House Thinking: A Room-by-Room Look at How We Live

by Winifred Gallagher

“A fascinating book that investigates and explains the emotional impact our homes have on our lives. House Thinking . . . guides the way for us to live out our most creative selves at home.” —Wendy Goodman, interior design editor, New York magazine IKEA, Ethan Allen and HGTV may have plenty to say about making a home look right, but what makes a home feel right? In  House Thinking , journalist and cultural critic Winifred Gallagher takes the reader on a psychological tour of the American home. By drawing on the latest research in behavioral science, an overview of cultural history, and interviews with leading architects and designers, she shows us not only how our homes reflect who we are but also how they influence our thoughts, feelings, and actions. How does your entryway prime you for experiencing your home? What makes a bedroom a sensual oasis? How can your bathroom exacerbate your worst fears?  House Thinking  addresses provocative questions like these, enabling us to understand the homes we've made for ourselves in a unique and powerful new way. It is an eye-opening look at how we live . . . and how we  could  live.

Genres: Nonfiction, Architecture, Psychology, History, Interior Design, Lifestyle, Self Help

352 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 2006

Reviews

[Kimberly Schlarman · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is kind of a mess. It’s partially an examination of psychology of place or psychology of the home and it’s also a brief history of domestic American architecture but it also includes sociological studies of current American trends/attitudes towards housing and a little bit of the author’s own attempts at redesigning her home. I just felt that the author really didn’t synthesize these disparate parts into a cohesive whole. She includes a lot of interesting information but doesn’t go too in-depth into any one subject so the whole thing left me wanting more.

Also, by 2018 this book feels really dated--this was written before the recession and the housing crisis.

[Manday · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am not sure what genre this book fits into, but it sure did not do much for me. While it does have some interesting tidbits here and there, it just was not satisfying. It was too historic and study-based to be useful to apply directly to ones own house, but too vague and under researched to be a real academic masterpiece.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Winifred Gallagher presents a room-by-room analysis of space within (and around) the American home in terms of functional and historical influences. She culls from landscape design, architecture, and environmental psychology to understand how social, cultural, technological, (and even biological and evolutionary) factors shape how we live. She presents a sharp critique of the changing American landscape---from the effect of the automobile on suburban sprawl, decentralization of services and loss of community, to the evolution of the American homes' floor plan to reflect changes in how we eat, socialize, relax, and increasingly--- work. One of the more fascinating portions of the book focused on the kitchen and its increasing prominence as the central hub of American homes. Even as kitchens become more elaborate, larger, and more specialized, the actual amount of time spent preparing home-cooked meals is decreasing. The author notes that the initial push to move the kitchen out of the "back" of the house (as in Victorian-era housing) came in part from the home economics movement that sought to promote efficiencies in kitchen design. Ms. Gallagher's exploration of the home economics movement (or domestic science) challenged my assumptions about this movement as being one that relegated women to unseemly domestic tasks. Instead, the movement was about promoting public health (as in disseminating information about safe culinary practices), and making the preparation of food an efficient endeavor that would allow women more time for other pursuits. The proliferation of large so-called "great rooms" in contemporary American housing is just as much status symbol as it is a reflection of how we feel about open "public" spaces that promote little refuge or privacy---and our increasing love affair with extraversion. Ms. Gallagher skillfully promotes the notion that our homes should support us---through loss, through joy, in doing things we love, in getting through the menial but necessary tasks of life. Our homes should do these things for us, while providing comfort and refuge. Towards the end of the book, as she discusses the role of gardens, nature, and the larger neighborhood and community, her poignant critique of the American landscape cannot go unnoticed. We are increasingly living in a world deprived of connections with nature and our neighbors. If we continue to envisage home as a structure situated on a parcel of land, disconnected from our neighbors, our libraries, schools, and local shops, then we are all really missing out.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is an interesting mix of architectural history and current-day reporting on the new field of environmental psychology. I enjoyed the book because it did provide insight into elements of our current living situations, although, like previous reviewers, I did find the book lacking. For example, the book could have used pictures; there are some wonderful explanations of houses (or parts of houses, to be exact) that would have been enhanced by an illustration of the same. In addition, I felt that there could have been more emphasis on advice for the reader on how to create better spaces within the house. This book is thought-provoking. It is clear that the current culture of the U.S. is quite preoccupied with their living spaces. Reading this book made me explore my own obsession with houses and ask the questions "how can I rethink my relationship with housing?" and, "which is more important, an individual's house or the community in which the house is situated?" With regard to the latter question, this book seems to suggest that our cultural emphasis is much more directed at the individual dwelling rather than community building. Based on reading this book I am challenged with the following directive: How can I, personally, create a better balance between individual living spaces and community?

