The style and layout of suburban houses has changed over time. A 19th-century worker’s cottage (1), typical of inner-city areas such as Te Aro in Wellington, had an outdoor washhouse and toilet. The toilet had no plumbing but contained a large can, emptied by a weekly collection. The Californian bungalow (2) was the suburban home of choice for most first-time home buyers in the 1920s. Early bungalows had external access to washing and toileting facilities, but these were now connected to the house. The English-cottage-style state house (3) was typical of thousands built in new suburbs immediately after the Second World War. By this time the bathroom, toilet and washhouse (laundry) had come inside.
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Source: Malcolm McKinnon, ed. Bateman New Zealand historical atlas: ko papatuanuku e takoto nei. Auckland: David Bateman, 1997, plate 74; Jeremy Ashford, The bungalow in New Zealand. Auckland: Penguin, 1994, p. 29
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