Ames, Kenneth L. Death in the Dining Room, and Other Tales of Victorian Culture, American Civilization. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1992.
An excellent resource on 19th century Victorian costumes and social life. Well-documented and simple to read. Portraits Victorian lifestyle inside and outside the home.
Braden, Donna R. “”The Family That Plays Together Stays Together”: Family Pastimes and Indoor Amusements, 1890-1930.” In American Home Life, 1880-1930 : A Social History of Spaces and Services, edited by Jessica H. Foy and Thomas J. Schlereth, ix, 284 p. Knoxville, Tenn.: University of Tennessee, 1992.
A brief history of the role of pastime and play in the family social life from the Victorian Period to the depression era.
Cranz, Galen. The Chair : Rethinking Culture, Body, and Design. 1st ed. New York: W.W. Norton, 1998.
Everything that you wanted to know about the chair and you were afraid to ask. An exhaustive account of the design and history of chairs.
Education, Connecticut State Department of. “Social Studies Curriculum Framework.” 1998 http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/pdf/curriculum/Curriculum_Root_Web_Folder/frsocst.pdf.May 252008
Foy, Jessica H., and Thomas J. Schlereth. American Home Life, 1880-1930 : A Social History of Spaces and Services. Knoxville, Tenn.: University of Tennessee, 1992.
An easy to read reference book on social life and customs. It is broken down in three parts: room life, home life, and keeping house. I recommend portions as read aloud to contextualize the functions with the rooms.
Lupton, Ellen, J. Abbott Miller, and MIT List Visual Arts Center. The Bathroom, the Kitchen, and the Aesthetics of Waste : A Process of Elimination : Mitt List Visual Arts Center. Cambridge, Mass.
A highly recommended reference on the history of the bathroom and the kitchen, and the effects of these in the design, location, and construction of the home as we know it. Great graphics and period ads.
Nylander, Jane C. Our Own Snug Fireside : Images of the New England Home, 1760-1860. New York: Knopf : Distributed by Random House, 1993.
Nylander, Jane C., Diane L. Viera, and Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities. Windows on the Past : Four Centuries of New England Homes. 1st ed. Boston: Bulfinch Press, 2000.
Prown, Jules David. “Mind in Matter: An Introduction to Material Culture Theory and Method.” (1982).
Volz, Candace M. “The Modern Look of the Early-Twentieth-Century House: A Mirror of Changing Lifestyles.” In American Home Life, 1880-1930: A Social History of Spaces and Services, edited by Jessica H. Foy and Thomas J. Schlereth, p. 25-48. Knoxville, Tenn.: University of Tennessee, 1992.
A good general overview of the American home from the 1880 to 1940.