I love Plasticville® absolutely as is, straight out of the box. I am far from a serious railroad enthusiast, but I know what I like when it comes to small period cities and towns- the storefronts and architecture is straight out of the mid-century era, even in some of the wild color schemes. As an artist, I could (and occasionally do) work on extensive repaints and aging, but again, some are fun just as-is. Especially the ranch houses and the Cape Cod houses. When placed in multiple rows and rows and rows (and rows), you can achieve an instant 1950's Leavittown (I'm not crazy about the O scale Cape Cods, so it is easiest to achieve the effect I want with smaller scales, and it takes up less space). I might spray-paint a few of the roofs more realistic colors, but aside from that, I love the pastel houses. They look swell on green felt sheets, with streets and period cars and such, and of course, a few sad little trees, just as the real Leavittown had when it was first established for all the post-war "Young Moderns" looking for affordable housing. The layout makes for great aerial photos, particularly when turned black and white, just like so many photos of the real Leavittown one sees. That is how you can get away with not a lot of detailing, since the trick is to be far away and above. After assembly, you can sit back, relax, and listen to the folk song made famous in the 1960's by Melvina Reynolds dissing the suburbs, "Little Boxes" ('on the hill side, little boxes made of ticky-tacky')...
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