Family Albums « American Bungalow Magazine

Family Album – Issue 67

Santa Cruz, Calif., Dean Silvers and Ira Schwartz

Starting with a simple 1904 bungalow that had seen its features get lost and confused over the years, we decided that our goal was to clarify our home’s style.We have put in wood floors and added a mix of original and reproduction Arts and Crafts furnishings, along with a collection of international folk art. We also “furnished” many “rooms” in our garden that surrounds our home, with ponds & fountains interspersed between over 1,000 species of plants crowded into our 50 by 100 lot. Our place, which we’ve named “The Trellises,” is an oasis in the midst of busy downtown.

Indianapolis, lnd., Wifliani Guide

This wonderful American Foursquare sits in the historic neighborhood of Irvington, which is on the National Register of Historic Places and is home to hundreds of similar Queen Anne and Arts and Crafts—era structures. Constructed in 1906 as a private residence, the home also served as a fraternity house for Butler University in the 1920s.The exterior is clad in fieldstone and shake. A matching fieldstone fireplace and beautiful wood-beamed ceilings and woodwork make this an incredible home in which to dwell.

Cincinnati, Ohio, Marilyn Bossmann and John McEvoy

Our bungalow was built by the famous Detroit architect Leonard Willeke. We have all of the home’s blueprints in addition to many of Mr. Willeke’s original pencil drawings and letters. The correspondence he maintained with craftsmen and the original owners proves very revealing.

Ferndale, Mich., Keith Binkowski and Kelly Collins

Our home is a 1922 Craftsman bungalow that we and our two children have lived in for two years. Located in an historic section just north of Detroit, the house had fallen on hard times. Slowly though, we have made improvements. Oak hardwood floors abound upstairs and down and most of the original trim was thankfully left untarnished. The living room’s brick fireplace is flanked by built-in oak bookcases and works just fine on cold winter nights.

Pasadena, Calif., Rupert Ouano

What started out in 2002 as a quest for the most affordable Craftsman bungalow in Pasadena ended up as a painstaking but revealing remodel. The remodeling turned out to be the education of a budding historian as he searched for clues to the beginnings of the house and its courtyard complex and the inspiration for its design and structure.

Jacksonville, Fla., Jeff and JoLee Gardner

Our 1916 bungalow is in the Springfield neighborhood, the largest residential National Register district in Florida. It was constructed by a local builder for a French-Canadian immigrant couple who lived here for 33 years. Before we bought it in 2006, it—like the neighborhood. which Southern Living magazine rated as the Number 1 Best Historic Comeback Neighborhood in the South in 2010—had gone through many downturns and upswings. But it has retained its original interior and exterior details.

Brevard, N.C., J.Williamson

We bought our 1935 Arts and Crafts home in 2006 and have since restored it. It has four bedrooms and two baths, a living room with a fireplace, a dining room, and a kitchen and a small den. The house has typical Arts and Crafts molding and hardwood floors. We have enjoyed the complete renovation of this fine house.

San Diego, Calif., Frank and Lauren Becker Downey

We are the proud sixth owners and guardians of the historically design ated Laura A. Tyler House, built in 1913 in what is now Golden Hills, gust up the hill from downtown. We love our side-gabled Craftsman bungalow with its original fir floors, wide front porch. 10-foot ceilings, built-in cabnets, original windows and other fabulous architectural details, including a quirky one: the man who had the house built was a stove maker, and although the house has a chimney, it never had a fireplace.

No Comments »

Georgetown, Ky., Ken and Mary Susan Kring
We bought our home in 2000. Restoring it to a degree of respectability remains our goal. Outside work has included restoring the front pergola and converting a one-car garage into a summerhouse. Interior work has included replacing the beams and bookcase in the front room and also a kitchen rehab. We use our 1947 GE ice box and Philco range daily.

