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2025.1007.0002...
Early 1900s
Unfortunately, these plans are as big as they get.
Great selection, as always Rick! The first two ("Cicero" and "Clarksdale") appear to be from the 1920's up to about 1930; I had to laugh at the "Disappearing Bed!" I guess that was how they got away with having a "guest room" without having a "guest room" (although, I have an antique Victorian Murphy Bed that is in a cabinet; very ornate and looks like it's a wardrobe for clothes!). It would be interesting to have seen the second floor plans for the "Clarksdale" and the bedroom arrangement there; the window in the picture belies it's existence, but it's floorplan was probably on a different page.
ReplyDeleteThe bottom two I would say were turn of the 20th Century (1890's to around (very hard maybe) 1910); they show several signs of Victorian Transition to Craftsman (one lacking of butler's pantry, etc.) but still have a great deal of the hallmarks of the Victorian era.
I love when you post these old catalog plan homes; it's so interesting to see how tastes shifted and modern homes evolved over the course of time! Thanks again!
RBrysco - You are very welcome. I enjoy sharing them.
DeleteI swear a couple looked at a Cicero on HGTV last night.
ReplyDeleteI always like to see these house plans! Thanks, Rick.
ReplyDeleteWhen I look at them, it is the floor plan I am interested in. What happens on the outside and above the ceiling can be variable, as to design features and architecture, to me. Their utility features and ease of construction are impressive compared to "modern times". Using dual Murphy Beds was upscale and innovative, back then, as now.
Modifying the existing "pier and beam" construction into an insulated slab crawl space area to house insulated plumbing and hvac system lines, plus other insulations of modern times, would be beneficial in many respects. I suspect these plans would be great for the newer "mini-split" heat pump systems, too. With all of the lines run under-floor rather than on exterior walls.
Each of the plans would need to have a detached garage/carport with locked storage of 30x20x10 under-roof at the rear of the lot, with entry through the kitchen, usually. Which could result in a secure back yard for leisure activities.
Cdadbr - You are very welcome.
DeleteI love these old floor plans---They were compact in the day and they would never dream of open-floor-plans---I am teetering towards a semi-open----I would use the above floor plans and just stretch them out a little for today's living----And of course add the modern advances underneath---I would incorporate a powder room on the ground floor for guests----I don't like every bedroom having a bathroom but if you have at least three bedrooms how about at least two bathrooms---One in the primary and one for the rest of the bedrooms to share---Not too big----We don't need to hold meetings in them---Just enough to do your business and not feel like you're in a closet---I would make the closets a little bigger---Walk-in if possible---But not too big that you can have a home office in one----I live in Denver and I have seen my fair share of Denver bungalows---Those closets back in the day are what we call coat closets today---I also worry about wrap around porches or any porches with a large overhang----I worry about the rooms being too dark----I know it helps with the cooling and heat but I hate it being too dark----I also see some of those older home with large cloth/metal canopies attached to outside windows---I pick #1 above. I have actually seem home similar to that in Denver and Los Angeles---A don't you dare smack a garage in the front of the homes----I hate garages being front and center---Shove them towards the back of the property as far as you can----I had a friend in LA have one of these older home that sat on a little hill----You only could see the garage roof from the street if you were looking for it----The garage was as far back as one can get on the property with a long driveway to it----The drive was was cut in half by a sliding wooden fence that went across the entire width of the driveway----My friend never opened it----He had enough room to park his car in the driveway---- Thanks for posting---
ReplyDeleteVRCooper - You're very welcome.
DeleteThe third plan (#109) may be the most extreme example yet of the desire in that era to have a tiny kitchen and a big dining room – in this case, it's the biggest room in the house, an enormous 14' x 22'.
ReplyDeleteLOL you're absolutely right, Unashamed; but - well, not in defense, but maybe just as an explanation - kitchens didn't have the social meaning that they do today; kitchens back then were really a servant's/domestic's domain to simply cook and serve; you didn't have the family constantly piling in there to socialize with mom (or dad!) as they cooked a meal. And yeah, I would guess whomever ordered and built this house would have servants/domestics (especially with servant's stairs off that little kitchen); it's simply too large and appointed for a family that couldn't afford them.
DeleteAnd really, just how much space do you need for such a utilitarian function? You have the butler's pantry (where a good deal of the prep and storage of items were handled) and the kitchen (at 11'1/2" x 11'1/2") would have been considered quite large for that period as the only thing going into it would be a (most likely) wood stove, perhaps a pie box or cooler and a large worktable for actually making meals, kneading bread, etc. My house (built in 1902 and just over 4,000 sq ft) has a kitchen roughly the same size as this, but with a smaller butler's pantry!
Back then, the "heart" of the house was the dining room; it's where families gathered for every meal, dinner parties were given and holidays were celebrated; the "parlor" was the formal "show off room" for waiting guests, the sitting room the more casual - but guest hosting - room (after being received), and the dining room where almost all the action happened. And yeah - out of the four "public rooms" my house has, the dining room is easily the largest.
I do agree though, if this house were on the market today I think that they would struggle with that kitchen size. I'm into these old Victorian homes heavily! So although it breaks my heart and makes my gums bleed to think this, any existing builds of this model probably has had the kitchen and butler's pantry opened up to the dining room in an "L" configuration that would alleviate the size problem. 😕
Great catch on the disproportionate sizes, though!