A little over seventy five years ago a woman flipped through the pages of a magazine, found a house plan she loved, and built the home I live in now. I went down a rabbit hole and found that article in the archives…
“I Grew Up in this House”
One afternoon while I was working in my front yard, a woman I’d never met before, and never seen again, walked up to me, complimented me on how I was caring for my home, and she said, “I grew up in this house.” Then she told me something else which was equally unexpected and endearing. Her parents built this home after her mom fell in love with a floor plan from Better Homes & Gardens (BHG) magazine.
Back then there were no Pinterest Boards… no internet either…it was through the pages of paper magazines where many women found a sense of community, practical information, and inspiration.
Fast forward to 2026, while planning significant exterior renovations, that tiny detail I learned a few years earlier from the daughter of the original owners sent me down a bit of a rabbit hole… and thanks to the fact that BHG has a web-based link to their archives, I was able to track down the January 1950 issue with an article about the house! I am so excited and grateful that BHG has given me permission to share the article with you here.
A home of beauty-and convenience
The article, entitled “A home of beauty-and convenience” and written by John Normile, American Institute of Architects emphasizes the practical, affordable design which also makes the house feel much larger that is. This type of house became a very popular design in the early 1950’s. This was the time period that put the ‘boom’ in ‘boomer’. World War II had ended, the GI Bill subsidized low-cost mortgages for many returning soldiers, and affordable suburban housing was considered ideal by many young families.
The architect designed this home with lots of doors and windows to make the interior feel brighter and more spacious than its square footage suggests. The overall shape is clean and simple, and the L‑shaped layout creates a natural sense of privacy in the backyard.
Homes shaped like an L or U are often called Rambler Style ranches. Their layout naturally forms a small courtyard or protected outdoor area, which helps the house feel connected to the landscape. This is why these homes typically have so many windows and doors. They’re meant to bring in light and create an airy feeling while blurring the line between indoors and outdoors.
This is what really speaks the most to my husband and I! That feeling of being connected to nature, which is so important to us, especially after a stressful day at work. For us, home has become a sanctuary where we can just ‘be’, recharge, and escape the pressures of life.
We didn’t know about the ‘courtyard’ design feature when we had the terrace built, but after I found the BHG house plan, I was so thrilled to see that the original plans called for something very similar with plenty of space for entertaining. Without knowing in advance, I feel like we gave the house what it had been looking for, a key element that was missing when we bought it.
It was a different time
There was something I found humorous about this design – the architect included made a bedroom near the back of the house ‘specifically designed for children’ with its own entrance, which would ‘keep mud and snow from getting tracked through the house’ and kids could come and go without ‘disturbing the rest of the household’. It was a very different time back then! Honestly, I probably would have loved that feature as a teenager. 🤔
If you look closely at the layout in the magazine, there is an area on the back wall facing the courtyard with a brick wood burning barbecue attached to the house. Not sure that would be allowed with new building codes but what a fun idea! Our house does not have this feature but when I look at these photos, I can totally imagine people in the 1950’s entertaining in that space. Without knowing about any of this at the time, we did build what we affectionately call “Spires Fires” – our own rendition of an outdoor space for entertaining with a terrace and a fire pit/bbq.
I am not an architect or professional designer, so for me it was both entertaining and educational to read this vintage article and understand a bit more about the overall design and why certain features were included. I can see now why it was so popular back then and why it also works for us now as a couple of empty nesters.
‘Buyers value these homes (Ranch/Rambler) for their simplicity, connection to nature, and ease of living—qualities that remain timeless even as styles evolve’. – architecture lab
This house has stood strong for 75+ years. We have tremendous respect for the design and craftsmanship that has made it possible, and now we are embarking on a journey to help the house last well into the next 75 years by transforming it into a Craftsman/Modern Cottage style.
There is something special about stepping into a home that was shaped by someone else’s dreams. The Better Homes & Gardens article helped me more fully appreciate the story of this house. And in this season of my life, with my kids grown and my creativity waking back up, the house has become a quiet partner in the work of remembering who I am. This is the place that lets me breathe, experiment, heal, and imagine what comes next.
As we start transforming the exterior of the house into a warm craftsman/modern cottage style, I keep thinking about how homes evolve alongside the people who love them. The look of the house may change, but the feeling will remain. It will remain a light, airy, cozy, and safe space where we can disconnect from the busy world and recharge with nature at our fingertips, in a style that resonates with us. After all, isn’t that what the feeling of ‘home’ is all about?
This house built her and it’s helping rebuild me, too.
I’ll be posting progress and before/after pics on my website and Instagram and I would love it if you follow the progress of my biggest creative project to date.
Sources:
https://www.history.com/articles/1950s
How interesting, well done!
Very interesting. Well written.