This type of home is best exemplified by the average real estate dealer’s offering in a city or suburban development.  House is usually pretty new, though it may need some repairs.  Designed for efficient modern life, although rooms are likely to be small and boxlike compared with older houses.  Many electrical gadgets to reduce the drudgery of household chores.  Often comparatively new materials will have been used.  Ceilings likely to be low, and little space between your house and your neighbors’.  You may be able to mutually “enjoy” each other’s Hi-Fi and TV sets.  It is a fairly standard American home–clean, convenient–but not inspiring in spirit.  ~ Mary Jean Alexander, Decorating Begins with You, 1958.

NPS Home design No. M-38; Image courtesy of SportSuburban on Flickr.com

MA-3596 House Plan; Image courtesy of SportSuburban on Flickr.com

Boys' Room "Better Homes & Gardens" October 1960; Image courtesy of SaltyCotton on Flickr.com

"New Kitchen Cabinets" 3, "Better Homes & Gardens" January 1951; Image courtesy of SaltyCotton on Flickr.com

I grew up in a contemporary conventional suburban ranch-style house (I couldn’t find any exterior photos of our house–even online!  My mother must have them all).  The housing development was built in the mid-1950s and my family moved into our house in 1962.  Back then, our neighborhood was considered the boonies and was still surrounded by citrus groves and ranches.  By the time my mother sold the house almost 40 years later because my dad had died, Los Angeles development had not only overtaken our neighborhood but it had progressed another 20 miles northward.

Are you a “contemporary conventional” person?

The finished floor in Sara's Mom's 1950s Time Capsule Condo; Image courtesy of No Pattern Required

It dawned on me recently that I haven’t done a “Friday Finds” for a while.  So here are some blogs and such that have been capturing my attention recently:

• Redoing a 1950s Condo on No Pattern Required  I used to watch This Old House religiously when Bob Vila was still the host.  I loved the show because a lot of the work was being done by homeowners and I appreciated how Bob, Norm, and the others would teach the homeowners how to do something.  I also watched Hometime while we lived on the East Coast.  So, if you are like me and like to follow along as a real person renovates a house or condo, then you will love this series by Sara.  Every Thursday, Sara provides us with an update on the progress she, her husband (Mike), and her mother are making on renovating her mother’s 1950s time capsule condo.  This is “real life” renovation that isn’t done in a weekend.  And I love how she proves some contractors wrong when they tell her something can’t be done and she goes ahead and does it anywhere.

• Faithful Vintage Living  Regular readers (and Facebook fans) will recognize Brandi as a frequent commenter and MRW cheerleader.  About a month or so ago, she started her own blog about trying to be a modern retro homemaker.  I had the good fortune to coach Brandi and got to know her better.  I love that her blog is so honest.  What you read is the “real deal.”  Be sure to follow her on Facebook, too!

• Homestead Happenings  Kathie is another frequent commenter and MRW cheeleader. I’ve been reading her blog for quite some time and her posts always feel like catching up with a friend.  She shares family history stories and what life was like on the family farm “back when” her grandparents lived on it.  And, when I went to grab the link, I discovered a new post about Tupperware!  I know I’ve mentioned her blog before but we have so many new readers that I wanted to give it another shout out.

Have you come across any blogs that you think I should know about?

My brain is so tired from dealing with paperwork that even cleaning the toilet is starting to look exciting…

Vanish Toilet Bowl Cleaner Ad; Image courtesy of SaltyCotton on Flickr.com

 Don’t worry, though.  I’ll just lie down with a cold compress (and some chocolate) until that feeling goes away…

{For The Mister}

Cropped from "Show Her It's A Man's World" Van Heusen shirts advertisement; Image courtesy of clotho98 on Flickr.com

I wonder how many men bought Van Heusen shirts expecting their wives to do their bidding when they wore it?

Silly men to think it would happen in real life.