The 50's was the building boom, new materials and appliances and cheaper materials, lumber was good (better than today) but they got away from true dimensional sizes as are used today.
As a general rule of thumb, homes built before 1950 should be rewired completely. Houses built between 1950 and 1965 may need partial rewiring, while homes built after 1965 may only need minor repairs or upgrades to their current electrical system.
Houses built between 1930 and 1950 may have asbestos as insulation. Asbestos may be present in textured paint and patching compounds used on wall and ceiling joints. Their use was banned in 1977. Artificial ashes and embers sold for use in gas-fired fireplaces may contain asbestos.
One style that emerged during this period was known as Mid-Century Modern. This style is characterized by clean lines, open spaces, and a focus on functionality. Mid-Century Modern homes are often recognised for their simple, stylish designs.
In the 1950s, there were three popular color trends; pastel, Scandinavian, and modern. Pastel color schemes were huge in 1950s décor, with popular colors being pink, mint green, turquoise, pale yellow, and blue. Kitchens and bathrooms were the two most notable room types for pastel color decoration.
Mid-century modern (MCM) is a design movement in interior, product, graphic design, architecture, and urban development that was popular in the United States and Europe from roughly 1945 to 1969, during the United States's post–World War II period.
Update your home's finishes.
Some experts argue that a fresh coat of paint throughout your house can increase the home's sale price by as much as 5 percent. Other simple upgrades, from replacing old light fixtures to changing out your front door, can also give your home a nice bump in value.
Priority #1: Leaky roof.
Delay would almost certainly lead to mold, mildew, rotted wood and/or water-damaged ceilings. A small roof leak might drip into an attic for months before it shows through the ceiling of the living space below.
Ranch Style House Plans From the 1950s. Ranch-style architecture can be found everywhere in the United States, from California to New England. By the time of the 1950s building boom, ranch homes symbolized America's frontier spirit and new growth as a modern country.
1950s: Ranch houses
Though ranch-style homes were being built in the 1930s, they didn't really gain popularity until after World War II and into the 1950s. Ranch homes are known for being L- or U-shaped, single-story properties with gabled roofs, open floor plans and asymmetrical facades.
Bright and Big Flowers
Dahlias, roses, geraniums, day lillies, rain lilies ( also called Pink Flamingos) and gladioli were a few among many popular flower varieties to grow, and came in bright and beautiful colours.
Popular prints included familiar patterns like polka dots, plaid, gingham check, and floral. Even these designs, however, changed. Both polka dots and florals tended to be larger and to appear in a wide variety of colors. Abstract designs like multi-color stripes and paisley were popular.
The mid-century trend to pink seems to have come directly and irrefutably from Mamie Eisenhower, first lady from 1953 to 1961. Pink was Mamie's favorite color. She wore a pink gown with 2,000 pink rhinestones to Ike's inauguration.
Furniture in the 1950s was very modern - it was streamlined, functional, unencumbered by fancy detail but produced in interesting shapes. Designs were comfortable and featured a lot of wood, sometimes combined with chrome.
“Bright colors and abstract patterns are giveaways to the '50s,” Owens says. “Fruit patterns and funky shapes were common themes. Wallpaper was not confined to just one room, it was used in living spaces, kitchens, bedrooms, even bathrooms.”
Modern Furniture Style (1900 – 1950) Mid-Century Modern Style (1933 – 1965) Retro Style (1950 – 1980)
The heating and electrical systems were very basic. They do not include many of the safety features designed into modern systems. And materials that were thought to be very durable back then either don't last for more than 50 years, or turned out to be a health hazard.
The main structure, brick and cement walls, and a slate or tiles roof, will probably last indefinitely - as long as a piece of rock, and for much the same reasons. You might want to inspect and perhaps repair the occasional timber roof joints every 80 years or so.
1977: The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) bans asbestos-containing spackling and tape joint compounds used to repair drywall as well as decorative ashes and embers and artificial logs made with the toxic fiber.