COMPARATIVE TREND ANALYSIS

LIVING ROOM (1950’S AND NOW)

Jennie Tsai & Theresa Tang

Analyzing Trend| Spring 2010

Professor Tim Stock

IN THE1950’S, THE LIVING ROOM…

- IS ALSO KNOWN AS THE FAMILY ROOM | ENTERTAINMENT CENTER

- IS A PLACE TO SHOWCASE | DISPLAY THE OWNER’S POSSESSION

- MAKES A STATEMENT OF THE FAMILY’S SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS

- OFTEN USED BRIGHT PRIMARY COLORS AND DECORATED WITH ORNAMENTATIONS

NOW, THE LIVING ROOM…

-SERVES AS MORE OF A FUNCTIONAL SPACE THAN A DECORATIVE ONE

-HAS BECOME THE MEETING ROOM| DINING ROOM

-IS A PLACE TO SHOWCASE | DISPLAY THE OWNER’S TASTE

-OFTEN USES NEUTRAL COLORSWITH UTILITARIAN DESIGN

HISTORICAL PRODUCTSTHAT DEMONSTRATES THE TREND NARRATIVES OF THE 1950’S (POST-WAR ERA)

TELEVISION | REMOTE CONTROL

SEDENTARY LIFESTYLENEW VOCABS EMERGED AS PRODUCTS OF THE NEW CULTURE - “TV

DINNER”, “COUCH POTATO”

STARBURST CLOCK

FEAR OF ATOMIMPACT OF SCIENCE AND PROGRESS ENTERING DESIGN

CURTAINS

FEAR OF INVASION | DEFENSIVE ATTITUDEGROWING AWARENESS OF STAGED APPEARANCE AND PRIVACY

FORCES AT WORK THAT LED TO THOSE

TREND NARRATIVES

Material Abundance

Consumerism

Seeking for a better quality of living

Political environment

RECENT PRODUCTSTHAT DEMONSTRATES THE TREND NARRATIVES OF THE 21ST CENTURY

ON-DEMAND TV| COMPLEX REMOTE

INDIVIDUALIZATION| MULTI-TASKINGCONSUMER-DRIVEN MARKET THAT DEMANDS MORE PERSONAL ATTENTION

LEVERAGING AND MAXIMIZING EFFICIENCY

DECORATIVE CLOCK

OBSOLETE TECHNOLOGY

TECHNOLOGY BECOMES OBSOLETE AS PEOPLE BECOME MORE DEPENDENT AND ATTACHED TO THEM

RETRO PRODUCTS BECOMES THE NEW STYLE

BLINDS | SHADES

TRANSPARENCY | INTERACTION WITH NATUREIN CONTROL OF NATURE (AS HOW MUCH LIGHT TO SHED IN)

NEUTRALITY (NO LONGER BLACK OR WHITE, ALL OR NOTHING)

FORCES AT WORK

Information Age

Booming Technology

The Green/Natural movement

Current economic situation drives wave of

reminiscing of the “good old days”—Retro

becomes the new style

New technology brings back the emphasis of living room as

the entertainment center of the house.

3D TV and gaming

Gen Y establishing their own families

THE FUTURE OF LIVING ROOM

Instead of merely showcasing the owner’s material possession

and economic status, today’s more sophisticated consumer

will use living room as the space to showcase their personal

style and taste that makes a strong personal statement in a

much more subtle way.