During this time, bungalows were also becoming increasingly popular. Suburban new homes of the 1930s had a bathroom, an internal toilet, and a third bedroom. They were also more drier, more insulated, light, and airy. This era's dwellings included a new type kitchen where both cooking and washing were done. Electric appliances such as refrigerators became available around this time.
The suburban home of the 1930s was a car-dependent community. Most towns did not have public transportation, so people needed their own vehicles for work and play. The housing market was strong during this time because people were buying out in town and building their dream houses. In fact, over one million households moved to the suburbs between 1940 and 1960.
Most houses built during this time were constructed with inexpensive manufactured materials such as plywood and paneling. However, some builders used concrete or brick for their foundations instead. There were also many two-story houses built during this period. Usually, these were split level designs with two separate floors: a downstairs apartment and an upstairs single room.
In conclusion, the suburbian home of the 1930s was typically a one-car-family house with a kitchen, bathroom, and laundry room. It could be any size from about 1,500 square feet up to nearly 5,000 square feet. The rooms were usually on the smaller side but very functional.
"Rooming or boarding houses had been taken for granted as acceptable locations for students, single employees, immigrants, and newlyweds to reside when they left home or arrived to the city" in the 1930s and 1940s. However, it was not until after World War II that these establishments became popular again.
They were not widely used before the late 1800's because there were no hotels available for travelers. The need for temporary living quarters arose with the increasing number of train passengers traveling between cities across America. In addition, married students attending school in cities away from their homes needed places to stay while their spouses finished college or worked.
There are two types of rooming houses: stand-alone buildings which are located off of a street corner or within a block or two of other rooming houses and integrated complexes which contain both single-occupancy apartments and rooming houses.
In 1947, there were about 5,000 stand-alone rooming houses in Chicago alone. By 1952, this number had increased to about 10,000. There are now more than 24,000 stand-alone rooming houses in Chicago alone with another 10,000 rooms in multi-unit buildings.
Integrated complexes containing both single-occupancy apartments and rooming houses began to appear around 1960.
The vast majority of residences built in 1945 will not be this contemporary. But give it a few years. It's unusual to see a clean, colorful, modern kitchen in a 1930s kitchen. This image was submitted by a Flickr user of the Henry Ford Museum's Home Arts area in Dearborn, Michigan. As with our last illustration of a Thirties kitchen, most homes of this era were constructed out of wood, but they often included features such as concrete countertops, metal roofing, and even flush-mounted toilets.
Almost every home erected in the 1920s has a tale to tell about the neighborhood, the family who have lived there through the years, and even the town politics a century ago. What was unusual about our house was that it was one of five built by the same builder on our block.
After owning a home for the previous 11 years and growing up in one, the only time I'd ever lived in an apartment was with college roommates. I'd always imagined I'd want to buy a house.
Because these houses were ideal for young families, with informal "family rooms," open floor layouts, and backyards, they gained nicknames like "Fertility Valley" and "The Rabbit Hutch." However, they were not always ideal for the women who lived in them. Because men had more choice than women when it came to employment, they often took jobs that required long hours or travel at a time when family life was being prioritized over work-life balance.
Suburban housewives struggled with isolation. There were no other housewives around to talk to, nor were there any children to play with. If they went outside their doors, they could leave the house, but there were no neighbors anywhere near. No one could help them if they got into trouble: only the husbands were available. Some suburban wives felt that they didn't deserve better because they weren't married to rich men who could provide for them. Others felt that marriage was too confining for them so they looked for other ways to escape.
Of course, not all suburban women were unhappy. Some enjoyed having access to new shops and restaurants whenever they wanted, while others liked having the freedom to go wherever they wanted without worrying about driving on the wrong side of the road or parking in designated spots. Still others liked having easy access to medical care if they needed it. But the majority suffered in some way from living in such isolated conditions.
Overall, a 1930s home may be an outstanding choice of property type, whether you already live in one or are considering purchasing one, whether it is in fantastic shape or you want to repair and build an eco-friendly home for you and your family. In fact, there are many advantages to buying a pre-1930s home.
The first thing to say here is that if you can afford it, then do so. There were some terrible decisions made during this era with regard to home ownership, so if you can't afford it now then why would you be able to pay for improvements and repairs later?
Secondly, look at how much money you need to spend on a house. If you think that you might like to make some changes or add something then do so but don't put yourself under any pressure to do so. A new kitchen is great but not if you cannot afford it. Look at what other people are paying for their properties and try not to go over that amount unless you have another source of income or savings set aside just for emergencies.
At the end of the day, if you can't tell that a house is in good condition then maybe it's time to move on to another one. However, bear in mind that older houses tend to cost less to maintain and provide more value long term.
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