Paeonian Springs, Va., Sarah Marquigny
A windowpane etched in French graffiti—“Ci Git Mon Coeur” (Here Rests My Heart)—lends credence to the local legend that my bungalow was once a French family’s hunting lodge. The Virginia greenstone chimney is the centerpiece of the living room that boasts original pine floors, doors and knobs, as well as restored casement windows that had been nailed, caulked and painted shut for decades.

Vancouver, B.C., Ida Avignoni and Ric Arboit
We fell in love with our home the moment we walked up on the beautiful, vast veranda. Built in 1914, the home has most of its original interior: oak floors, woodwork and windows. After several years, we are still in love with our Craftsman home. Each winter we trim back the Wisteria and patiently wait for the first sign of spring, as by mid-June both sides are in full bloom.

Salida, Colo., Rick Pautz and Sheila Jackson
We bought this house in April 2009. It was an ugly duckling built in 1964 in a great location, three blocks from downtown. We had the vision that we could convert it into a Craftsman. There are oak hardwood floors throughout, a 750-square-foot concrete basement, and a large two-car attached garage with alley entrance. It is an ongoing project.

Coronado, Calif., Steffenie Andreasen
In 2006, we completed construction on our very own “Craftsman Bungalow.” The exterior is wood siding and pebble dash stucco. My youngest daughter and I even helped throw pebbles into the wet stucco. “Pretend you are feeding the chickens,” said the stucco craftsman. A big part of my research in creating our dream was your magazine. I pored over so many issues. . . And still do!

Boise, Idaho, Steve and Debbie Johnson
Our 1910 Craftsman Bungalow is located in the Harrison Boulevard Historic District and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1912, the local newspaper stated, “Boise is becoming known as bungalow city” and claimed that in proportion to population, Boise had even more bungalows than Los Angeles. We have enjoyed the many hours we have spent learning about our Craftsman home as well as renovating, furnishing and landscaping it.

Amelia Island, Fla., Anthony and Sue Jarzyna
Our 2,700-square-foot home is walking distance to the Atlantic Ocean. It has 3 bedrooms, 2 ½ baths and includes a working architect’s studio. It is constructed off-grade to provide outdoor living with views to a marsh. The interior design—complete with Arts and Crafts pottery, paintings, numerous built-ins and Stickley furniture—provides for a perfect lifestyle for two empty-nester professionals.

Livingston, Mont., Donald Zanoff and Mick Burlington
Our home was built in 1891 when the railroad came to Livingston to service Yellowstone National Park. We bought the cottage six years ago and began restoring, exterior first. It is built on stacked rocks and railroad ties, and we still use a floor furnace that provides wonderful heat throughout the cold Montana winters.

No Comments »

Vancouver Island, B.C., Wendy and Stephen Jessen
Seeking a laid-back family life style, we built our home in Nanaimo (on Vancouver Island) three years ago. Our first building project, it is an eclectic interpretation of my beloved Craftsman bungalow style. I love the wide, homey inviting frames around the windows, our sturdy flared stone pillars out front and oversized (8′) front door with Frank Lloyd Wright-style stained glass. We have dark cherry floors throughout and cherry cabinets. The living room has a large river-rock fireplace next to another Wright-style window. There are four sets of 8′ fir French doors in the sun-lit open plan. We now share our property with eight Black Angus cows.

Collingswood, N.J., Bob and Sherry Truitt
Our bungalow was built c. 1918. (As we were restoring our kitchen we found a 1918 newspaper used as insulation behind a large ceramic sink.) We are only the third owners. We have restored the bathroom with running-bond tile and a hexagonal-tile floor, and the breakfast room with a tin ceiling and a black-and-white tile floor. Most of the plantings are original varieties from the 1930s and ’40s. The daughter of the second owner gave us a photo of the house from the 1940s, when the Wisteria you now see was very small. It is a work in progress. We aren’t sure we will ever be quite done.

