COMMENT OF THE DAY: A BY-THE-DECADE GUIDE TO HOUSTON HOME CLICHES 
“. . . How to estimate when a home was built:
Before 1920s: has a historical marker out front.
1920 & 30s: large porched front on narrow lots.
1940s: houses built low to the ground — almost always look identical to each other.
1950s: seafoam green/Pepto Bismol-pink tile in the bathrooms.
1960s: wood paneling in the den.
1970s: diagonal exterior wood plank paneling.
1980s: skylights, skylights, skylights.
1990s: McMansion.
2000s: faux Tuscan exteriors.
2010s: Tear down something from the above list and build whatever in its place. Doesn’t matter what — we’ve run out of ideas at this point.” [Native Houstonian, commenting on Houston Home Listing Photo of the Day: Dead Animal Planet] Illustration: Lulu
Sign up for the Newsletter
2010s – Tear downs and infill with gray stucco boxes
I like this game. My go-to exterior identifier for the late 70s and early 80s is the use of right-triangular prisms as the basic forms. Inside, it’s the walls covered in mirrors.
Good list, although my house was built in 1953 and had wood paneling in the den. My 1980s touchstone would be the giant oak front door with an oval leaded glass window.
I’d add 1 foot square white tile floors, and golden oak cabinets and millwork for the nineties.
Glass blocks in the bathroom – 90s!