Architectural Rant

Because I am so OVER scraping my knuckles on the walls of the hallway while carrying a laundry basket....

Disclaimer:  I know very little about actual architecture, I just have an opinion about everything.  Also, I really do like our house.... no desire or intention to move anytime soon... I'm just very aware of its idiosyncrasies.

Anyway, I have no love for the 1960's... fashion, hair, décor, food, furniture... blech.  Also houses.  I know mid century modern is back "in" but, ick.  I will freely admit my bias and personal affinity for a more early century, Arts and Crafts aesthetic. 

That said, who are these people who signed off on these house plans?????   Did they not have families?  Wives who did actual house work?  Didn't they ever have company??? 

Pretty much all the houses on our street were built at the same time by the same construction company and the plans are all very similar... three bedrooms, one bath, an adequate sized kitchen, and a living room.  Our house was added on to at some point so we have a second bathroom and a family room.  Average family size in 1960 was 3.33 persons... I'm going to guess given the demographic in our area that it was higher in T-town.  So figure at least four people in our house pre-addition.... 

Why would you make the only bathroom in the house 8 x 5??? It's not like indoor plumbing was new or novel in 1960!  There's hardly room to help little kids bathe or go to the bathroom, and there's really not room for two adults to get ready at the same time!  I can't imagine getting 3.33 people ready for church/school/anything all at the same time in our bathroom.  

Why would you make the hallway so narrow???  Did these people never carry a laundry basket?  My poor knuckles.  Or a sleeping toddler?  I mean, it's delicate work as it is without having to walk sideways so you don't bump their head on the wall!

Small garages.... wasn't everyone driving boats in 1960?  How did you get those doors open in such a small space?  I am very thankful for sliding van doors...    

Closets that jut out into bedrooms.... this bugs me.  It makes walking into the room feel really constricting or something.  Plus it effectively cuts the room size down by 2.5 feet.... at our house the actual floor space for beds and furniture is cut down to 10x10.  Try fitting anything bigger than a twin bed and a dresser in there without it feeling tight and crowded.... 

Oh, and sliding closet doors.  Seriously, who thought that was a good idea?  Apparently they've never shared a closet and tried to get dressed at the same time as someone else... every Sunday morning we have closet door wars. 

Garage doors that open directly onto the basement stairway landing..... did theses people never have small children???  The girls try so hard to open that door... their momentum could easily carry them down the stairs when it does pop open.  And if you are coming in from the garage and there's a kid behind the door you can't see, how easy would it be to accidently push them down the stairs!  I live in fear.  (Not really)  It's also just really awkward.  Is it a landing?  Is it an entryway?  Where do you put your muddy boots?  What were they thinking???  (I'm all in favor of the resurrection of the mud room!)

Why didn't they run their plans past their wives/mothers before they signed off on them?  To quote Emmy, "why-eee??"

Anyway.

It brings back memories of a friend who was considering studying Architecture while we were at ICC.  He would come up with these fabulous home plans with indoor gyms, and courtyards, and 6 car garages.... and I would be like, "you're really going to schlep your groceries all the way across the house to the kitchen?"  Ha.  I'm such a killjoy. 

blessings.