Atlanta, Ga., Dianne and Cary Aiken
Georgia is well known for its springtime azaleas, and the Morningside district of Atlanta is no exception. Brick bungalows from the 1920s predominate in the district, which was once a pecan grove on the outskirts of Atlanta. We have been restoring our bungalow for the past six years. We stripped, sanded, scraped and refinished, removing an average of eight layers of paint, paper and stippling. From local architectural salvage stores we have found and installed period lighting as well as knobs and fixtures. We are now working on our 1920s pottery collection and are always on the lookout for period furniture and furnishings.

Bellingham, Wash., Marian Exall
When my husband and I moved to Bellingham, I wanted an older home in the Craftsman style, of which there are many here, but my husband wanted a newly built home. We “compromised” on this new home with all the modern convenience he wanted and all the Craftsman details I wanted: leaded-glass front door, coffered wood ceiling in the dining room and slate floors in the kitchen. The views from the front porch take in the San Juan Islands, downtown Bellingham and the snow-capped Canadian Cascades. The builder was Northwest Construction.

Whittier, Calif., Scott & Heather Crawford
Built in 1910 by a prominent citrus grower, our house was sold by the family in 2002 to a local developer who planned to demolish it and build four new houses on the 3/4-acre lot. The City of Whittier and concerned neighbors fought the demolition, had it declared a historic resource, and in the end the developer gave up and moved on. We bought it in 2003 and have been busy reviving it. The original Douglas fir beams and wainscoting are intact and have the original finish. Good old wavy glass, push-button light switches and original light fixtures are also here to stay. This house is in better shape than the newer houses down the street.

DeWitt, Mich., Melodie Lee and Kevin Spicer
We are only the third owners of this 1922 bungalow. It has all-new mechanicals and kitchen cabinets and a couple of replacement sinks, but the woodwork, light fixtures and outbuildings, including the chicken coop, are all original. The wonderful woodwork — oak planks surrounding pine — plank centers on the lower level and pine dominating on the second level — has alligatored in places, which only adds to its unique charm. We bought the house the first time we entered it seven years ago. It is an outstanding blend of form and function, not to mention character and beauty. It has been a pleasure and privilege to steward it.

Vancouver, B.C., Grant Bunker
I believe that I’m the fourth owner of this modest 1914 two-bedroom house, which is in original condition except for the bathroom, which I restored to its original configuration complete with claw-foot tub. There are built-in benches in both the entrance and the dining room. A lovely all-windows sunroom off the master bedroom faces the north-shore mountains. There is a wonderfully efficient wood-burning fireplace in the living room. The house has been used in several TV and film features. The neighborhood has several similar homes that people are lovingly restoring.

Denver, Colo., Christopher Kunz and Joseph Brady
This is our house in the Denver’s Park Hill neighborhood. It was built in 1910 as a wedding present from a father to his daughter and her new husband. The couple had four children, three of whom died in 1918 from the influenza that was sweeping the country at that time. The house has all original fir woodwork and original intact windows. This neighborhood, where we have lived for almost two years, is filled with historic bungalows of many varieties.

No Comments »

Fort Wayne, Ind., Tracy and Dan Houser
Our 1924 Prairie/Craftsman foursquare was a diamond in the rough when we bought it eight years ago. After many hours of scraping Victorian wallpaper, refinishing wood floors, remodeling the kitchen and a half bath, along with extensive landscaping, our diamond is beginning to shine. We were honored to be included on the Oakdale Neighborhood Association’s Home and Garden Tour.

Cherry Valley, Calif., The Gray Family
My wife and sons and I built our home in 2002. We are a family of firefighters, but I had a custom cabinet and furniture shop for many years and fell in love with everything Craftsman. My boys and I did many of the finishing touches, from the rock work outside to the beautiful front door and custom furniture and millwork inside. It’s not a hundred years old, but the same feelings of family and home went into its building.

Austin, Texas, David Keene
This 1920 Craftsman bungalow is a rarity in the Texas Hill Country. Originally built in a bungalow district near downtown, the house was moved in 1974 to its present location in a rural wooded neighborhood 11 miles away, in the rolling hills near Lake Austin. The attic was finished out with two additional bedrooms (without changing the roofline) after it was moved, resulting in a spacious yet authentic bungalow with longleaf pine floors, shiplap walls, a huge front porch and triple-hung windows with original glass.

