If you’re buying a 1950s house, already live in one, or just want to see how new suburban homes were designed back in the rock ‘n’ roll and Leave it to Beaver era, this is the stuff for you!
From coast to coast, millions of quintessentially American houses like those shown below were built during the 1950s… and many of them are still the places we call home.
This collection of more than a hundred 50s house plans and vintage home designs from the middle of the 20th century includes all the classic styles — among them are ranch houses (also called ramblers), split level homes, two-story residences, contemporary houses, mid-century modern, prefabricated (prefab) residences — and combinations thereof. Take a look!
130+ fab ’50s house plans & vintage home views
Below, see color views of the completed home, ’50s house plans, and details about each house — including the number of rooms and home size.
50s house with traditional Colonial elements & modern design features
The instant appeal of this simple, beautiful home is the result of combining traditional Colonial elements with modern design features. (Four rooms/1 story/992 square feet.)
Efficiently arranged storage space, generous window areas, and the central hallway make housekeeping a joy. Both bedrooms are light and airy and are set off for privacy and quiet. If desired, a breezeway and garage may be easily added.
Stimulating, dramatic modern home: Five rooms, 1034 square feet
Stimulating and dramatic is this modern home. The architect has made skillful use of all available space to provide five commodious rooms within 1,034 square feet, including a large living room, efficient kitchen with dining space, and three bedrooms with generous storage space.
The wide roof projection provides summer shade and is painted white to contrast with the Western Red Cedar siding.
Quaint two-bedroom bungalow with open concept living-dining area
Practical and simple 50s home plan
Modern flat roof one-story house with gable roof alternative
Small and comfortable 2-bedroom bungalow
1950s home with a classic exterior and modern interior
Quaint vintage one-story home with optional additional bedroom
Two bedroom solar home with large rear window
Well crafted two-bedroom home from the 50s
Vintage shingled cottage with 2 bedrooms and 1 bath
Old-fashioned home with mudroom and covered entrance
2-bedroom house with recessed entrance floor plans
Simple and economical 50s style bungalow
Five room, one story small home design from 1951
Three-bedroom family home with brick flower garden
Modest traditional house with offset dining room and window bay
Retro ranch-style home with private terrace
6-room vintage ’50s house plan for a modern setting
Here is freedom for spacious living in an exciting, modern setting. Open planning and generous window area provide a sparkling roominess.
Inside, the limitations of traditional room partitions are eliminated. The fireplace, with its wide expanse of brick, adds distinction to the living room. The multipurpose rooms serves as an extension of the living room, or as a dining or playroom.
6-room tri-level vintage 50s house plan
Country style rambler home with generous soffit and sheltered entry
Classic small 4-room home with porch and attached garage
Beautiful wood home decorated with white trellis and brick chimney
Large four-bedroom 50s family home with optional basement
Old-fashioned house with gable roof and breezeway
Six-room retro home with spacious living room and soffit
Small, quaint 50s home includes large window wall and wide roof overhang
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Vintage floor plans for a 3-bedroom house with kitchen-dinette and basement
Nostalgic 3-bedroom house features a living-dining room with adjoining terrace
Classic family home with ample light and room for a second story addition
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Wood gives an interesting, modern flavor to this home
Bright & cheerful fifties home in red and white
A six-room one-story house with attached garage
Simple, inviting lines for this classic 50s house plan
Retro L-shaped rambler home has excellent storage space
Two-story classic Cape Cod style home
Vintage house with raised brick fireplace and breezeway
Six-room family home with large windows and built-in china cabinet
Vintage ’50s home plans for a 4-room 1-story house
5 room home for everyday family living & entertaining
A better living plan for the big family — retro two story house
A modern exterior and a compact retro home plan
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A multi-level plan with shingle exterior
A modern exterior with an open-plan interior
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Vintage 4 bedroom Colonial style family home
Ranch style house from the 50s with optional basement
An ideal modern bungalow for a small family
Quaint 2 bedroom house with low pitch roof
Perfect two-story family home with terrace and sun deck
50s era home comes with car port and multipurpose room
Floor plans for an open plan two bedroom house
Narrow fifties-style home with hallway kitchen
1950s home plans with carport and optional basement addition
Picturesque retro home for a small family with plenty of storage space
DON’T MISS: Tour the ultimate mid-century modern house: The Scholz Mark 58 Home of the Year
A corner fireplace and moveable cabinets in these retro home’s floor plans
Vintage two-bedroom home with large garage and breezeway
Split-level 3-bedroom home floor plans from the 50s
Charming and practical home with half brick, half siding exterior
Flat roof style retro family house with large back porch
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A garden view living room with an adjacent porch are included in this split level home
Vintage family home with covered entry and brick garden planter
1950s era home plan with 3 bedrooms and attached garage
Stylish split-level three-bedroom house from the 50s
Contemporary house with rear bedrooms and corner fireplace
Cute home for a large family with breezeway and front terrace
50s flat roof house with brick and vertical siding
Here is another contemporary home that will appeal to young moderns. The flat roof with vertical siding and brick creates a contrasting exterior that is streamlined and neat in appearance.
