Sears Honor-Bilt Home: The Lynnhaven Model
For those of you who loved my recent post about Sears Modern Home Kits, which were sold through catalogs between 1908 and 1940, I thought you’d like to see some interior photos of one. This Model Home Design #3309 was sold in the Sears catalog in the 1930s as part of the Honor-Bilt line and was called the Lynnhaven. According to the original catalog:
All “Honor Bilt” homes are thoroughly tested to be sure that they are architecturally correct and economical, also durable and convenient.
In presenting the Lynnhaven, we feel that we are offering a home which will solve a problem for many home builders. The graceful way in which the front projection ties itself the main building and the attractive entrance makes this home one that will be admired by many.
To see interior photos of the Lynnhaven:
This charming Lynnhaven was built in 1939. Today a couple is lovingly restoring it and has created a website about it at Lynnhaven Sears Home.
Another view of the front, from the corner of the house:
The back elevation (interesting that it has shutters on the first-floor windows):
This is the entry, looking into the living room with fireplace:
Looking through the arched doorway from the living room into the dining room:
This was what the entry looked like when they bought the house:
A boy’s bedroom:
The master bedroom:
The master from another angle:
For more information about this Lynnhaven and to see more photos, go to Lynnhaven Sears House (all rights to these photos are theirs).
Regarding the floor plan (see scans of it at Antique Home; they asked me to remove them), the original catalog states:
Upon entering the house, you are immediately impressed with the convenience you find. The reception hall contains the semi-open stairs and a large closet for outer wraps. The lavatory or powder room will be appreciated by every housewife. Balance of the first floor is devoted to dining room, living room, breakfast alcove and kitchen. All the rooms are well proportioned, have good wall space and plenty of windows.
The kitchen is ideal and will accommodate four cabinet units, breakfast alcove for built-in equipment and a large china case.
On the second floor the inside hall connects the bathroom and three bedrooms. The two bedrooms on the right of the plan above the average size, being 13 ft. 1 in. by 11 ft. 11 in. and 15 ft. 1 in. by 10 ft. 11 in. Four good size closets give plenty of storage space.
Basement has full excavation and is planned for laundry, fuel room, heating plant and storage. Height 7 ft. First floor, 8 ft. 6 in. Second floor, 8ft. The measurements are 30 ft. by 26 ft. and will fit on a 50 ft. lot
The specifications for this home include linoleum for kitchen and bathroom floors. Balance of floors, Clear Oak; back band trim, one-panel doors. La Tosca hardware and four kitchen cabinets; enamel finish kitchen and bath.
I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to buy it! Now if I could just get my hands on a time machine….
- Sears Modern Homes: House Kits from Catalogs
- Pheasant Hill, a 250-year old farm in Bucks County, Pennsylvania
- The Spite House in Virginia (only 7 feet wide!).
- Cobble Court, a manor built to look like a French-Norman estate
- Stokesay Court, the estate used in the Keira Knightley film “Atonement”
- Coco Chanel’s elegant Parisian apartment at 31 Rue Cambon
- 1908 Gaslight Mansion in St. Louis
- Mark Twain’s Tiffany-Decorated Mansion in Hartford, Connecticut
- Toronto’s Little House (which is even smaller than the Spite House)
- Dolly Parton’s Childhood Home in Tennessee
April 26th, 2008 at 10:11 pm
I love this! My husband thinks I’m a bit off center when I try to explain to him how different homes have a different feel or aura about them. Some seem desolate and depressed others full of mystery and hard living, this is one of the few that “feel” happy and full of possibilities. It’s gorgeous!
April 26th, 2008 at 11:29 pm
Yes, Jill, you are so right. Some houses seem to extend open arms and some seem to tell you to stay away! I lived for ten years in a home that had such bad vibes/karma/whatever. I was sooo glad when we moved away but it did leave scars. This house is very welcoming.
April 27th, 2008 at 12:17 am
Love it, love it, love it. I so wish they had home that we could buy that cheap today and that had that much character . They did an awesome job decorating it as well. No too busy. Just enough furnishings.
Lynn
John 15
April 27th, 2008 at 1:35 am
Such fun photos!!!