Brisbane, Australia, Bruce and Trish Stott
Our timber California bungalow was built in 1930. We have tried to stay with the bungalow-style interior through extensive renovations; the lounge and dining room have the original light fittings and plaster ceilings, but the floor plan has been reworked to accommodate views and increase air flow. Summer temperatures here routinely exceed 100 degrees, and we feel we now have a very energy-efficient home.

Houston, Texas, Kathleen High
We purchased this 1920 Craftsman last year in historic Houston Heights, a pocket community just outside downtown. (Historic homes are few and far between in Houston, where a “knock-’em-down” mentality prevails.) We gutted it to the walls and updated the interior for 21st-century living, but we kept it period on the exterior, including historic colors. Houston Heights is undergoing a complete rebirth, with older homes being restored and new ones being built in period style.

Alton, Ill., Christine Banda and Kim Shelley
It has been a pleasure to live in our 1923 foursquare home in this historic river town just outside St. Louis. It has four bedrooms, 11/2 baths, very spacious living and dining rooms with built-ins, and an all-year sunporch. Built as a wedding present, it is one of many bungalows and foursquares designed by prominent Alton architect James J. Maupin.

Corvallis, Ore., Doug Eaton and Roen Hogg
Built near Oregon State University in 1922, this Craftsman airplane bungalow exhibits a strong Japanese influence with some Swiss elements, making it unique in town. When we bought it in 1989 it had fallen into rental oblivion, and decades of Oregon rain had taken their toll. After completing major exterior structural work, it has been fun to restore the original fir and oak floors and put in a period kitchen with vintage appliances. The home has the peaceful, warm and inviting feel that is the magic of bungalows.

Huntington Beach, Calif., David Greiman
My 1960s tract home had a few hints of bungalow style, with knee braces and Swiss scallops on the front gable, but an architectural monument it was not. After researching the style of the Greenes and others, I designed and fabricated new trim work, rounded and smoothed in the Greene tradition. The small entry is lined with mahogany, and the front door is solid mahogany as well.

No Comments »

Durand, Ill., Kelly and Ruth Stoll
Nicknamed “the little brown house” by everyone in our small town, our 1,000-square-foot, two-bedroom bungalow was built in 1927 and lived in by its builders until the 1990s. We carefully added a garage in the back in 2005, keeping the original tiny garage to use as a gardening shed. Central heating and air conditioning have been added, but otherwise our quiet little home is original from its cedar shake siding to its woodwork. As we’ve landscaped, we’ve used plant species available in 1927 whenever possible. We understand what our guests mean when they say they feel at home as soon as they enter this house: our warm and cozy home is our favorite place to be.

Shelbyville, Tenn., Telette Kellar
I bought this charming little house in 2000. It is one of several in the area built in a similar style in 1945. (A local man said he thought they were called “homestead houses” to attract residents after WW II.) It is about 1,000 square feet, with two bedrooms and one bath. The woodwork is all original and is especially nice. An odd beaded board on the walls runs horizontally, not vertically, and had cardboard over it as a surface for wallpapering. I took this photo before I had a new metal roof put on it; the metal is lighter in color and really fits the style of the house surprisingly well. I was looking for an older home with character in a settled neighborhood in a small town, and that’s just what I got!

Washington, D.C., May Ann Curtis
I bought my wood-shingled, 1,900-squre-foot 1923 bungalow 31 years ago.I chose it for the close-in city location, the light and spaciousness, and oak and heart-pine floors. In the unfinished basement I discovered the original two-burner cast-iron stove and several interior doors, including glass doors for the bookcases on either side of the red-brick fireplace. The house faces the U. S. Naval Observatory grounds, an accidental urban wildlife sanctuary. Architect Bruce Wentworth (see “A Sympathetic Addition,” AB No. 39, page 102) has provided good advice on both practical and aesthetic improvements. The unfussiness of this house works well with an eclectic collection of furniture, ceramics and copper pieces collected from Spain, Italy and Greece. A new Stickley rug in the foyer adds a touch of authentic bungalow style.

