John Turpin, Ph.D.
Department Chair, Associate Professor
Research Interests
- Interior design history
- Women's studies in interior design
- Design criticism and theory
Teaching Emphasis
- History of Interior Design
John Turpin's explorations of the history of interior design in America concentrate on the work of Dorothy Draper (1888–1969), a New York designer who pioneered the development of interior design and decor in commercial settings.
Turpin's work exposes the impoverishing effects of patriarchal trends in art and design criticism by highlighting the neglected contributions of Draper and other talented women who enriched the practice and aesthetic of interior design.
Turpin is one of the leading experts on Draper. From his scholarship emerges a uniquely feminine perspective on the relationship between social issues and design, particularly those of equity and diversity, and the values of middle class women between 1925-1960.
Turpin seeks collaborations and partnerships with scholars, foundations and other organizations with common interests in the manifestation of social practices in publicly experienced interior spaces. Specific goals include collaborative planning for publications, conferences and a definitive monograph on Draper and her contributions to modern interior design.
Educational Background
- Doctor of Philosophy, Environmental Design and Planning
(History, Theory, and Criticism)
Arizona State University - Master of Science, Architecture
University of Cincinnati - Bachelor of Science, Interior Design
Florida State University
Awards/Recognition
2009 Regional Chairs' Award: Best Paper Presentation, Interior Design Educators Council, St. Louis
"Exploring Success: Dorothy Draper and the Means-End Approach"
2008 Regional Chairs' Award: Best Paper Presentation, Interior Design Educators Council, Montreal
"Inhabiting Risk: the Female Decorator in the Public Sphere" (co-authored with Nancy Blossom)
2005 Regional Chairs Award for Best Paper Presentation, Interior Design Educators Council, Savannah
"Dorothy Draper and the Moderns: A Comparison of Values"
2008 University Excellence in Teaching Award, ASWSUS
2006 Achieved status of LEED Accredited Professional
2006 University Excellence in Teaching Award, ASWSUS
Publications
Kucko, J., Turpin, J. and Pable, J. (2009). A Single Interior Design Association: The Time is Now, Journal of Interior Design, 34:3, vii-xx.
Blossom, N. and Turpin, J. (2008). Risk as a Window to Agency: A Case Study of Three Decorators, Journal of Interior Design, 34:1, 1-13.
Turpin, J. (2007). The History of Women in Interior Design: A Review of Literature, Journal of Interior Design, 33:1, 1-16.
Turpin, J. (2007). "Chapter 10: Interiors: Cultural Blueprints of Human Existence," in Wendy McClure and Tom Bartuska (eds.), The Built Environment: A Creative Inquiry into Design and Planning.
(New York: John Wiley & Sons): 119-129.
Turpin, J. (2006). “Domestic Doyennes: Purveyors of Atmospheres Spoken and Visual,” printed in Mark Taylor and Julieanna Preston’s (eds.) Intimus: Interior Design Theory Reader,
(New York: John Wiley & Sons): 368-374.
Department of Interior Design
Washington State University
P.O. Box 642435
Pullman, WA 99164-2435
- Office: SCLS 141
- Phone: (509) 358-7944
- Email: jturpin@wsu.edu
Courses Taught
- ID 250
History of Interiors I - ID 350
History of Interiors II - ID 520
Historical Perspectives of Interiors