Mid-20th century American house plans span the period from the Depression to the early 1960s.
Most of us think of mid-century style as modern or “Atomic”. The transition from the exuberance of 1920s design gave way to smaller, less expensive homes during the Depression and reflected the national frugality of WWII. For 20 years, plans leaned toward the traditional. Wealthier, more cosmopolitan owners more often favored architect-designed “modern” homes that hinted at a new direction. Nevertheless, it wasn’t until after the War ended for those design trends to imprint themselves on the American psyche.
for that to affect the average home buyer to recover from that a long economic downtown and the uncertainty of the war years.
Though some modern, “Art Deco Streamline” style home plans are seen, the overwhelming preponderance of homes continue to show a Colonial influence. They range from the simplified Modern Colonial or Minimal Traditional to classic Cape Cods. These were designs that were time tested and fundamentally American.
Another factor that played to the traditionalists was a sense that the new Art Deco or Modern styles were somehow faddish. It was common for both magazine writers and featured designers to argue that the modern designs actually had some staying power, but it wasn’t until the 1950s that the middle-class was quite ready for that design shift. When they did, they were enthusiastic!
As you go through the years chronologically examining both the house plans and the interiors, you’ll see that modern design was slowly assimilated until the mid-50s when there is a sea change in design direction. At that point, a new generation of home buyers starts to make its demands on the market and the mid-century modern — Atomic — style really begins to penetrate the middle class.
We have included plans designers and companies like Hiawatha T. Estes, the National Plan Service and Weyerhauser. They offered small ranch, colonial, and minimal traditional style homes designed for young families, middle-class home buyers, and builders. Kit home companies like Aladdin, Lewis Liberty, and Sterling are also included (despite a diminishing market) because they specialized in the middle of the middle-class market and are good examples of what many home buyers were looking for.
We’re always looking for more plans, but if you have an area of particular interest, don’t hesitate to drop us a line!