Furniture and household goods in late nineteenth century Istanbul

Abstract

This work proposes that particularly at the end of nineteenth century a change occured in furniture and household goods in the Ottoman capital city of Istanbul. Modernisation/westernisation movements accelerated. Western capital entering into the Ottoman market and population increases led to changes in the social structure and in the city itself. This transformation was reflected in home furnishings. Europeans, minorities, and elite Ottomans, all together playedimporttant roles in the spread of the use of western style furniture. Settlement patterns also began to change. While the new quarters on the Anatolian and Rumelian sides, around Taksim and along the Bosphorus coasts prospered, others, such as Beyazıt, Aksaray, Fatih, Üsküdar, Eyüp, lost value. New building types such as apartments and row houses emerged in this period. Their features were different from those of traditional homes. The room and the sofa were the most important elements in the traditional Ottoman house. The main room, used for eating, living, and sleeping, featured a sedir (sofa), minder (cushion) and şilte (thin mattress) together with various textile covering. In latenineteenth century buildings, the multi-functionality of the room began to change, both in traditional house types and in the new ones. Large stores, local carpenters, and the Mekteb-i Sanayi (Industry School) played important roles in the increased usage of western style household goods and furniture. These transformations are reflected in the novels of the period. Novelists gave a great deal of attention to the modernisation/westernisation movements and describe the chaning houses and eating habits. "Modern life" and "modern furniture" were perceived and represented differently by each of the novelists. "Furniture"was seen to express the life style, and the cultural background of its owners.