What Are The Defining Characteristics Of A 1930's House?

Housing styles in the Thirties reflected social trends as the suburbs continued to expand around railways and the growing road network, and most homes did not need facilities for live-in servants. In addition, councils were funding house building as well as speculative developers.

Although many more apartment blocks were built in the 1930s, and the bungalow made its first appearance, the bulk of the private suburban houses were semi-detached or detached. The style was smaller and squatter than Edwardian houses, with round bay windows on the ground and first floors, and an arched or gabled porch over the front door. Art Deco inspired some of the detailing, such as sunburst leaded designs on the 'lights', the small upper sections of the bay windows which were hinged at the top. Often the façade would be half-timbered in a mock-Tudor style, sometimes red brick or pebble-dash. Toward the end of the period there was a trend for covering the area beneath the bays with pantiles coloured in blue or green. Roofs were in slate or clay tiles with simple chimneys.