. Lighting in From Colonial Rushlights to Victorian Chandeliers. Pittstown, Main Street Press, 1984.
Fioratti, Helen Costantino. Illuminating Their Three Hundred Years of Light. New  L’Antiqu- aire and the Connoisseur, Inc., 2007.
 
Curule Chair 
de Dampier...

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Design, Microhistory, Historical

224 pages, Hardcover

Published March 17, 2020

About the author

For the past eleven years, Amy Azzarito has been on the forefront of predicting trends in design while also discovering designers and makers and highlighting their crafts. With a degree in the History of Decorative Arts & Design from Parsons and experience lecturing at universities and historical societies across the country, Amy is a sought-after expert on the topic of design history both past and present.

She has contributed to Food52, Refinery29, Brit & Co, Food52, Design Milk and Architectural Digest. She is the former Managing Editor of the trend-setting blog Design*Sponge.

Amy lives in Marin County, California with her husband Mark and their almost four-year-old daughter Stella.

Reviews

[Alicia Bayer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting book but I'm not sure I'll ever really want to sit down and read an entire book telling the history of objects in my home. As such, I haven't added a read date since I ended up eventually just skimming it and only reading some sections in full. While it is cool to know about the accuracy of that old story of champagne glasses being modeled after women's breasts, after a while it feels like reading the backs of all the food packages in your cupboard.

It's fun and sometimes fascinating stuff, and perhaps would make a good coffee table book. Black and white illustrations accompany the text. I guess I am just not that interested in reading multiple pages of how everything from sofas to canopy beds to wallpaper came about, but this is a fun book if you're curious about these things.

I previewed a temporary digital ARC of this book for the purpose of review.

[OutlawPoet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderfully charming and fascinating history of things in your home. Yes, I know that sounds a bit weird, but wait until you read the history (and occasional scandals) behind everything from bathtubs to tea kettles!

You can read straight through or leaf through the book until you find something that catches your attention - and you will.

The historical notes are incredibly interesting and the illustrations are wonderful. And I shall never say 'chaise lounge' again!

Loved this one!

*ARC Provided by the publisher

[Infamous Sphere · Rating 4 out of 5]

A while ago I read The Making Of Home by Judith Flanders, which turned out to be a VERY in-depth and extremely dense book about the history of every aspect of a home. The Elements of A Home is far more like what I *expected* The Making Of Home to be - it's bite sized, a lot more digestible, interesting little explanations of many individual items of furnishing and homewares. I really enjoyed the design of the book. That and the bite sized sections made it very pleasing to read.

[Diana Whittemore · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is exactly what I expected. Short and sweet histories of every day items we use, or have used, and haven’t given a second thought to its origin. Or maybe we have on a drunken evening, staring down into our wine glass? I’ll never drink champagne again without thinking of a dancer’s naked breasts. Anyhow, I learned a lot of cool, trivial things reading this. And I like that sort of thing. The illustrations are beautiful, in vintage-like style. I do wish there were more. I did find myself Googling images of many of the mentioned items. I’m a bit ignorant when it comes to the names of furniture styles. I just know I love HomeGoods, and anything Joanna Gaines uses. So whether you want to play along to Jeopardy, have a fun coffee table or guest room read, or a toilet companion (I never read on the toilet, I’d rather get out quick), this book is just the right fit!

[James Kennedy Public Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you ever use a fork and wonder how the fork came to be; or sit on a chaise and wonder who invented it; then this is the book for you! This great little book takes dozens of common household items and gives us the short history behind them. Each object is covered in 3 pages or so. Lots of different items and I found this rather interesting. Will give you great fuel for random trivia questions too!

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was fascinated and utterly captivated by this book! An essential reference for anyone who enjoys asking "why" things are the way that they are. Azzarito's style is thorough yet amusing; the entire book held the tone of a friend teaching you things in the least pedantic way possible. This book was a joy to read and and essential addition to the nonfiction lover's shelf.

[Janis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Facts about household items and origins.

[Anna Abney Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Stefanie Bevins · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really neat read. The author, Amy Azzarito brings to life the back story of many common and not so common house hold items and fixtures. There were many things in this book such as a jib door that I had never heard of before. It was interesting reading how different items in a way became trendy in different parts of the world at different times, which I suppose is still the case. Interesting trivia book for those who are curious about the origin of things.

