I am super interested in the early history of postwar housing — and the teeny tiny houses are among the most fascinating. I’ve seen these called “Tom Thumb” homes, but in reality, a huge percentage (maybe a majority?) of homes in the first few years after World War II ended were quite small — 700… 800…900 s.f. And, for a goodly number of years into the 50s, many many homes were still only around 1,000 s.f. Recently, I learned from reader Sarah that the phenomenon was the same in Canada. She and her partner Liz live in a 1946 “Victory Home” in Winnipeg. Sarah has sent photos from inside their 731 s.f. bungalow, and Sarah also shares some history about Victory Homes in Canada. 29 wonderful photos!
Sarah first wrote me in early January (umm, it’s taking me a long time to get reader submissions posted…):
Hi Pam,
I have just discovered your site and it is wonderful. My partner and I have a 1946 “Victory Home” in Winnipeg, Manitoba. It’s chock full of original features. It is very lovely, and very modest (731 sq feet)!
I wonder if you would have any interest in seeing some photos? I would also love to contribute to sharing pictures and information about early Canadian postwar homes in the hopes that there are other Canadian readers of your site out there who might contribute. There doesn’t seem to be a similar Canadian resource.
Thanks for your consideration and happy new year.
Sarah
Sarah and Liz’ Victory Home photo gallery (click on first thumbnail to launch the slide show):
I ask Sarah for more info and pictures — for sure. She sends them — what a sweet house — perfect — along with more info on Victory Homes and how she and Liz ended up in their little bungalow:
First, some notes on victory houses (most people refer to them as veterans housing, but victory housing sounds so much more exciting!):
“In Canada these homes were built and owned by Wartime Housing Ltd. The crown corporation bought materials and land and followed through with orders for homes across the country. Victory Homes came in two models: a two-room bungalow or a four-bedroom, one-and-a-half story house. They were tiny by today’s standards – and without basements and furnaces – but they met the need.
After the war, many veterans moved into Victory Homes and renovated them. Some of them, enlarged and updated, are standing today. But there was still a post-war housing crisis. The entire economy was affected by a continued scarcity of materials and of the money to acquire housing. In 1946 the federal government responded by creating the Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation (now the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation). The assets of Wartime Housing Ltd. Were transferred to CMHC in 1947 (including the responsibility of housing veterans) through the Veteran’s Rental Housing program.” Source: International Metropolis…. Complete PDF…. More info from the Canada Central Mortgage and Housing Corp.
Sarah continues:
I have attached a bunch of photos of the fixtures in our house and a few of the exterior. I’ve also attached a picture of my partner Liz and I. Our house is sort of sideways on the lot (in comparison to most of the other houses like ours). There was only one owner before us, and she didn’t change a thing as far as we know.
We started our house-hunting journey in 2006 in the heat of a seller’s market in Winnipeg. We initially had our hearts set on a 1910s or 1920s 2 or 2.5 story character house. We soon discovered (to our dismay) that in the areas of the city that were convenient for us as dedicated public transit users, houses are mid-century. Liz decided we needed to develop an appreciation for mid-century houses, so she borrowed some books from an architecture library on CHMC (Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation) house plans from the 1950s. We made 13 (over-asking price!) offers and finally had our offer accepted on a tiny 1946 bungalow/victory house. We had been making offers on 1950s bungalows and the odd 1950s 1.5 story. Our house was the first 40s bungalow we had ever set foot it.
Ours is the rarest of victory homes (2 beds, no dining room) so most of the documentation of victory homes overlooks our type. The layout is so functional, if a bit too teensy. There is a coat closet, a linen closet, and two other hall closets, not to mention bedroom closets. I included photos of the insides of the kitchen cabinets and some closets to show the colours. At first we thought the former owner just had a thing for bright colours inside her cupboards and closets but after looking at the 1941 Sherwin Williams Paint and Color Style Guide I think it was probably part of the trend shown in some of the images – bright paint colours inside kitchen cabinets.
Speaking of paint, I included some photos of the tiny back landing which is painted in two shades of green. A 1940s decor choice? Also, the covers on our light switches each have a tiny maple leaf in each corner – not sure if they’ll show up in the photos.
For the past couple of years we have been focused on getting a new roof, furnace, windows, grading, and cleaning the layers and layers of nicotine off of every inch of the house. We have only painted one room, and we don’t have our window coverings yet. We need a new kitchen counter and backsplash, and the bathroom needs some updating. We want a more efficient toilet, and the tiles around the tubs are all cracked. We want our updates to be in keeping with the 40s (and the house) but we also want a solid surface counter top. One problem: I really dislike 4×4 tile (did I say that?!?!). I really like basket weave, penny, and honeycomb tile. Do you know if they were “in” in the 40s? I am having a hard time finding distinctly 40s fabrics and tiles (other than 4×4).
