100 Small Houses of the Thirties

Brown-Blodgett Company

• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Year: 2012
• Print ISBN:
  9780486441313
• eBook ISBN:
  9780486146690
• Topic: Architecture
• Subtopic: Architecture General

Brown-Blodgett Company, a St. Paul, Minnesota-based home construction service, published a detailed plan book to help prospective homeowners of the 1930s choose architectural designs. This complete republication of the now-rare volume includes exterior photographs and floor plans for 100 of these charming structures.
Floor plans, photographs, and line illustrations depict such classics as a two-story, six-room frame home with sun porch; a handsome brick residence with low sweeping gables, a fireplace, and vestibule; and a charming seven-room house with a tall, massive chimney balanced by a gabled entrance. Illustrations of each model are accompanied by text describing interiors, color schemes, closet space, and other amenities.
An entertaining and valuable reference for restorers of older homes, this volume will delight devotees of American domestic architecture.

Good Plans Will Save You Money

In the Building Operations

A MAN once tried to save a half-dollar by not buying a road map for a long automobile trip. The time he lost, the extra gasoline he burned, and the price of night’s lodging and meals in a small town cost him many times the price of the map.

To build a house without a complete set of working plans is the same kind of false economy. A complete set of architect’s blueprints in duplicate for any house in this book costs only $20.00, and in triplicate only $25.00. If plans are not complete to start with, extras and changes become necessary. Lumber, plumbing and other materials may be wasted, to say nothing of many hours of workmen’s time. But that is not all. Without definite plans and specifications at the outset, there is too much chance for faulty construction, also a chance for serious misunderstanding between the builder of the home and his contractor.

In the Finished House

The finished house should combine many important elements: beauty of design, an attractive interior, economy of space, low cost of upkeep, and all possible convenience and living comfort.

Often, of course, one element must sacrifice something to another, but an architect has had many years of study and training in the art of combining all these features to get the best results.

If the house is not right when finished, it isn’t as desirable to live in, and the owner will tire of its general appearance when the newness wears off. It may not be comfortable, or its poor arrangement may make housekeeping unduly hard. A business opportunity may call the owner to another city. Ill health in the family may call for a different climate. Some other unforseen emergency may cause the family to move out. If the house is not planned right, it may be extremely hard to rent or sell, and it will probably bring several hundred dollars less than it should, all for the lack of a set of architect’s blueprints.

Changes Can Be Made

You may not find just the right house for your lot in this book. If the sunroom would be on the north side, or some other feature misplaced, the plans can be reversed. If the house of your favorite design is finished in stucco and you prefer wood siding or brick veneer, that can easily be changed.

A change in the shape of the house such as making it narrower to fit the lot or changing the pitch of the roof might spoil the whole design; it should not be attempted. A different plan should be selected.

Some minor alterations can be made by the contractor, such as changing a non bearing partition or the position of a door, but these should be made on the blueprint before building operations begin.

Beside the hundred plans in this book we have still other plans to offer. After selecting your plan, we invite you to consult our building service department. Being intimately acquainted with home building problems we can give you many practical and helpful suggestions. We can talk over the various materials that you will want to know more about before you go ahead.

SIX ROOMS, SUN ROOM AND ATTACHED GARAGE, 27½ X 26 FT.

The SWAMPSCOTT

CHARACTERISTICALLY American Colonial, simple in treatment and practical to build. The well-concealed attached garage, accessible from the main hall, is a distinct feature. Here we have well proportioned rooms and ample closet space, with storage space over garage. A stairway leads to attic. The large living room, opening on the sun porch makes this an especially livable home. Teas or meals can be served on sun-porch, through the dining room. Three bedrooms—one with fireplace, on second floor, linen cabinet, large closets—what more can be desired for a home-loving family?

Built of wood—shingle or clapboard sides, with—shall we say green blinds to match the roof?—and we have a charming, low cost, homey home.

SIX ROOMS, SUN PARLOR AND BREAKFAST NOOK, 30 X 26 FT.

The OXFORD

THE exterior of this home, with its brick veneer finish and low sweeping gables, has an atmosphere of sturdiness that will wear well. Allowing for a side drive, the frontage should be sixty feet. With a rear entrance to garage, the house could be built on a fifty foot lot. The vestibule entrance has a generous coat closet. The living room, with double light exposure, and a friendly fireplace, lends a homelike atmosphere. The sun room is always a place to enjoy a good book, music or radio. The kitchen has access from both living room and dining room. The dining nook, too, saves the housewife many steps. The kitchen is conveniently arranged, light and attractive. The three bedrooms have ample closet space and cross ventilation.

SEVEN ROOMS, 36 X 26 FT.

The WASHINGTON

WE cannot visualize anything that could be added or deducted ...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• THE FIRST HOME You Build
• Good Plans Will Save You Money - In the Building Operations
• How Much to Pay for a Home
• Dover Books on Art and Art History
• Pictorial Archive