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A journalist by trade, Gallagher delves into the realm of environmental psychology to craft this room by room analysis of how American houses have changed over the last two hundred years. She explores how the spaces in which we live our lives (the most important of which is the place we identify as "home") affect our moods, relationships, and even our health. I started reading this when contemplating a large scale addition onto our house, and it really got me thinking about the importance of functionality and flow for what I want to build. Could it be that the spaces we live in can make us "better" (in a functional sense) people or at least improve the quality of our lives? I think architects have been arguing this for years, but haven't yet succeeding in reducing the concept to its most element aspects. With a broad swath of research and interview, Gallagher really distills the varied elements involved in spatial experience, and provides brief (and non-self serving) snippets of how she has applied what she has learned to her own space). I loved every minute of it.

[Janey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Much like the other reviews mentioned, this book definitely needs pictures, or maybe a glossary of thumbnails in the back. It was an okay book though, and I found a few things helpful for me, but I mostly didn't relate to the author. In the first few chapters I picked up on a little bit of a liberal twist, which I didn't think anything of at first, but when I got to the Kitchen Chapter (which I was excited to read) there was definitely a progressive feminist vibe goin' on. I was saddened when she mentioned today's women were tired of their "mother's and grandmother's drudgery" when referring to cooking and housework. I hope my children don't think of my hard work in the home as "drudgery" when it provides me with pride and joy as I strive to create a comfortable home for my family. The chapter and tone were geared towards working mothers and career women, which is fine, but that's why I didn't quite relate. I ended up getting bored as the book was simply not what I was looking for, so I ended up skimming through the other chapters and found much of the same thing. It wasn't for me.

[Marin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I'm in the process of moving to a matchbook-sized Manhattan apartment. Over the last couple of months, I have had to take a really careful analysis of how I use the space in which I live, so this book came at the right time for me. I'm fairly confident, however, that it would interesting and helpful to just about anyone, sort of like "The Omnivore's Dilemma." Everyone lives in some kind of a space, after all, and the book is organized in a way so that, if you're not interested in what the author has to say about, say, basements, you can skip that section without a problem.

Like all good non-fiction, it meanders freely around its subject of home architecture and ambiance. My favorite chapter was the one about kitchens, which included a lengthy and informative section on the effects of the home economics and gender equality movements on the typical American kitchen.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I just came across this reveiw I wrote a year + ago(?).

The importance of where and how we live is often overlooked. When you
welcome a guest into your home, you welcome them into an expression of
yourself. Does your home support and encourage the way you wish to live?
Does it allow for escape and refuge? Or is it filled with piles of
papers, wasted space, and an ill-fitted, overstuffed couch that defeats
your daily domestic and personal goals? In HOUSE THINKING, Winifred
Gallagher takes us on a historical and psychological tour through the
home, room by room. We get to peek into the homes of Henry David Thoreau,
as well as the average american family and see what works for them and
why. HOUSE THINKING is a rare and intriguing read about our personel
surroundings and how they affect us. Gallegher's passion for domestic
architecture will draw you in upon the entrance of her book.

[Shelah · Rating 2 out of 5]

In House Thinking, Gallagher takes us on a tour of her New York brownstone, breaking down how each room in her house is used today, and how rooms of this type were used in the past. It's an interesting idea, but I think that Gallagher's take on it falls short-- mostly because it really needs pictures. She'll go on for pages and pages talking about some modern architect's interpretation of a child's bedroom, for example, but a photo or two of that bedroom would have given us the same information much more succinctly. I also felt like it was a weird merging of factual book about how houses work with a memoir of her own personal house and her family's journey to make it a home.