Three bedrooms, large kitchen and dining area, and living room with natural fireplace make this a practical plan for the average family.
Floor plans for a three-bedroom home with a masonry stone exterior
Retro rectangular home with snack bar and stone fireplace
Open concept home with covered porch and brick garden beds
Simple family home floor plans with accessible bathrooms & optional basement addition
Today’s homemaker will appreciate each of the important features that make this an easy-to-live-in and an easy-to-care-for home.
The lavatory near the service entrance and kitchen eliminates needless tracking of the house … vanity bath is convenient to each of the three bedrooms and living room.
A linen closet provided right inside the bathroom is another convenience included in the plan.
Modern ranch style house with carport and tool storage
3-bedroom house with hip roof and rear porch
Hip roof with wide overhang, vertical siding and brick combine to create the charming exterior that is a credit to this home. Plan is compact and efficient.
Three bedrooms and bath are serviced by a central hall … The attractive L-shaped kitchen can be separated from the dining area and living room by a sliding door during meal preparation. The porch at the rear affords outdoor living enjoyment.
Perfect retro home floor plans with a floor-to-ceiling window
Gable roof design, vertical siding and brick have all been blended to provide the utmost in exterior beauty and smart appearance.
Featuring two bedrooms, a den which may be used as a third bedroom, step-saver kitchen, dining area and living room, this home has been planned for real living comfort.
The floor-to-ceiling picture window is certainly unique and adds more eye appeal to the entire house.
1950s real estate: Story and a half home with basement & fireplace
This story and a half home offers a complete living unit on the first floor . . . Kitchen, dining room, living room, two bedrooms and bath. The natural fireplace, telephone niche and planter are other notable features.
Two large bedrooms, plent, of closet space and another full bath is included m the second floor plan. This design is available with basement only.
3 story home comes with a brick veneer exterior and large recreation room
This multi-level home was designed to make life more enjoyable and comfortable. Casual living is a high point of the lower level plan with a huge recreation room opening out onto a large terrace.
Second level contains a living room with corner fireplace and a large kitchen-dining room combination. On the third level are three bedrooms and a bath. The brick veneer exterior is attractive and practically mainteance-free.
Vintage compact house with basement and upper story
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Quaint one-story home for a family with lots of storage space
Modern living plan: An attractive exterior of horizontal aiding and masonry complement the compact and efficient interior of this modern living home. The plan gives you the benefit of two bedrooms, a den or third bedroom, bath and a half, kitchen and living room with dining area.
Note how the living room, usually the noisy part of a home, is well separated from the bedrooms or quiet area by the kitchen. In addition to plenty of closets throughout the plan, the attached garage al. Includes inside-outside storage area.
Living area, plan 1: 1,353 sq. ft,; plan 2: 1,403 sq. ft.
Traditional home with a two-car garage and covered front porch
A Colonial feeling. . . created through use of masonry and shingles, window shutters, a circular window and a cupola on garage … emphasizes the exterior beauty of this ranch home.
Garden view living room and dining area is only one attraction of this plan. Others are three large bedrooms, bath and a half and an efficient corridor type kitchen with adjacent dining space.
Completing the plan is a large porch and breezeway between two-car garage and house — an outdoor living area the whole family will appreciate.
A BBQ pit on the back terrace featured in this home plan
What the women want in a home was carefully considered in the planning of this design. For example, the large family room with fireplace and adjacent terrace with barbecue pit provide the leisure living desired by today’s homemakers.
