Ideal Homes of the Thirties

Adapted from a rare 1933 catalog, this volume showcases sixty plans for two-story houses. It features photographs (most in full color), floor plans, and descriptive text that depict a splendid variety of economic styles, including colonial, mission, foursquare, and bungalow. Each house appears in a two-page spread, forming an elegant and highly readable presentation. The Plan Service Company of St. Paul, Minnesota, published a series of Ideal Homes catalogs in the 1920s and '30s. This particular issue has been long out of print, and its reissue offers professional architects and armchair renovators alike an authentic look at houses of the era. Daniel D. Reiff, an expert on vintage house design catalogs, provides an informative introduction.