I Love Surprises

At one of the auctions I attended over the weekend, I purchased a box with numerous old copies of Better Homes and Gardens ranging from the 1950s to the 1970s.  I'd say there is somewhere between 18 and 24 magazines in the box.  I was digging through the box when I got home, pulling them all out, and when I got the last one out, there on the bottom of the box, under them all was this!

This large book What a home should be was published by the National Plan Service and is copyright 1957.  It is printed up with the name of the local lumberyard (which is still in business).  Inside are several different house plans.  Several of them even show different elevations to show how the plans for the same house can go from colonial-type styling to modern styling, to everything in-between.  Great versatility in style for each plan offered.

Looking for a cozy small ranch house?  Look no further.

A contemporary split level?  It's got that as well!

More ranch styles, I love flat roof ranch houses (although around here, a flat roof is a recipe for disaster!).

I love the huge chimney in the first photo above, and the beautiful stone shown in the second photo.

The book also featured several interior design ideas.  I really liked this pink and blue bathroom.  The floating cabinets, the pink tile that goes from the floor up the window wall, continuing the blue and light pink design.

Needless to say, I have spent quite a bit of time going through this book (I haven't shared a fraction of what is in it).  Maybe I'll go through the old Better Homes and Gardens magazines eventually!  I'm actually looking at house plans, dreaming of building a new house from a mid-century plan.  Maybe someday I can make that dream come true...complete with salvaged and restored metal kitchen cabinets, and a salvaged pink, blue, light green, or yellow bathroom set (or two)!