Also, notice how the garden view living room between family room and bedrooms as a buffer for the active and quiet areas. Lavatory near side entrance eliminates traffic through the house — another feature the women appreciate and want in a home.
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Vintage real estate: 3 bedroom, 2 bath house plan from the 1950s
Charming split-level house with three big bedrooms and super closet space
Four bedroom split-level bungalow with a masonry chimney and wide roof overhang
A floor-to-ceiling living room window features in this split level home’s floor plans
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Cozy vintage split-level house with 3 bedrooms
Ideal story and a half home floor plans for a large family
Vintage real estate:Two-story home from the 50s with covered side porch
Beautiful two-bedroom home floor plans with private rear terrace
Vintage real estate: Contemporary 50s house with economical design and large front windows
One-story ranch home comes with a stone chimney, planter box, and corner windows
Classic three-bedroom home with large porch and corner fireplace
Quaint family home features a brick and stone exterior and gable roof
Rambler house design from the 1950s with sheltered entrance and window boxes
Spacious two-bedroom comes with a recessed entrance and natural fireplace
Huge traditional house for the family with optional additional bedrooms and garage
True Western ranch style three-bedroom home with redwood siding
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Wide projecting eaves and a covered stoop in this old-fashioned home
Two-bedroom home with built-in wardrobes and folding partitions
Cozy two-story cottage from the fifties with four bedrooms and room to grow
Contemporary and classic flat-roof house with carport and high bedroom windows
Split-level home design featuring three bedrooms and a modern kitchen
Colonial style home’s floor plans with attached garage and outdoor front porch
Three bedrooms and an open concept living-dining room in this 1950s era home
Easy living multi-level home plans with backyard terrace and playroom
Unique split-level family home with a covered entryway and laundry room
Vintage real estate: 2-story modern house for the larger family features a traditional carport
Vintage floor plans for a two-story home with modern living features
A multi-level house with a breakfast bar and two-way fireplace
A multi-level home for the family with three bedrooms and a C-shaped kitchen
Four-bedroom, 2 bath home from the 50s comes with a backyard steak grill
A practical house for a growing family features a rear terrace for outdoor living
Classic split-level home includes a game room for playtime and lots of storage space
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On ’50s house plans and homebuilding in the mid-fifties (from 1955)
The many homes of individuality presented [here] reflect the best ideas of most recent modern and popular developments in design and planning.
Exterior concepts extend from the latest contemporary types to the more conservative traditional types planned in a modern manner — the latter yet enjoying the same marked popularity prevalent for many years.
In today’s wonderful new home designs, architects present prospective homeowners with marvelous opportunities for “tailor-made” selection.
Never before have you had such wide choice of beautiful, distinctive home styles… efficient, unusual floor plans… attractive exterior treatments… new ideas and multi-purpose materials for interiors. Never before have you had such opportunity to select the home plan that is exactly suited to your family’s needs and desires, your family’s mode of living.
Architects, building material and equipment manufacturers, lumber dealers, builders and contractors have teamed up to bring you homes that offer comforts, conveniences, economy of maintenance, enduring beauty and value that were undreamed of a few years ago.
Features that border on the luxurious are now standard in many homes of moderate cost– space-saving built-ins… folding partitions that quickly make two rooms out of one, and vice versa… air conditioning… multi-use rooms… window arrangements that bring nature’s own mural, the changing outdoor scene, right into your home… and dozens of other features that add immeasurably to home enjoyment.
DON’T MISS: Tour the ultimate mid-century modern house: The Scholz Mark 58 Home of the Year
Economical and liveable mid-century homes
Livability and construction economy are the two basic qualities demonstrated in every home shown here. These prerequisites are incorporated in the original design — where they obviously have to start — but each plan is checked and rechecked on these two points before it is selected for publication.
Homes shown in these pages have been tested in actual construction, and have proved their popularity with the home-building and home-buying public.
This is the way the total operation works to refine and test a new home plan: First, a development builder erects a pilot model or a group of homes to the new plan.
In a highly competitive area, the new home must represent extraordinary value in both price and design or it will not sell. Costs are carefully watched, all along the line, and by experts. After completion comes the irrefutable test of popularity: does it produce cash-on-the-line sales?