[♑︎♑︎♑︎ ♑︎♑︎♑︎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a little in love with Winifred Gallagher. She writes about things that I wish I'd written about, or even THOUGHT about before. This little book did a lot for me. Among other things it made me understand why I love my house in spite of its ramshackleness and lack of a meaningful kitchen. It made me finally let go of a lot of things I felt I should want. As I read this book I felt as if I were having a meaningful conversation with a trusted and very wise friend. She may not be able to hear my side of the conversation, but it still feels like a dialogue, in that her words provoke me to think in new ways.

[Cindy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This reads like someone's poorly edited research paper. It's a mish mash of quotes and facts with very little connecting it to the chapter it's found in (each chapter being devoted to a space in the home, e.g., kitchen, bathroom, etc.), never mind the book as a cohesive whole. Certainly, some of the anecdotes are interesting, but it's just all over the place. Like, what does this have anything to do with...anything? And there are typos. A published work should really never have one typo let alone several. I've caught five. It's very distracting.

[Jenne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know if it's fair to mark this down for not being the book I wished it was. I heard the author interviewed on a podcast, and I got the impression that it would be about how to use the spaces in your house to achieve maximum comfort and awesomeness.

Instead, it was really about the history of homes in America, and how the ways we use different rooms has changed over time. Which was interesting, but just not what I really wanted to read about.

[Kathy Nealen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read most of this book. Some of it was interesting but it was not what I expected. Each chapter represented a room or area of a home; however, within the chapters, the author segued off into barely related topics. For example, the chapter on the bathroom covered OCD (obsessive hand washing) and then went from mirrors and scales to anorexia. I agree with another reviewer that photos of the rooms she discussed would have been helpful.

[Mary Lou · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a hard book to rate because there's just SO MUCH to it, but I give it four stars because it gave me a lot to think about. Gallagher threw a little bit of everything in here: environmental psychology (which I found fascinating); architecture history; cultural and industrial impact on architecture and design, etc. It wasn't a quick read, but there were lots of interesting theories, ideas, and research in almost every chapter.

[Angela Eschler · Rating 4 out of 5]

really interesting--fascinating stuff. but you really need to be in a smart mood to read this book. it's not light reading. it's not over the top, but put your college hat back on to read it. the chapter on kitchens is especially relevant and interesting to women's history.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went back and forth on whether to give this a 3 or a 4. On one hand, the focus on behavior and psychology applied to the home was insightful and hold up today almost 2 decades later- the section on working from home in the home office sounds like it could have been written today, for example. On the other hand, the author focused too much on perceived gender differences which was annoying to me as someone who believes there is a wider variety of personality within gender than across gender. Also, she seems a bit classist and eurocentric by talking so much about Thomas Jefferson in the chapter on the entryway, and the fact that she dedicated an entire chapter to a second home even though only a small portion of the population can afford two homes. I say “a bit” classist because the chapter about the second home was more about a home-away-from-home rather than just talking about people rich enough to buy two houses. I’m the end, I settled on a 4 because I still gained a lot of insight about personal space and psychology, and I recommend this book albeit with the aforementioned reservations.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was some fascinating research in this book, but unfortunately, I didn’t feel like the book was very well written. The first chapter was super informative but I ended up skimming the rest of the book after I read about two thirds. The structure of the book had a lot of potential, moving from room to room, but by the end of each chapter, I didn’t feel that I grasped a cohesive picture of the purpose of each room. The author presented a lot of interesting research to support her ideas, but then she would get into the weeds about some psychological fact that was very distantly related to the subject matter. Because we followed so many rabbit trails, I felt scattered and a little confused by the end of each chapter. And maybe this is just my preference, but I felt like the sentence structure was so complicated, that this book was not an easy read. Overall, I was excited about the concept of this book, but there was very little direction and purpose in each chapter and in the book as a whole.

[Dora Carson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gave this book five stars not because it was perfectly written but because I enjoyed it so much. It focuses on three of my favorite topics: interior design, the history of interior design, and psychology. The book is about house we use each room in our house and how that makes us feel. Gallagher discusses changes over time in how we have organized and made use of different rooms in our homes, and how different uses and set-ups can evoke different feelings. Some chapters are better than others, but it is all interesting and well-documented. I especially loved the discussion on transitional objects—objects in our home that make us feel secure. Gallagher made me feel reassured that it is ok to live in and enjoy a home filled with lots of stuff. This book is not about a prescriptive formula for your home, one way or the other, but rather about increased awareness of whether or not your home best serves you.

