This post is part of a monthly series that explores the historical applications of building materials and systems through resources from the Building Technology Heritage Library (BTHL), an online collection of AEC catalogs, brochures, trade publications, and more. The BTHL is a project of the Association for Preservation Technology, an international building preservation organization. Read more about the archive here.
House plans have a significant presence in the Building Technology Heritage Library. The BTHL’s collection of catalogs showcases a range of illustration techniques used in drawings—beyond the differences among the architectural styles of the houses themselves. In some ways, the house plan documents mirror the advances in printing technology and, in particular, improvements in photography. This roundup reveals the evolution of architectural drawing styles, particularly in the use of perspective drawings. Some of the finest illustrations were made with pen and pencil to create both accurate and artistic drawings. Several house plan books from the 1920s were particularly striking in their page composition with small-scale architectural plates, which are much like architectural competition boards. At least one document is a presentation of entries from a national competition of kitchen designs, still a popular topic today. In our modern era, where computer-generated graphics have become the norm for architectural illustration, these house plan “idea books” take us back to a time when architects used their skills in delineation to entice, educate, and excite future homeowners.
Lambert’s Suburban Architecture, Wm. A. Lambert, New York, 1894
Lambert’s suburban architecture is typical of late-19th century architectural publications, featuring delicate perspective drawings of both large and small homes. The catalog also contains photographs of completed homes, but the drawings are far more inspiring. The full-page plates for “Cosy Homes” are particularly well-composed with the plans wrapped around the title and perspective drawings.
Radford’s Artistic Bungalows, Radford Architectural Co., Chicago, 1908
The Radford Architectural Co.was a prolific publisher of house plan books and construction trade publications for the first two decades of the 20th century. The ink-wash drawings were produced by company employees and are not nearly as expressive as the delicate line art more typical of higher quality architectural publications.
Bungalows, Camps, and Mountain Homes, William T. Comstock, New York, 1915
This delightful publication is a compilation of small houses designed by architects from across the US The drawings vary in quality and are supplemented by photographs. The bungalow examples range from cottages to log cabins, all with an outdoor veranda or porch.
The Kitchen Plan Book, Hoosier Manufacturing Co., New Castle, Ind., c. 1920
The Hoosier Manufacturing Co. was a major producer of wooden kitchen cabinets. Today, the Hoosier Cabinet has become a recognized type of furniture. This document featured winning designs from a national kitchen design competition. The single-sheet presentation drawings contain plans, elevations, and perspective drawings of kitchens, often centered about the Hoosier cabinet.
Lake Shore Lumber & Coal Co., National Plan Service, Erie, Pa., c. 1925
This is an undated publication from the National Plan Service with 62 different single-family home designs. The plates are particularly well-composed with a perspective drawing small-scale plans and details. These house plan books could have a custom cover with the name of the local lumber company. This house plan catalog is one of the most-viewed house plan catalogs on the BTHL as these delightful drawing plates are among the best of this genre.
For Home Lovers, National Lumber Manufacturer’s Association, 1927.
Building product trade associations produced documents, including house plan books, that promoted their materials. This one featured architect-designed house plans and completed buildings located across the US The illustrated plates with colored perspective drawings and small-scale plans are particularly well done.
Home Decoration, Sissons Brothers & Co., Hull, England, 1930s
The colorful illustrations in this paint catalog have a distinctive Art Deco look to them with angular and zigzag graphics and bold color schemes on walls and furniture. This is a major departure from the delicate line art found in other house plan books, but the use of color was essential for paint catalogs.
The Home Decorator and Color Guide, Sherwin-Williams Co. and Rockwell Kent, Cleveland, 1939
The Sherwin-Williams Co. took the unusual step of hiring noted artist Rockwell Kent to produce colorful renderings of domestic architecture for this paint catalog. In Kent’s brief bio, they noted that he studied “art and architecture” at Columbia University. The color photographs in this publication are quite poor by today’s standards and the colorful illustrations lack the power of Kent’s better known black-and-white prints.
Houses for Homemakers, Royal Barry Wills, New York, 1945
Royal Barry Wills was identified as “America’s foremost architect of small houses.” The ink-wash drawings often highlighted a white house on a charcoal background. The examples are mostly “colonial revival” with an occasional and striking modern design that clearly took inspiration from Corbusier.
Today’s Woman Low Cost Homes, Fawcett Books, Greenwich, Conn., 1954
The publication features designs and completed houses by architect Egil P. Hermonovski, who practiced in New York and Connecticut. His decidedly Modernistic house designs take up the first half of the book, with more traditional designs in the second half. The bold perspective drawings often highlighted the striking roof profiles of his Modernist designs.
Second Homes for Leisure Living, Douglas Fir Plywood Association, Tacoma, Wash., c. 1960
This compilation of vacation homes featured Modernist designs that could be constructed with plywood. The colorful perspective drawings of exteriors and interiors are bold in both design and the use of brightly colored panels.
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