Oh yes, the house really needs come curb appeal, too. We are thinking maybe a mint or spring green repaint on the original stucco. Any thoughts or suggestions you have on anything related to the house would be appreciated.
We both love mid-century houses and interiors now and are so thankful we didn’t get the kind of house we set out for! I discovered your blog over the holidays and can’t stop reading it. It’s fantastic.
Where did you live in Canada??!!
Cheers,
Sarah
Thank you so much, Sarah. What a darling house — so small, but so full of charm, I love it.
For a 1940s house, if you don’t like 4×4 tile for the bathroom, how about subway tiles for around the tub? Oh and as we discussed via email, those sure do look like plastic tiles in your bathroom. I have NO PROBLEM whatsoever with ripping those puppies out — I had three bathrooms full of them, and I was a happy pammy the day they were gone. In my bathrooms, the plastic tiles were absolutely rotted through, they were not watertight and 50 years had done their damage, no question. Ceramic on concrete board – yes! If you need to re-do the floors, I think that octagon or small six-sided mosaics (same as what you call honeycomb) — with or without color dots (which could be nice) would be appropriate. For exterior paint ideas, I’d point you at the library of Aladdin Home images for inspiration.
And I love love love hearing about Canadian postwar housing history. I lived in Canada for about six years of my adult life — I went there for two jobs with Ford. The first time, I lived in Toronto, in Cabbagetown. The second time around, I lived in the Bronte area of Oakville, a Toronto suburb. BTW, I have been to Winnipeg — a wonderful town, I had a great time! Thank you so very much for taking the time to share your home with us all. Circle back as you continue your updates, we’ll all want to see what you and Liz do with it to make it your very own.
Elena says
This house is just adorable! I love the light fixtures and the bathroom vanity. Our ranch-style bungalow is just over 800 square feet and I thought that was just about as small as it got – you’ve definitely got us beat!
I vote for the mint exterior repaint! Or maybe a seafoam green? That’s the color my grandmother painted the teeny-tiny bungalow that she and my grandfather built in the early 50’s, and it’s still fabulous.
Beautiful home – good luck!
pam kueber says
Hi Elena, what a cute little blog you have. I’ve added it to my blogroll, but it’s an ordeal to refresh it – it’ll take me a few days (at least) to do that….Meanwhile, rest assured, it will appear.
Elena says
Thanks, Pam! I’m in Massachusetts too, just a little further east!
Sarah says
Thanks, Elena. I checked out your ranchalow – it’s gorgeous, chock full of character, and practically a castle compared to our house :). Your attic finds are amazing! I was hoping for something like in our house and my wish came true. There was a stack of old wedding photos in their original covers on a shelf in our basement. What a score!
Seafoam would be great. Do you remember what colour your grandparents roof is? Do they have any accent colours?
Elena says
Hi Sarah – that’s amazing! We found a box of photos left by the original owners as well (I just wrote a post about it). It’s so wonderful to find pieces of history like that! When were the wedding photos taken?
My grandparents have a gray-ish roof with a complimentary white for trim – I think it’s sort of creamy, actually. The whole effect is really sweet and fun. I bet it would be a great look for your house!
Rueby says
Love this house! I’m in Calgary and we have quite a lot of mid-century and earlier homes still kicking about, unfortunately they all cost a FORTUNE. All are located in the inner-city, building goes in rings from the downtown out and so do the prices for the most part. My sister lives in a 1959 split-level, which has been renovated to shreds unfortunately but is only 1100 sq ft. Her entire neighbourhood is all houses roughly the same size. They didn’t get much bigger than that until the late 1960s, early 1970s though the lot sizes were huge all the way through.
Sarah says
Thanks Rueby! Even though house prices went through the roof in Winnipeg, I bet it’s still nothing compared to Calgary, eh. Is the inner-city the most or least expensive ring?
I hope not all of those houses have been gutted!
CouldBeVeronica says
Sarah and Liz–Your lovely bungalow reminds me of one I owned briefly in Delaware. Mine, too, had pink inside the cabinets and in my bathroom closet–one of only two tiny closets in my house, I might add. Instead of your closets, I had a small dining room. I love the idea of green paint on the exterior. I have never been a fan of picket fences, but my house had a white picket fence–plastic, no less!–and it was immensely charming. One side was covered with an unidentifiable but very lush vine in the summer. There were large hydrangea bushes planted alongside the front of the house. This combination of picket fence and hydrangeas is iconic late 40’s/early 50’s curb appeal, at least in the mid-Atlantic region, and when I saw it in front of my bungalow, I understood why. Do hydrangeas grow in Winnipeg? There must have been an equivalent post-war garden shrub.