These ’50s house plans were all carefully checked by architects
Then, if necessary, the plan is altered to eliminate weak features or add even more desirable ones, and necessary changes made to conform to nationwide building practices, normal F.H.A. requirements and the like, and sets of stock plans are offered for sale to readers of national magazines and other plan books.
A careful check on its popularity leads the way to further improvements and new designs.
Livability is the common denominator of all these homes. This includes, over-all, designs for many different ways of family life; attractive appearance; comfort and convenience; efficient work areas for today’s servantless homes; provisions for outdoor living, and plenty of properly located storage space. These things are readily visible in the plans.
To provide greater flexibility for various family needs — and for changing patterns of family life over the years — almost every home includes one room designed and located to serve more than one purpose.
Most frequently this is a small, “extra” bedroom with a folding bed concealed in a cabinet, to provide sleeping accommodations while leaving maximum possible area free for such uses as a den, sewing room, children’s playroom, second living room or home office.
One of the more surprising early results of the continuing “popularity poll” which lies behind all these designs was the overwhelming preference for a vestibule or foyer at the front door. This provision is carefully included in most of these plans, with some sort of partition device providing the desired privacy in homes where space does not permit complete separation.
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Fifties homes designed to include wanted features
Another most-wanted feature — shelter against the weather at front and rear entrances — has been incorporated in a wide variety of ways in most of the plans.
Kitchens have been accorded the thoughtful planning that is essential for a workable, livable house. The three most-used items — range, sink and refrigerator — are grouped within maximum efficient distances as worked out by home economists.
Work and storage areas are always adequate, and frequently generous, in proportion to size of house and family. And always space is set aside for serving snacks or informal meals, a “must” for most families.
Kitchens must be pleasant as well as efficient, in view of the hours the average housewife spends there — and the view is fine.
There is always good window space to bring some of the rest of the world into the kitchen; some designs give the young mother a commanding, quarter-deck position to supervise children’s play; one provides a “living kitchen” with room for the whole family; still others are open in plan, to make the kitchen really a part of the house.
Kitchens given special attention in these ’50s house plans
And these days, why shouldn’t the kitchen come out in the open? Cabinets and appliances are as attractive as useful; dishes go right into the dishwasher instead of being piled in the sink; disposers get rid of food waste before it becomes garbage; home freezers and freezer compartments in new refrigerators save food storage space as well as time in preparation and shopping. Built-in ovens and counter-top range units add new beauty, convenience and flexibility in kitchen planning.
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A term you will run across frequently in the plan descriptions inside is “circulation.” In the sense used here, it refers to the ease — or lack of it — of getting to any part of the house from any other. Most important trafficways are from front entrance to living room and bedrooms; kitchen to dining room, and front and rear entrances.
Where traffic does go through a room, it is better routed through one corner or along one wall than clear through the room. Good circulation is the usual rule of all plans shown here, with a central hall the preferred method of obtaining it.
From the standpoint of both livability and economical use of space, a basement is an important feature of every home shown. Full basements are desired by most families and heartily endorsed by the architects, who have introduced any number of special treatments and devices to make them more beautiful and more useful.
There is one very desirable design quality many home plans have in common — no matter what its actual size, every house looks larger than it actually is. This is accomplished by excellent design techniques, judicious selection of exterior finish materials, and intelligent location of breezeways, garages and fenced-in patios.
Mid-century house designs: What are home buyers looking for in 1958?
Today’s home builders have been taking a long, deep look at today’s home buyers.These houses are, quite literally, created out of the stuff that dreams are made of — your dreams, when you describe the kind of a dwelling you’d like to make into your family castle.
Who are the buyers?
A composite picture of Mr. and Mrs. Modern Home Buyer goes about like this:
Mr. Modern Home Buyer is probably in his early thirties — and there is a 50 percent chance that he has already owned a home, but is looking for another more exactly suited to his tastes which, in most cases, have changed as his family expanded!
If Mr. Home Buyer chooses an older house to try, he is likely to be a little older than the median age. If he selects a new home, he may very well be a little younger.
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Mr. Modern Home Buyer makes a median income of close to $5,000. Half of all his home-buying colleagues will be in the $4,000 to $7,500 bracket. Of these, 30 percent will earn less than $4,000 a year — while only 16 percent will earn over $7,500.
He has an average of two children — both under eighteen. If he is like one out of three families who have been buying homes, there will be a second wage earner living in his family, probably his wife.
