American Bungalow Magazine - The Magazine published in the interest of preserving and restoring the modest American 20th Century Home, the Bungalow, and the rich lifestyle that it affords.

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Bungalow Heaven’s 21st Annual Home Tour Sun., April 25, Stars a 1926 Spanish Colonial Revival Residence

Our friend Sarah Hilbert of Bungalow Heaven sends us this reminder about the Bungalow Heaven tour, coming up this Sunday:

In 1929 Herbert Hoover was inaugurated as the 31st president of the United States, the first Academy Awards were held, the car radio was invented and – perhaps most infamously – the stock market crashed and the Great Depression commenced.

The late 1920s are commemorated at the Second Annual Living History Home, a Bungalow Heaven residence in Pasadena that is open to visitors during the neighborhood’s 21st Annual Historic Home Tour, held on Sunday, April 25, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Living History Home is a unique feature of Bungalow Heaven’s tour. Its debut last year inside a 1911 Craftsman residence brought eager lines and enthusiastic reviews from visitors. Costumed actors stationed inside and outdoors gave them a slice-of-life history lesson and a better understanding of the era in which the neighborhood’s homes were constructed.

The 2010 Living History Home takes place at a 1926 Spanish Colonial Revival bungalow, where actors will follow a script that takes place in April, 1929. Kristin Stone, an award-winning actor known for her work in Inside Private Lives, has once again written and directed the performance, which features witty repartee about the Roaring Twenties and the politics, fashions, home life and leisure activities of the decade.  Stone also serves as one of the actors who help guests learn about how the Arts and Crafts aesthetic translated into the Revival architectural styles of the 1920s.
A Model T Ford and gorgeous Mediterranean gardens will greet visitors as they arrive at the Spanish bungalow; inside, they will see authentic period décor, a period tansu chest, an impressive collection of Japanese artifacts, and wrought-iron detailing and sconces. The homeowners plan to be on site all day, answering visitors’ questions and showcasing their woodworking skills.

Four more of the tour residences are also from the Revival period, showcasing architecture that can be categorized as English-cottage and Tudor-style bungalows.

And – not to worry! – fans of the high-style California bungalow will still get their fill of pristine Douglas fir woodwork and nifty built-ins. Three traditional Craftsman bungalows are part of the tour. In total, eight homes are open to the public on tour day.

Come spend the day strolling Bungalow Heaven’s tree-lined streets, taking in gardens at their colorful spring peak, learning tips from demonstration booths, and enjoying live music, free refreshments and outstanding early-20th-century architecture.

Tickets are available the day of the tour for $20 at the tour headquarters in the southern part of McDonald Park, on Mountain between Wilson and Mar Vista.

Photos, behind-the-scenes sneak peaks, and a range of useful tour information are being posted all month long on the Bungalow Heaven Landmark District Facebook page – become a fan!