Sarah says
Yay for pink inside cabinets! What you have described about your house in Delaware does sound very charming. Do you recall if partial fences – corner fences – were used in your old neighbourhood? I like the idea of a corner fence… Hydrangeas do grow in Winnipeg and I think their size and shape would really add some character and curb appeal to our sorry front lawn.
CouldBeVeronica says
My neighborhood had a variety of houses–not all little bungalows–with every sort of fencing and landscaping imaginable. Yet it had a strong, cohesive appeal. A corner fence sounds great, to me–and very low maintenance, like the hydrangeas.
gavin hastings says
….If you DO go with the vine idea…let it reach for the sky….or at least the roofline.
In your snow-y climate, it can easily be kept in check and not swallow your home!
gavin hastings says
Maybe it is because I am only 5’6″…..but I LOVE small homes….and cars….
2 ideas for your consideration: Because it is stucco- I would love to see vines. One on the left corner and one between the front windows. A frame can easily be made from pipe so that it stands two feet away from the house…Honeysucle or Dutchmans Pipe would be pretty. Pick one and let them grow together. Add a few hollyhocks and Bleeding Heart and it’ll be “Grandma Time”. I would not recommend Wisteria anywhere near a slab foundation home: It will practically be sprouting through the concrete floor of your livingroom!
Can I also suggest a white and black porcelain mosaic “basketweave”tile tile for the bath floor? It is a 20th Century classic and can be compatible with just about any color scheme.
Think cute and best wishes!
Sarah says
Thanks for the comments. Suggest away! “Cute” and “Grandma” are perfect for us, and the house. We love the idea of a vine and were planning to grow one between the windows but hadn’t thougt to grow one to the left and let them grow together. Brilliant!
Ah basketweave tile… perfection!
gavin hastings says
Thanks! I used lengths of gavanized pipe from the home center. Not too $$$. I built it into inverted l_l shapes using screw-on elbows and t-joints in the center with pipe and flange (to attach it to the house). The open ends I sunk 4 feet in the ground and planted at the base. Set this at least 2 feet from the house for trimming, access, window washing and moisture control. It will look like nothing for a few weeks…not too hot the first year……and then- you are going to expect Jack and the Giant to come running down any moment!
You could also train it to wrap around toward your doorway as well. Google Image: Dutchmans Pipe.
Best wishes to you both, Gavin
Pilar says
Careful with the vines. Some of them secrete acids that will eat into your stucco. There have been problems with this on historic buildings. Ivy and virginia creepers are quite bad for it from what I understand. Perhaps a trellace on the wall for the vines to grow on would be a prudent decision.
Bev Thompson says
What a charming home and interesting article. But I am confused – houses in Canada without furnaces?
Sarah says
Sounds a bit strange, doesn’t it. Maybe they had wood-burning stoves? I know we sure as heck need some heavy-duty heat source in Winnipeg.
MC Keith says
Rather than replacing a vintage fixture, there are dual flush toilet conversion kits for older less efficient toilets – an easy fix where water conservation is desired. I’ve been looking into these after seeing one installed on the “Ask This Old House” TV show. My bathroom fixtures are all pink (salmon) and a new white toilet would look out of of place. If yours are white Sarah, then a new replacement may be the way to go.
Sarah says
Thanks!
Elaine says
Wonderful pix of that great little house! So many jewelbox details! Things are so cheap these days by comparison. When I was a baby to about 8, we lived in a brand new house built in 1946, as were all the houses on the block. Seeing your pix took me on quite a journey of nostalgia. We had linoleum in our kitchen, a sort of medium green with creamy streaks. Across the street it was a deep red with marbly looking spots. We all had bright colors, and I remember a couple of changes in the kitchen and living room. I think the bathroom was just white tile.
Sarah says
So nice to hear from someone to whom this type of house was really and truly “new.”
The colour scheme you have described for your house (green, cream, white) sounds really different from anything I have seen in these parts and really fresh.
Maria Stahl says
Oh–and I’d love to see a rough floor-plan sketch of this sweet little mouse house.
Sarah says
Mouse house! I love it :). That’s what I’ll be calling our little house from now on. I will try to find a similar floor-plan online to show you.
Maria Stahl says
Liz and Sarah, take a look at American Olean’s line of hex tiles.
pam kueber says
haha – “hex” tiles – that’s it, i had a brain freeze! thanks, maria!