The rise of feminism began to be seen in the writing of Catherine Beecher and Harriet Beecher Stowe's The American Woman's Home. In their book, the authors advocated women taking the lead within the household in order to be successful contributors to the society in which they live. This had a profound influence on the architecture of the time because the picturesque houses were being built with more specialized areas to accommodate the activities of the females. Dining rooms and laundry rooms became common, the sizes of the rooms increased and the ascetics of the home changed with the inclusion of balconies and more windows. This specialization of the home made living conditions more desirable for the women who spent such a large portion of their day inside. .
Another significant social change of the 19th century was the religious revival. Out of Catholicism came many Protestant sects all seeking religious freedom, and this was a direct precursor to the founding of the Mormon religion by Joseph Smith. The religious reform that took place during the mid to late 1800s produced an elevated sense of social consciousness, which forced individuals to examine their personal beliefs with regard to egalitarianism. In addition to this, the heightened religious awareness brought people closer to nature as the appreciation for God's creation was amplified. This is appropriately reflected in the picturesque architecture of the time in the irregular shapes and asymmetry of the buildings, the more natural colors, larger size, and simplicity of design. St. Patrick's Cathedral, St. Peter's church, and Trinity Church are all examples of buildings created in this simplistic, natural, Gothic style.
Another cultural influence on the picturesque style of architecture was the artwork of the time. Thomas Cole, among other contemporary artists produced works centered around nature. A.J Downing was another central figure to the increased naturalism of the picturesque building style.
