Number / distribution of outdoor lamps for square house approx. 9.40m x 9.40m

Most houses used to be plain, very simple and extremely small

Yes, they were, and at the same time the houses of wealthy people sometimes had almost breathtaking details.

Most houses in the past were plain, very simple, and extremely small

I come from the northern Ruhr area or southern Westphalia, and there are many workers' cottages there that are small and apparently plain. But on closer inspection, one sees that appearances are deceiving. They are practically designed and appeal through good proportions. For today's L-sofa "landscapes" (:oops:), they are indeed too small. I find these little houses very valuable and would never think of describing them as plain.

For today's L-sofa "landscapes" :)oops:) they are actually too small.

The corner sofa is the most indispensable tool of interior design self-hatred :)

I come from the northern Ruhr area or southern Westphalia, and there are many workers' houses there that are small and seemingly plain. But on closer inspection, you can see that appearances are deceiving.

Our sixties-era GDR house, which was definitely not built for the wealthy but was self-built and inexpensive, also has very loving and elaborate details in corners where you wouldn't expect them. Despite everything, value was simply placed on that.

Our 60s GDR little house, which really was not for the wealthy but built by ourselves and cheaply,

What was it then: an EW58?

has very loving and elaborate details in corners where you wouldn't expect it.

World level instead of West level – in terms of construction technology, the Tätära was ahead of the economically strained brothers and sisters back then.

would never come up with the idea to describe them as plain.

But we are talking about OUTDOOR lamps here, and regarding the exterior appearance, I would - also as a resident of the northern Ruhr area - say that many of the little houses you described are indeed plain - starting with the typical small "air holes" for basement rooms, the weathered grey roughcast, and the often lichen-covered and equally weathered concrete roof tiles. Of course, there are more and more fully renovated examples that clearly differ from this description, and there are also variants with bay windows, dormer windows, mansard roofs, etc., but otherwise I often find the attribute "plain" to be accurate, without wanting to depreciate these houses by doing so.