New homes from the ’50s
Mr. and Mrs. Modern Home Buyer have lots of company — because out of every five households in the United States, three live in homes which they own. When, this September, he sets out to look for a new house — or, at least, to dream a little about buying — just what will he be looking for? The builders know the answer to that one, too.
If he is like most homebuyers. houses in the $12,000 to $18,000 bracket will hold particular interest for him. He will want three bedrooms and two baths — and he likes to think that he might be able to have a den he could call his own, as well.
MORE: 7 budget small house designs (1956)
The fact that he favors a double carport — or a double garage — indicates the strong trend toward two-car families. He’d like, too, to have both a screened porch and a patio — but if he has to settle for one, the screened porch has a slight edge.
Storage space
Mrs. Home Buyer comes into the picture in firmly wanting a basement for added storage space. And the whole family prefers homes on one level, with the split-level taking second place. They picture the house having a low-pitched roof, and brick is a high favorite among exterior material choice.
The home buyers would like to have a fireplace, at least in their living room, they are willing to put as much as $500 extra for air conditioning, and would be glad to pay the builder $200 to handle the landscaping for them, instead of doing it themselves.
About these mid-century house designs and home floor plans
As the well-read homeseeker may quickly notice, the homes shown are rather closely patterned to reflect the recommendations of the Women’s Congress on Housing.
As might be expected, the several basic plans and functional features which they thought most important for different families in different price ranges required many compromises in detail. So also were they subject to further modification in order to achieve a variety of personalized exteriors, without which so few would be permanently satisfactory.
In the interest of conveying “reality,” our previous plan books have favored the use of actual photographs of existing homes; but in order to assemble a greater collection of wanted features into immediate form — as well as secure them in production printable colors — this book is made up primarily as an artist would “materialize” an architect’s “custom plan” — to show a home as planned, but not yet built.
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Building costs can be determined only by a competent contractor from plans and specifications. Naturally, a material list is helpful, and the more complete the plans, the closer or more accurate the estimate. Our plans show 5 to 7 large sheets. They are designed to meet the requirements of all lending agencies, and will help any builder to construct a better home.
In order to help you arrive at approximate costs of these homes, we have included with each plan the Square Footage. Your local lumber dealer, lending agency, or builder can suggest the price range, as applied to different types of construction.
Quite naturally, this can be only approximate, might need a little “uppage” if the house is undersized or “loaded” with equipment, and could be lower where rooms carry more space for the same number of doors, windows and closets.
NOW SEE THIS:A 1950s home tour: See inside a small house in San Francisco
National leads in fine-home features (1956)
Here are some of the many exciting new National homes that provide far more comfortable, luxurious living at far less cost… usually less than you are now paying for rent.
All-electric kitchens, year-round air conditioning, attractive masonry variations and floor plans that can be individualized to meet your requirements are just a few of the many fine home features embodied in the 1956 designs.
All-electric kitchen, backed by a service warranty. Built-in oven, counter-top range, dishwasher and garbage disposer by Frigidaire, washer-dryer by General Electric. Cabinets are made of metal for strength with birch doors for added beauty.
New masonry variations add a distinctive touch that will help rake the National home design you select even more “individually” yours
Architect-designed by Charles M. Goodman, AIA, a foremost home architect, color-styled by a noted color authority. Your assurance of functional, harmonious design, combined beauty and livability.
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50s house plans from The Celotex book of home plans: 20 charming homes of moderate cost by Celotex Corporation (Publication date 1952); Homes of individuality for today’s homemakers by National Plan Service, Inc (Publication date 1955); Modern living: fashion in homes by National Plan Service, Inc. (Publication date 1958); Home designs from Planned homes for better living by National Plan Service, Inc. (Publication date 1959); Upper text excerpted from Homes of Individuality for Today’s Homemakers, by National Plan Service, Inc. (1955) and Today’s New Homes: 22 Architect-Designed Homes of Moderate Cost, by The Celotex Corp.(1955); Middle text adapted from Homemaster: A Book of Home Planning, 4th ed. by Homemaster Publications, Inc. (1955). Lower section: Article from The Montgomery Advertiser (Alabama) – September 28, 1958; Images from “Home of color: Custom designed plans of merit,”by Standard Homes Company (1958)