St. Louis, Mo., Cody Thomas
It was the frankness of this house that was so appealing. It is located in the Southampton neighborhood, which was conceived in 1920 by an English expatriate hoping to recreate the feel of his native city while building affordable housing using Arts and Crafts sensitivities and values. Amenities include extensive built-ins, even built-in art: every house in the neighborhood has two delightful Arts and Crafts stained-glass windows in the front room, where they filter light and wash the hardwood floors with their hues. This gem was originally sold under what was then a new-fangled system: showing display homes from which buyers could choose among models and options. This “Five Room Economy Bungalow” originally sold as a “remarkable value” for a price of $4,250.

Springfield, Mo., Jennifer and Steve White
We bought this 1924 four-level house in November 2004. It is located in a highly sought-out area of Springfield, close to the lights of downtown and the local university. It has four bedrooms and two-and-a-half baths, with an unfinished basement and bonus room. Totally restored to its original architecture, the house has tall ceilings, original radiators, extensive hardwood flooring, crown moldings, a covered deep front porch, a side portico entrance, a covered rear stoop and a picturesque backyard. Fifty-two windows provide ample lighting. This house is a keeper. We have found our home for life.

Fitchburg, Mass., Paul and Connie Williams
Our bungalow was built in 1925. It has most of its original woodwork. It is situated on a tree-lined lot and offers us sanctuary in a busy world. The front porch is a favorite gathering place for friends and family. At the end of our driveway is a garage built at the same time. We feel very fortunate to live in a bungalow, and we enjoy every aspect of our home.

Spring Lake, N.J., Anne and Fred Folco
We have lived in our four-bedroom, two-bath Arts and Crafts bungalow since 1999. From the records we could find, it was built around 1920Ð1923. We are only the third owners. We absolutely love our home, located in the beautiful seaside community of Spring Lake, also known as the “Irish Rivera” and, since June, as the home of this year’s National Spelling Bee Champion. It features exposed-beam ceilings in the living and dining rooms and beautiful hardwood floors throughout. We have lovingly furnished it with Mission-style furniture and light fixtures. The best feature of this house is the wrap-around porch, where we spend most of our time and which is our guests’ favorite place, too.

Moberly, Mo., David and Priscilla Nicholson
Our 1920s brick bungalow has 4,000 square feet and a matching garage on two lots. There is Italian tile on the front porch and on the front and side steps, and all of the original windows are intact. The 52-inch front door has the original beveled glass and matching sidelights. Renovating it has become our hobby. Last year we had it repainted and tuckpointed and added the arbor and fencing. It recently won a local photo contest and was named house of the month. It is the most comfortable and charming house we have ever lived in.

No Comments »

Tacoma, Wash., Dawn and Michael Nanfito
Our home, built in 1918, was one of the first on the street. The original owners were Norwegian immigrants who occupied the home until the late 1960s. We have lived here for seven years, attracted by details such as the dining room’s built-in buffet and clear floors. The original-looking dormer, added by the previous owner, gives us 1-1/2 stories. So far, with more work likely, we have replaced damaged fir floors, updated the wiring and remodeled the tiny downstairs bathroom to a more period look.

Santa Clara, Calif., Barry and Jackie LaFrance
We purchased our 1950s stucco frame home in 1987 and have been converting it to bungalow style. I have added crown molding, installed my own handmade stained-glass windows, handmade garage doors, both straight-cut and fish-scale cedar shingles and a bungalow porch complete with tongue-and-groove fir flooring and a stained and varnished beadboard ceiling. The front has been completely transformed to give it a bungalow look. People constantly stop and comment about its appearance, and some are using it as an example for their remodeling ideas. Many of them have a porch story to reminisce about. We’re trying to start a trend.

