The attached garage gives a deceptively large and long look to this attractive two-bedroom house. Of concrete block set off by louvred shutters and dark shake roof, it achieves the maximum of livability and charm with its comfortable and compact floor plan, its graceful setting. Keynote of the house is the living room set between two porches which cut off the glare but admit not only ample light but a cheerful view of the garden as well. Outdoor living area is at the back, in companionable view of the living room.
Designed with an eye on low maintenance costs, this concrete block house with extruded mortar joints uses every inch of its living space, even has the luxury of a separate dining room - an almost extinct feature in the small homes field. The living room is as deep as the house, giving it excellent light and cross-ventilation, and the feature of the kitchen is its cheery corner window over the sink. A fireplace was sacrificed for economy's sake; both living and bedroom wings are heated by the single wall furnace between them. The trimness of design and solidity of its construction make it look much more imposing than the figures on its price tag.
Larger in area but still modest in price is this three-bedroom home of Gordon Fields one of the most popular with its two smaller sleeping rooms in the front, master bedroom in the back for quiet. This house has a board and bat exterior of redwood on the living room wing to contrast with the pale green stucco of the rest of the house; redwood shutters and dark shingle roof balance the design, white trim and fence accent it.
Dark brown stucco of this house is accented by white trim and roof, whitewashed planter and chimney of concrete block, porch pedestals of lacy grillwork painted white.
One of the most successful community builders is Gordon Fields of San Bernardino, Calif. Using ten basic and tested floor plans, and an overall site plan designed to give his tracts a custom look, Fields has developed large areas in the sunny suburbs of that city. Exterior detail of trim, color and contrast of materials gives each house individuality and charm; he further individualizes them by varying the placement of garages-some attached, some at the left or right in the rear, some (on a corner lot) facing the second street. Inside he further varies his houses with decorator colors, different fireplace facades, different tile designs in bathroom and kitchen. Result-a charming suburban community of individual homes, yet each has the advantage of a proven and livable plan.
Some of the best-for-your-money buys in the small homes field are those by builders prominent in their own com- munities... working on perhaps 20 to 30 houses at a time in contrast to the thousands of the merchant builder, they use tested plans which they vary with details of color, trim, veneer, roof line and placement on the lot. This-with its large living room, separate dining room, two bedrooms and den-has proved exceptionally popular; buyers like the individuality of its redwood shutters and trim, redwood garage door, stone dado and nicely balanced bay window. And it's cleverly designed for a 50 foot lot, with ample room for porch and living area in the back.
Four small homes are neatly contained in one two-story structure...two apartments ideal for bachelors or young marrieds, with one bedroom; two with one smaller bedroom and one master bedroom large enough to grace the most pretentious house. All four units gain added privacy by opening off a central dividing hall; all four boast the informal open kitchenette arrangement with serving counter dividing it from the living room. The plan offers advantages not only to the renter but to the builder as well - it will fit compactly on a normal city lot, leaving ample space in the rear for a community patio and garden.