April 27th, 2008 at 7:08 am
Thank you so much for this post. I love this home because of the charm and warmth that it has. When my husband and I were first married we lived in a neighborhood of homes built in the 1920’s-1930’s andI now that I have read your posts, I see many of familiar home styles from that neighborhood. I am not sure if our Colonial style home was one or not, I’ll have to look into that. We do remember that neighborhood with much fondness. The homes were all under 2,000 feet, but were so charming.
By the way, I just love your blog. I have loved looking at homes since I was a little girl. I grew up around Detroit and my parents would take us for drives to look at beautiful historic neighborhoods and mansions. I also scan the MLS daily (my husband thinks I’m crazy). Anyway, thanks again for your blog, it is now one of my favorites. Have a great day!
April 27th, 2008 at 7:54 am
all homes should be this beautiful.
April 27th, 2008 at 8:05 am
I love this house! Where is it located… did I miss it in the article? I lived in Michigan for a short time and there were/are so many Craftsman style houses. They seem to have so much character- just like this Lynnhaven home! One day I’ll move out of this cookie cutter I call home and have a house with personality too! Thanks for another great article!
April 27th, 2008 at 8:11 am
Love the old mail order homes! I’ve done some research on mine and believe it to be some variation of an Aladdin kit home, ( http://www.antiquehome.org/House-Plans/1916-Aladdin/Englewood.htmal ) though I still have to go to the county historical society to do some research. Its also possible that it is a Wardway or Gordon- Van Tyne home; both were popular in our area at the time ours was built and both had similar plans as Aladdin.
They just don’t make homes with that kind of unique personality and charm anymore.
BTW, for anyone that is interested, the link above for antiquehome.com is a great place to start on research for several different manufacturers of mail order homes!
April 27th, 2008 at 8:50 am
Marie–good question. The website for this home gives very little specific information, like the names of the owners or where they live. I couldn’t find it, anyway.
I actually found the link to their home on the Antique Home website that Hairy W mentions above. She’s right–that’s an excellent site if you want more information about catalog homes. I spent hours on it!
I agree with what Jill and Arlene were saying, that homes can sometimes feel happy, sad, or angry. I’ve been in homes that were perfectly lovely, but I had the strong urge to leave. And I’ve been in others that weren’t pretty at all but were so welcoming that they made me happy just to hang out in them.
April 27th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
This house it so pretty!! I love the excerptsfrom the Sears adverstisement!!…”sure to make any housewife proud” I wonder what the 2008 werbage would be?
April 27th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
I often wonder which homes are Sears or other mail order homes. I know I must pass by them now and then! This one is especially sweet.
Pat
April 27th, 2008 at 5:36 pm
I love this house! Most of the “affordable” homes built today are completely void of character or charm. And they’re not built that well either. This is the type of home I’ve always dreamed of. I don’t recognize any of the Sears kit homes where we live but we do have a beautiful historic downtown area with lots of homes full of charm and character. But it takes lots of $$$ to buy one *then* you have to refurbish it. A girl can dream though…
April 27th, 2008 at 6:58 pm
How cute! It’s so perfect it looks like a blown up doll house–
the good kind of doll house though, not the pink Barbie dream
house.
April 27th, 2008 at 7:31 pm
Great post Julia. Anyone reading these comments that enjoys looking at these houses should get the book “Houses by Mail” by Katherine Cole Stevenson and H. Ward Jandl. The floor plans are great fun and the descriptions are certainly not commonplace; I often crib from them for my Real estate ads. They just sound so “dreamy” ie:”well proportioned rooms arrayed for gracious living”. Doesn’t that sound better than the usual “large rooms great for entertaining” that we read in today’s descriptions? OK, off my soapbox!
Janet
April 27th, 2008 at 9:37 pm
I just wanted to thank you for popping around to say hi. It was such an unexpected and wonderful surprise to hear from someone in “Cyberspace”.
Hooked On Houses is fantastic and keeps me coming back for more! I’ll be seeing you soon.
April 29th, 2008 at 4:53 pm
I LOVE this home. It is so ME! Hm…now is that a good thong for the poor house or a bad one?
Your blog is amazing!!
Hugs,
Sue
June 9th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
Your home is amazing. It has so much charm and character. Nice job restoring it! How do I tell if my home is Gordon Van Tyne or Sears? I know that it is a kit home because all of the attic stairs and cellar stairs are labeled, etc.