[Crista · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The first half of the book is informative and eye opening into the way we design and think our dwellings. It is less on the actual effect of design on humans and goes more into the historical development of spaces than I expected. Though not what I expected it was a great discovery to read. The three stars are for wordiness and writing style, it reads like a magazine article, but chapters of it, each becomes longer and head off on more tangents that feel decreasingly relevant to the main subject. There were some topics later on that seemed to come from the authors opinion rather than a well researched study.
Nevertheless I would definitely keep this book around and pick it up to reread sections from the first half of the book again. It does what the title says, gets toy house thinking.

[Pauline · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5-3 ⭐️ I saw this book in the library and thought it sounded interesting as I have been rearranging and redoing a couple rooms in my home. I’m also dealing with the desire to rid my home of “stuff.” I found it a bit tedious at times, but pulled some Interesting tidbits and quotes from my reading. I found the historical information quite interesting and wished I could quickly visit those homes. I admit, I simply skimmed some chapters. I liked the definition of a Home given at the beginning—“a private refuge that provides comfort, meaning and beauty.” That’s what my simple, little home is to me. My favorite chapter was the historical discussion of the kitchen and home economics. I don’t know that I’d recommend it.

[Christina Gagliano · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you need a kick in your butt to re-organize and refresh your house, and you are someone who absolutely never reads design magazines and gets intimidated at the mere thought of buying a new light fixture, this book is for you! This book combines historical, philosphical, and practical perspectives on making every space inside--and in your yard--truly comfortable and reflective of who you are and what you value. It's a really enjoyable as well as informative read.

[Daylynn Foster · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first half of the book had me going to my computer a lot, looking up architects and buildings, even YouTube videos showing the insides of places, so it was entertaining. Toward the end it was dragging on for me, & I just wanted to get through the rest of it to finish it.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really insightful book to read if you are planning on building or moving into a new home. The chapters provide new and interesting ways of viewing each room.

[Jen Myles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gallagher gives thorough explanations of how we are influenced by the behavioral psychology of house design. Learning how our homes can influence our lives for better or worse is incredibly valuable

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book means so much to me. It is key in helping me re-think my spatial understanding of whereI live. I just like to read it for fun and inspiration.

[Jenny K · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF- due back at the library and cannot renew

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Insightful. An exploration of the cultural and historical significance of the home.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Home is "the place where, when you go there, they have to take you in." - Robert Frost

I *loved* this book - I'm not even sure where to start! It was full of so much information and ideas and has challenged me to re-think different areas of our living space. What's the use in something looking appealing if it doesn't work for me? It's silly, really.

One of the first topics Gallagher tackles is McMansions, quipping that "they offer more generic calories than environmental nourishment". I also found it interesting that the average home size has increased to 2,200 SF, compared to 980 SF in 1950 and 1,500 SF in 1970. In respect to the mega high-end kitchens and accoutrements, I found the quote "less time, more money on it" very apt (Joan Brumberg). Another quote on the same topic, "We work too hard to get the kitchen we don't have time to cook in" (Jean Robinson) also rings true.

There was also an interesting discussion about the kitchen and early home ec programs actually empowering women and advancing their standing socially rather than the opposite. This was a well-thought out and explained piece that I found quite thought provoking and enlightening.

When discussing personal items, aka clutter, it was pointed out that often those who hang on to useless items use those items to create a sense of identity, to make up for a weak core self. That's why many find it easier to get rid of stuff in the middle of a life change such as graduating, getting married, or divorcing.

Inevitably, the classic urban vs. suburban debate comes up. Gallagher makes an interesting point about how working mothers (soccer moms = suburbs, right?), of all people, should PREFER urban life. After all, it provides easy access to work, child care, shopping, etc.

Throughout the book, Gallagher does a phenomenal job of pointing out that some of the ways we think are just so antithetical to how we actually live our lives. By taking a few moments to think about how we truly live our lives (and not like how we'd like to) and making small changes throughout our homes to reflect our living style, our homes can make us happier and more productive. I would definitely consider reading this again (and possibly buying it - something I never do!) because it was so good and chock-full of info and ideas. There's no fluff here - each word and paragraph add something to the book as a whole. Amazing read.

