John Turpin
Department Chair, Associate Professor
Research Interests
- Interior design history
- Women's studies in interior design
- Design criticism and theory
Teaching Emphasis
- Dorothy Draper
- Gender
- History
- Decorator
- 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
- Environmental Design and Planning
Arizona State University (ABD) - Master of Science, Architecture
University of Cincinnati - Bachelor of Science, Interior Design
Florida State University
Awards/Recognition
2005 Regional Chairs Award for Best Paper Presentation, Interior Design Educators Council, Savannah, GA.
2006 Achieved status of LEED Accredited Professional
2006 University Excellence in Teaching Award, ASWSUS
Publications
Professional Article / Refereed
Turpin, J. (2007). The History of Women in Interior Design: A Review of Literature, Journal of Interior Design, 33:1, 1-16.
Book Chapters/Entries
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 380
- Phone: (509) 358-7944
- Email: jturpin@wsu.edu
Courses Taught
- ID 250
History of Interiors I - ID 350
HIstory of Interiors II - ID 303
Immersion Studio - ID 426
Advanced Planning and Design II