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private and public use of the living room - Bilkent University

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Besides <strong>the</strong>ir meaning as a reflection <strong>of</strong> identity, <strong>living</strong> <strong>room</strong>s can also be <strong>use</strong>d for<br />

<strong>private</strong> activities. Using <strong>the</strong> <strong>living</strong> <strong>room</strong> only for <strong>public</strong> activities is a tendency mostly<br />

seen in traditional Turkish ho<strong>use</strong>s. Living <strong>room</strong>s may carry <strong>public</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>private</strong><br />

meanings toge<strong>the</strong>r but <strong>the</strong> division <strong>of</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>private</strong> spaces can still be<br />

observed in some contemporary Turkish ho<strong>use</strong>s. In those ho<strong>use</strong>s, <strong>the</strong>re is a<br />

separate family <strong>room</strong> for daily activities <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>living</strong> <strong>room</strong> is only <strong>use</strong>d for<br />

entertaining guests. On <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r h<strong>and</strong>, <strong>the</strong>re are also ho<strong>use</strong>s in which no separate<br />

family <strong>room</strong> exists anymore <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>living</strong> <strong>room</strong> is <strong>use</strong>d for both daily activities <strong>of</strong><br />

family members <strong>and</strong> for entertaining guests. It is expected that <strong>the</strong>se two different<br />

functions <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>living</strong> <strong>room</strong> are reflected in <strong>the</strong> physical elements that are <strong>use</strong>d in<br />

it. A field survey is conducted in an upper income case in order to reveal <strong>the</strong>se two<br />

different functions.<br />

1.1. The Aim <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Study<br />

The main focus <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> study is to examine <strong>the</strong> relationship between activities that<br />

are performed in <strong>the</strong> <strong>living</strong> <strong>room</strong> <strong>and</strong> interior design <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>living</strong> <strong>room</strong>. Living <strong>room</strong><br />

is a stage where dwellers reflect <strong>the</strong>ir identity <strong>and</strong> show it to <strong>the</strong> outside world.<br />

Regarding Laumann <strong>and</strong> Ho<strong>use</strong>’s (1970) statement that different performances<br />

occur in <strong>the</strong> <strong>living</strong> <strong>room</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> setting <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>living</strong> <strong>room</strong> should be in relation with<br />

those performances; <strong>the</strong> relationship between different activities that are<br />

performed in <strong>the</strong> <strong>living</strong> <strong>room</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> intentions for <strong>the</strong> interior design <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>living</strong><br />

<strong>room</strong> was examined.<br />

8

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