Kansas City, Mo., Juliet and Greg Nations
From our bungalow in the Brookside neighborhood of Kansas City we can walk to shops and restaurants and take advantage of a walking trail, yet we are just a 15-minute drive to the city’s downtown. Our house has the original wood window frames, a built-in butler’s pantry with original leaded glass, original and reproduction period light fixtures, crown molding, and built-in shelves around the Arts and Crafts-tiled fireplace, which has a detailed quartersawn-oak mantel with a mirror. The custom stained glass in the oversized front door matches an Arts and Crafts nature scene on the fireplace tile. There is a small open front porch under an eyebrow gable and a screened sunroom on the side.

Prescott, Ariz., Jim and Nancy Burgess
This is one of six Craftsman vernacular cottages built in 1940 on the grounds of the Hassayampa Country Club by the club’s owners, Maud and Harvey Cory, to be rented to families with children. Maud Cory designed the houses, which, along with eight others, remained in the Cory family until 2002, when a group of investors purchased them, created a protected subdivision and began restorations that earned an Arizona Heritage Preservation Award in 2003. The exterior is native stone over a wood frame; the interior woodwork is pine, and the floors are red and white oak.

Dixon, Ill., Ralph G. Pifer
Built in the 1920s, our home was to the point of becoming a “handyman’s special” when we bought it five years ago. I spent the first month caulking windows and stuffing insulation into cracks. Since then, we have replaced the roof, furnace, appliances, exterior doors and front porch. Last summer we replaced most of the first floor with new oak flooring. We finished tuckpointing the fireplace chimney in time to enjoy the heat and light the fireplace offers in the fall and winter. Because the house faces due north and the prevailing winds are strong, we have glassed in the front porch to save on heating.

Ann Arbor, Mich., Joann Cavaletto and Dave Fanslow
Our 1930 bungalow is a Sears Honor Bilt kit, “The Hampton,” which was available from 1924 to 1929. Its reverse floor plan gives the double windows in the kitchen and the living and dining rooms a sunny southern exposure. The house is constructed of yellow pine and cypress and has oak floors in the dining and living rooms and the front bedroom. The original doors and hardware are all in good condition. The front porch was screened in, as suggested in the catalog, very early in the house’s life. We’ve enjoyed living in this house for 12 years and find the floor plan very efficient. It does indeed “afford a greater amount of room than is usual in a house of this size.”

Edgewood, Pa., Suzanna Gribble, on behalf of her parents, John and Agnes Lesko
My mother had her eye on this 1920 bungalow for years. She repeatedly approached the owners and told them, “Whenever you want to sell, I want to buy.” Her dream came true, and in 1988 my parents became proud owners of this magnificent home. As a child, all I wanted in my new home was a fireplace and window seat. This house gave me both in grand fashion. Growing up, I remember summer evenings on the front porch, opening Christmas presents by the cozy fire and building a hut in my walk-in closet. With its warm hardwood floors and bright windows, this house still makes a wonderful home.

Tampa, Fla., Cara and Mike Davis
We are purchasing this beautiful Foursquare in the historic neighborhood of Seminole Heights. According to the listing agent, the house was most likely built before 1914 and has spent some time as a boarding home and also as a bordello. Inside are four bedrooms upstairs, a hall bath, a master bath and a cedar linen closet; downstairs is a bath with a very old six-shower-head setup. Most of the floors are original heart pine. The ceilings are all 12 feet high, so it feels very big and airy inside. It is nestled in the old historic district, where there are dozens of bungalows of all types — some restored, some rehabbed and some awaiting a new life. This will be the third old jewel we have owned.

No Comments »

Butteville, Ore., Patrick Leavy and Jean Ann Quinn
We built this home in 2003 on a 200-acre hop farm that has been in our family for almost 100 years. The exterior is a reproduction of an early 1900s kit house. People think that the house has been here forever, or that we moved an old house from another location. It features Douglas fir flooring, subway wall tile and hexagonal floor tile in the bathroom, linoleum in the kitchen, a Craftsman-style fireplace and wood windows and doors.