[Tallulah · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Elements of a Home is well-made, beautiful, and full of little fun-facts regarding the items one encounters every day in their home. It is important to note, however, that this is a coffee table book. Hence, emphasis is placed on the general aesthetic over the writing (thus it is informative but not the most engaging material).

[Eden · Rating 5 out of 5]

2022 bk 157. I really enjoyed this book. Some compendiums give too little information, others are so filled with information that they are hard to hold and read. This book was just right. It was filled with interesting tidbits about the objects we use in our homes. It was best read in little bits every evening. I knew a good bit of the information - but Azzarito filled in a lot of holes and even gave me an idea to share for my sister's Sunday School craft class.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was enjoying this book very much until I came upon an error. In the section on hidden doors, the author states "Hidden doors were installed on both sides of the Oval Officefireplace in 1891, when the room was redecorated for President William Harrison. There are 2 big errors here that should have been caught. Benjamin Harrison was President in 1891. His grandfather, who was President for a few months in 1841, is ALWAYS referred to as William Henry Harrison. Errors like this make me doubt the accuracy throughout the book. This really should have been corrected by an editor or fact checker.

[Em__Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE ELEMENTS OF HOME by Amy Azzarito is a great gift idea for yourself or anyone with an interest in knowing the history of a collection of decorative arts and functional items.

Listed in alphabetical order, there are a couple of pages of information per item; enough to give you a clear understanding and for the really curious, enough to pique further interest.

I appreciated the extensive bibliography because it gave me a starting point for further reading for items that really interested me.

The book is pleasing to look at and leaf through, and it’s surprisingly compact.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

*This book was received as a reviewer's copy from NetGalley.

We use a lot of things every day without ever really thinking where they came from. From what you sit on, to the things that make your home smell nice, there's a lot of history and development that went into the process.

This book gives short summaries of the histories of those things. Napkins, potpourri, chairs (oh, the amount of chairs, the author must have especially loved those objects), pillows, and more; most standard items you use frequently have their place in this book. And most have a nice illustration to accompany.

The short histories are fun. This is a book that you can read at your own pace, or just flip to what item you're looking for (they're in alphabetical order, although this copy reviewed was an ARC so that could change). I thought it was funny just how influential the French were when it came to many items, and having the history behind everything was interesting. The product mix was good too, and there were several items that while we maybe don't use it much in recent times (potpourri or fancier chairs) we can remember from our childhood or relatives house. For those that want something more in-depth I would say this is probably not the right book; this is more of a coffee-table style book and lighter in nature, but there's a reference section at the end that would provide those heavier tomes. In reference to the order, I can appreciate why it's alphabetical, but think a "type" order would be nice as well, I would have liked to have all the chairs in one section (but again, this was an ARC copy, so this could change).

Interesting book that covers all the history you never knew you needed to know. Books that bring this unusual kind of history are some of my favorites and make learning about the past a lot more fun. This one can definitely give you some unusual topics of interest for a conversation.

Review by M. Reynard 2020

[J Earl · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Elements of a Home: Curious Histories Behind Everyday Objects, from Pillows to Forks by Amy Azzarito is a fun and fascinating look at many objects you might find in your home, or at least is in many homes.

This is not, nor was it meant to be, an in depth look at every object. Since almost every item could be represented by an entire book, that is a physical and logistical impossibility. To whine otherwise is a weak attempt at appearing intelligent. Congrats, you failed! This is also done as more of an encyclopedia with each entry being a self-contained whole rather than, say, a stroll through a house and showing the history of items that way. Both work wonderfully (Bryson) but have entirely different purposes, one is a more memoirish personalization of the items while the other is a straightforward overview of each item to offer some insight and, through a wonderful bibliography, avenues for further reading if so desired. To make it sound like one book would be a substitute for the other is asinine at best and also fails at the same thing as the other faux-critique. Just for the record, unwarranted negativity does not equal intelligence, in fact, the opposite.

The entries in this book are ideal for either having handy to read when time is short or for simply having in your library as a reference. This is the kind of book I would keep on my nightstand for a few weeks until I finished all the entries, they would make ideal bedtime or waking in the middle of the night reading material. Much like a collection of short stories or essays.

