Snaps to Sarah for spotting this 1960s catalog of vacation houses promoting the use of Douglas Fir Plywood. It includes some pretty snappy — and in their way, hilarious — designs. “Novelty” vacation home ideas — my favorite is the Japanese tea house… but the Homarina, set right over the water… Home + Marina, get it?… is pretty great, too. Did anyone really build these, I wonder?
Here’s another vacation home for boaters — designed for the Johnson Motors Family Boating Bureau.” It has only 275 s.f. of livable space. This makes me remember growing up in Southern California in the 1960s. My dad loved to fish, and took us fishing up at Big Bear Lake quite often. Our pickup truck had a camper shell. I think that was much more part of the lifestyle — cheap, cheerful, outdoor vacations were much more the norm. I haven’t been seriously camping in 20 years, alas. I really used to like it…
The two images above are both from the “tea house”. The interior is so modern, all George Nelson-like. Inside, almost all these designs have Malm style fireplaces.
The two photos above: The awesome “Ranch Rambler” — with its row of small sleeping nooks all in a row, separated from the main living area by a deck. What a great concept — when you are on vacation at the lake, you don’t need big bedrooms… yet, it’s nice for everyone to have their own space. Alas, where is the kitchen?
Notice the inside/outside fireplace. These cowboy/cowgirl images seem kind of silly… archaic today… But I guess back in the day, out west was still, well, *Western.*
Simple yet stylish.
You get your A-Frame cottages, of course. Did anyone ever have one of these? They seem pretty practical to me.
This A-frame cabin is pretty snappy, too.
And this is terrific — a design for a cabin that you can expand over time. It starts as a “luxury campsite” and as you can afford it, you can expand it to include livable indoor space that ultimately presents like this:
So clever, those designers in the 1950s and 1960s. There is so much media these days about stylish “modern” small houses — the designs have been here for us all along!
See all 18 designs in the 1960 brochure via the MBJ Collection in the Building Technology Heritage Library . Thanks, Sarah!
clampers says
Can I have one?!
Lauryn says
I LOVE that ranch rambler! Years ago, I stayed at a house (well, more like a luxury compound) a friend was working on outside of Telluride, Colorado that had a row of sleeping cabins like that; it was designed to look like a train car. I just loved having my own cozy little “room” so I can only imagine how much kids would love that concept. Maybe the kitchen is meant to be in a separate building … like the place I stayed in!
And boy, this post only reinforces how badly I need a vacation.
Wynonna says
I live in a subdivision that was set up back in the late 60’s as a summer vacation “Resort” as it were and there were MANY funky little cottages like this built all over the place. Most of them being cheaply and poorly built were torn down over the years to make way for real homes.
When folks started to retire to the homes here in the mid 80’s a lot more of them were expanded/updated as the 60’s cottage style was cute, for a weekend house, but to live there on a daily basis was near impossible due to lack of space and storage.
There are still quite a few that have been closed up for many years and are up for sale or under foreclosure.
Erin in Ohio says
Please tell me where you live! Sounds like a dream to me…
mcjunkie says
I want one!!
midmodjobs says
How similar some of these are to Rocio Romero’s LV designs?
paula says
I’ve never had such a strong desire to jump into the pages of a catalog before.
Wendy M. says
What great brochures! (The illustrations remind me of the covers of the Trixie Belden books I loved as a kid.) I really like how the homes are unique, while still modest and (mostly) practical.
Em says
Those are amazing–thank you for sharing.
puddletown cheryl says
My folks had a cabin on the Oregon coast and there were quite a few A-frames in out little community. Most had cone fireplaces but there tends to be a lot of wasted space in the design. They were cute and cheap so they were popular. Ahh, fun times.
J D Log says
So bright colourful and carefree makes me wish I was on vacation. Reminds me of a book in my collection “Cabana” (Modern concepts of the vacation home) by Gerald McNertney a U.S.A book produced in 1965 with architectural sketches even including letterboxes and barbecues it is way out there and recommended if you come across the book.