Most housing developments are designed to accept average house hold income supporters with varying degrees of taste. Oh, did I mention that if real taste, on the scale of what Geoffrey Scott would subscribe to, is what you're really looking for, then do it yourself certainly means something else. For a country which prides itself on individualistic experiences, the old west and the inventive nature by which the mid west fostered in the era of the mid century, we sure have stumbled onto a cross between self reliance and reliance on others to do our dirty work. I'm referring to the many wonders that were invented during the early formative years of America, thanks to invention's mother, necessity, right on up through today's innovative, albeit megalomaniac, agribusiness and the organic growing farms. People want, even expect, that certain things be done for them, and others be left to their own devices.
Housing is somewhere in the middle.
Most of us don't attempt to keep up with the Jones' any more. They just don't quite have what it takes. But then again I remember growing up with that idle of architecture demise, The Brady's. Father was an architect if you recall. A really bad architect too probably, and living in a 60's California style two story open plan.