While not oversized as many coffee table books, this would still make a fine one. It would be ideal for conversation starters or shifters. Or for reading when you're sitting there waiting for the party to start or for your favorite show.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a book recommended on a home decorating podcast I listened to last year. I was so intrigued by the premise of the book, I added it to my wish list and I finally got around to reading it. This is a great book to read on a long winter weekend (or if you’re reading this in 2021, during quarantine.)

I liked that each chapter was short, that most chapters had a sketch about the featured object, and that each short history included relevant pop culture or historical oddities. Nothing seemed stuffy or boring to me. I wouldn’t have read a book like this in my spare time if the author didn’t make it so approachable and fun. I think the formatting made it more digestible too.

I learned a lot of interesting random facts about ordinary objects found in your home. One unexpected fact was that in the ancient world, keys could be HUGE and carried on one’s shoulder. The author shares that there is a biblical reference in the book of Isaiah that says, “And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David” which demonstrates the common use of large keys in those days. That took me on a rabbit trail, but a good one!

Books that make me want to Google stuff further are always a good sign. I actually googled quite a bit while reading this book...it was just fun! Nothing about this book was dry, repetitive, or boring. I will say, I love antiques and home decor so I may be more into this genre than others. But, I feel it would appeal to anyone with a basic awareness of household items such as wallpaper, Persian rugs, tumblers, chandeliers, etc (all mentioned in the book.)

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

In The Elements of a Home, Amy Azzarito offers up brief, trivia-centered histories of an eclectic mix of nearly 70 household objects, ranging from the small (wine goblets, spoons) to the large (sofas, rocking chairs, canopy beds, billiard tables). Some I’d say are more common than others — bathtubs versus topiaries for instance — but all were relatively common at one point, even if only to the aristocracy. Most entries are about 2-3 pages long, sharing their space and/or followed by a number of helpful illustrations. Most also include a brief (2-3 paragraph) insert on a related topic, such as explaining exactly what champagne is in the segment on the champagne coupe.

The style is conversational, always lucid and easy to follow and ss noted above, I’d call the entries more trivia-based than in-depth history. They’re interesting enough and offer up some fun facts and intriguing origins, such as how damaging a door in Roman times was a capital offense or how Spartans used dough as the original napkin. I would have liked more about many of the items, a deeper dive into their history, but that’s not the purpose here and for those like me Azzarito offers up a nice-sized bibliography at the end for further exploration. A good browsing book. 3.5

[joyce w. laudon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Often we take the things around us for granted.  However, the author of this book does not.  Instead she reflects upon things found in a home and writes about them.  The list of what she looks at is extensive and includes everything from bathtubs to Turkish and Persian rugs, from picnic baskets to pillows and from fireplaces to rocking chairs. For each item, the author provides an evocative entry. 


The first entry in these alphabetical listings is bathtub.  Their history from earliest times is presented and from there she moves to the present day.  Similarly in an entry on bookshelves readers learn that at first books were scrolls without shelves; a history is then given that goes right up to the moment when we started putting together shelves from Ikea.


There is a lot to learn in this book.  It has simple illustrations that enhance the text and engage the reader.  If you are curious about the objects around you, dip into this book.  It is a treasure trove.


Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.


Pub Date 17 Mar 2020

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book but then again I love trivia books and this is very relevant to our everyday lives. This book goes item by item in our houses tells the history of that item. Fascinating! We all know the Victorians had arsenic laden wallpaper but this book goes a step further educating its readers about how fashionable France invented wallpaper. The book talks about household items big and small. Some readers might consider this book tedious but this is not a book to read all at once but to savor over time. I read this book in short bursts while waiting for things like prescriptions in the drive-thru which takes forever! Or while I am on hold which I am a lot these days, or just waiting for something to come out of the oven. One of my goals during quarantine was to learn something or several somethings new every day and this fit the bill. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing to read and learn in exchange for a review.

[Amy M · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first discovered this book here on Goodreads during giveaways, I was super excited to read it and I wasn't disappointed in the least. Not only are there awesome illustrations of almost every object but I learned a lot of interesting facts about them and their history, some even a little comical. Each description gives an interesting and detailed history of the objects, how they started out and become popular among people today. I do wish they would've included other objects like the TV, radio, computer, refrigerator, microwave, toaster, washer, dryer, and stove. Hopefully, another book will be written by this awesome author that includes them.

