Carl Strandlund (1899-1974) was a Swedish-born American inventor who held hundreds of patents from farm implements to non-warping metal plates for WWII tanks. He is most remembered for his factory built, porcelain-enameled steel Lustron homes.

Lustron homes consisted of steel walls, windows, roofs, furniture, cabinets, and pocket doors. The exterior panels of these iconic homes came in four colors: Maize Yellow, Dove Gray, Surf Blue, and Desert Tan. The 50s wife couldn’t help but admire the low maintenance steel surfaces and modern appliances, including built-in dishwashers.

Strandlund founded Lustron in 1948 but was shut down amid foreclosure and bankruptcy in 1953. However, the majority of the 2498 Lustron homes built in the US are still standing as a testament to their durability.

There is a whole sub-culture devoted to these retro homes. Click here for a 2001 list of Missouri Lustrons. Or, visit one of these fan sites: The Lustron Home, Old House Web, The Lustron Connection.