Some other interesting facts:
- The leading cause of death in women in the late 18th/early 19th century (behind childbirth) was burns when their long dresses would get caught in the hearth while cooking.
- Americans spend an average of 6 hours a week shopping.
- It's commonsense, but easy to forget that before electricity, Americans had to plan their day around daylight. Before windows were mass produced, only the wealthy had them in their homes. The light provided by windows was so precious that curtains only became popular after kerosene or gaslights could illuminate an entire room.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed House Thinking, a rambling visit through the rooms of the American home seeking their environmental impact on how their occupant's feel. My review will likewise ramble, because I lack the concentration to provide a unity which I am not sure the book has.
Each chapter contains history, a reflection on modern values seen in the various rooms, and selective encounters with experts who stand against the herd of home improvement TV shows. Her reliance on architects and expensive homes as examples does put some of her ideas out of the reach of us plebs, but I appreciate her push back against the consumption driven image of home improvement. Early on she notes that "most of our information about the home comes from profit-driven experts, media, and merchants." Their goal is on how things look, not on, for her, the more important point of how they make us feel. "It's about living spaces that support the way you actually live, which might only involve rearranging the furniture, and that complement who you really are, which could mean just sorting your stuff, tossing what's no longer relevant, and giving more prominence to what's especially meaningful." Home improvement in this understanding is more about thought than product or expense. (xviii)
It is empowering to be told to follow your own comforts and tastes, the market be damned. She wonders at kitchen remodeling and the creation of great rooms - are they for real use or do they serve as potential ideals for Americans with money, but less time to actually use the ever larger homes they can afford.
The discussion of the dining room wandered into a fruitful discussion of the display of possessions via Longfellow's elaborate dining room. She noted William James "insisted these valued things are nothing less than part of who we are. Quoting James she noted "the self is the 'sum total of all that a man can call his'- not just his body and mind but also 'his clothes, his house, his wife and children, ancestors and friends, his reputation and works, his lands and yacht and bank account. All these things give hime the same emotions ... not necessarily in the same degree for each thing, but in much the same way for all.'" (99) She is not revolted by this, but goes on to quote professor Russell Belk who claims, "Our accumulation of possessions provides a sense of the past and tells us who we were, where we have come from, and perhaps where we are going." (101) Later in the chapter she will note his claim that materialism, with the desire and hope it inspires, is a modern substitute for religion. In lieu of community and faith we have possessions.
I will not be reducing clutter by eliminating one book for every new one added (as one of her experts noted she did) - I will keep this book to dip into again.

[Erika RS]

The activity of "house thinking" is thinking about a home in a behavioral way. Instead of trying to make your home look like something from a magazine article (or ignoring appearance completely as is more my style), house thinking means to think about how your home can be arranged to better support how you actually use it. For example, I have blankets in the living room for when it is chilly. From a decorative point of view, I should fold them neatly or drape them decoratively when I am not using them. From a practical point of view, I know I will never do that unless we are expecting visitors. Applying some very simple house thinking to this makes me realize that getting a basket for the blanket would probably be a good solution.

Gallagher's book is takes a look at how people use different rooms in their home. She explores the purpose of each room and gives examples of homes that are functionally good. The book is rather short on details and focuses mostly on the architectural level. This was somewhat disappointing since the introduction made the promising claim that sometimes all you need to do to make your home more behaviorally appropriate is rearrange the furniture; ideas of that sort could be extracted from the rest of the book, but were not obvious.

The most valuable aspect of the book was the behavioral look at the different rooms. For example, the chapter on the kitchen discussed how the kitchen has changed over time from a highly used but not respectable space to a functionally under utilized space that also acts as a social hub for the home. Also useful was the introduction of basic environmental psychology terms. One particularly useful pair of terms is "prospect" and "refuge". A home that feels comfortable has a balance of prospect (areas from which you can see and be seen) and refuge (areas which are more private). Places such as window nooks are delightful because they provide both prospect and refuge.

If nothing else, this book has inspired me with a new interest in environmental psychology. Now I just have to start applying house thinking to my own home.

(Note from 2013: This is the book the inspired my husband and me to build our own home, which we completed in 2012.)