This would definitely make a great coffee table book and even after you're done reading it, it's a book that you will find yourself coming back to again and again if only to impress people with your extensive knowledge of the things around your house. It's a really good and interesting read, no matter what age you are.

[roxi Net · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very cool read for me -- I only wished I had a better memory for retaining odd facts (that talent was given to a sibling unfortunately). The Elements of a Home should grace unique coffee tables/offices for sure. I'm not sure when I could talk about Marie Antoinette's bathing habits (again, I'm terrible at trivia), but it was incredibly cool to learn that chess is a direct descendant of a Hindu game, or what a chiavari chair is (chances are we've all seen one at some point), or the fact that a knock ('blow') to a door in medieval Europe was considered an assault on those who lived there. The Elements of a Home (which cracks me up when I compare it to my home) is a great resource book that makes a fantastic gift for those in your life who are (IMO) those who Trivial Pursuit players/winners.

[Patch405 (Shannon Barghols) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inquisitive minds want to know. And this is the book for those people. Such a unique collection of the history and interesting tidbits regarding the items in our homes. Each item features good detail, without being overwhelming. There’s an extensive bibliography if you desire more information on a particular item. The design and layout allow you to move quickly through items if you are just looking for the highlights.

While I found it all fascinating, I was particularly drawn to items like teapot, napkin, tablecloth, and picnic basket. These are items that might easily find their way into my gardening blog at Patch405.com.

I was offered an advance digital copy of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

So far so random. And full of things that are not "everyday" at all, like cocktail shakers and billiards tables.

Organization is alphabetical. I'd find what I learn to be somewhat more interesting and memorable if all the chairs were together, all the things having to do alcohol & entertaining in another section, etc. Better would be if a bit more commentary were added... there's some, but it's presented as isolated bits of trivia, whereas it could be reflective of actual history and I could feel that I'm actually learning stuff, instead of having a better shot at trivia quizzes.
---
Maybe it's my fault for taking the words history and everyday in the subtitle too seriously, but even though this was an interesting enough read, I just don't think it was worth my time. Sorry.

[Nicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was hoping this would be similar to Bill Bryson's "At Home", but it's definitely more of a coffee table style book where you can dip in and out and just read the sections you're interested in. Each 'article' is very short (2-3 pages) and they all read very similarly - 'this thing was invented in China, taken to Europe by early traders, perfected in France, and modernized in the 1920s'. Interesting, but probably best suited to people deeply familiar with/interested in interior design and designers.

[Callista Goh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a complementary copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

An incredible coffee-table book illustrating the historical bases and relevance of various household items. Well written, humorous, and extremely intriguing. Difficult to read with the watermark, but nevertheless beautiful in print edition. Would highly recommend

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book to gift as a coffee table type volume. Each of the sections covers am item that you would commonly find in a home. Its the type of book that you can easily read a few pages at a time without needing to backtrack. I've enjoyed learning more about playing cards, teakettles and dollhouses and look forward to exploring more areas in the future. This would be a fun house-warming gift .

[Theresa Jehlik · Rating 4 out of 5]

This charming book looks at the evolution and history of everyday household objects ranging from chopsticks to pianos to wineglasses. Each item is given a detailed history with black and white illustrations and often, an interesting sidebar with a historical figure or two. If you're particularly interested in an item, the author provides a selected bibliography with additional books about each household object.

[Alfi · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you like trivia or quizzes, you might want to read this book. It has a history of many things you have at home. A candle. A bed. You name it. I don't know if you want to read this at one go. I prefer to read this bit by bit because it has a lot of information, and I am afraid if I skim this book I might forget easily about the explanation.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like this type of book - history of objects. But this one tried to cover too much ground, and came out a bit shallow for it. Skipping over wide swaths of history for some objects and ignoring non-european-centric history for others. I appreciate the idea, but wish the execution was more thorough.

[Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating! A wonderful collection of histories of things I use everyday. I learned so much. The illustrations were great. I enjoyed the format as it gave the history and other pop culture information in side bars. Really interesting. Would make a wonderful gift to the interior lovers and the historians you know. Also charming enough for a coffee table book.