This period in our history was the starting point for modernism and mass commercialisation in construction. From 1919, right up to WWII in 1939, more than 4 million homes were built. People were moving to new suburbs in droves, and this led to a period of architectural standardisation. It was a time when developers were looking for cost-effective construction methods which could be massively replicated around the country, whilst providing homeowners with robust family homes.
Although, there were many styles of the property being constructed during this period, this level of standardisation is very obvious when travelling the breadth of the country. Identical architecture and scale from this period are on show in every major town and city throughout the country.
It was something that also took on a unique feature to identify a developers building style/choice. Very much included in these new attitudes to personalisation were the new solid wood entrance doors to these new homes. It was a time where Victorian, Regency, Georgian, Edwardian and other influences accumulated to invent a vast array of entrance doors designs and provide the homeowner with a degree of choice and uniqueness to their homes.
Today, this is something we very much take for granted, with the ability to choose from an abundance of entrance door designs, or indeed, using companies like PlanetWood, we can have a design of a new front door that is entirely unique and personal to us.
As the 30s edged towards the Second World War, the diversity of design continued with the advent of the first Mock Tudor homes to Neo-Georgian styles and of course the influence of the Art Deco period with its curves and simplistic ergonomic design. The Scandinavian influence saw some extravagant and rather flamboyant entrance doors appear on the market, giving the craftsman at the time an opportunity to express their creativity in the Art Deco style.
The 1930s was truly a period of invention where architecture is concerned. It took elements of all periods and allowed for greater creativity, simplicity and construction standardisation, wrapping this up into cost-effective commercialisation of mass new home construction methods. A philosophy and practice which is very much present today.