Burlington, Vt., Martha Dallas and Lucy Gluck
Our story-and-a-half story home is one of two known bungalows in the neighborhood. The original owner was a carpenter, and we wonder if he built it. Our house has wood casement windows, an arch between the living room and dining room, unpainted wood doors and trim and the original tub and toilet. The kitchen had been updated and extended into the dining room area. We have begun research on the home’s history and aim to do more.

Framingham, Mass., Christa Harnisch
The 940-square-foot Craftsman bungalow that I have lived in for the past nine years was built in 1927. It is a small, cozy two-bedroom house with a built-in china cabinet in the dining room. I recently had wall-to-wall carpeting pulled up and the beautiful oak floors refinished. I like to call the spacious front porch my “summer home.” From the time I first saw the house I was hooked: it was love at first sight!

McKinney, Texas, Ruth Ehret
My home was built in 1916 and is on a prestigious street in our historic district. The siding and windows are original, and it has 9 1/2′ ceilings, 9″ floorboards and an unusual milk-and-ice delivery door in the butler’s pantry. It’s a very comfortable home with two bedrooms, a sunroom, living and dining rooms, a pleasant kitchen and ’20s-style bathroom. I’ve enjoyed eight happy years here.

Portland, Ore., David and Trish Carter
We discovered a beautiful wooded lot next to a creek just minutes from Portland and crafted our dream of a modern American bungalow. The front porch ceiling is tongue-and-groove cedar, and windows, door moldings, columns and staircase banisters are clear-grain hemlock. Most of our lighting fixtures are period reproductions. We used an “Earth Advantage” builder so our home incorporates many energy-saving features. The most important feature, of course, is how much it feels like home – warm and cozy.

South Pasadena, Calif., Jack and Marian Sunabe
Built in 1921, this house had had only two previous owners before we bought it in 2003. Original light fixtures, white oak floors, built-in cabinets and a Batchelder tile fireplace were all intact. The leaded and beveled glass in the front door is said to depict a crown, perhaps representing “Crown City,” the nickname for Pasadena. The deep front porch with its swing and the light-filled side porch are our favorite places to relax.

Canyon, Texas, Bill Green
My bungalow was constructed in 1906 as a typical late-Victorian house with a T-shaped floor plan. After a fire in 1931, the second owner added two rooms to make the house square, lowered the walls and windows, bricked the exterior and laid oak flooring on top of the original long leaf pine floors. In 1988 another owner extensively renovated the interior and, unfortunately, painted the brick. I love it just the way it is, but someday hope to restore some lost features.

So. Portland, Me., Bonnie McClintock
I bought my 1920s bungalow in 2000 after renting it for three years. My vision was to restore it to its original charm. Improvements include a new roof, rebuilt chimney and major restoration to the front porch. The fun part was choosing authentic colors for the exterior paint. It’s very gratifying to get compliments from my neighbors. I thank your wonderful magazine for its inspiration and knowledge in helping me complete my vision.

No Comments »

Vallejo, Calif., Brian Johnson
Built around 1916, my single-story stucco home has a bay that extends from the south-facing wall, and two different gable forms and window shapes appear on the street facade. Because of the intriguing and unusual design that mixes styles, this house has been attributed to the noted Bay Area architect, John Hudson Thomas. Thomas was an expert at fusing Craftsman, Prairie School and Secessionist influences in a highly individualistic manner.

Boise, Idaho, Tom and Angie Beauchaine
We built our Foursquare in 2003 in the Hidden Springs development outside of Boise. The simple 2,633-square-foot floor plan fits our family of four perfectly, and with five bedrooms and three bathrooms, we have plenty of room for visiting family and friends. Our close-knit neighborhood hosts a number of different architectural styles besides our own: farmhouses, Prairie-style, Victorian, even modern houses, which gives our community a sense of diversity. Because we don’t have home delivery we pick up our mail at the post office that’s attached to the community mercantile, and this gives us a chance to have a cup of coffee and meet our neighbors.

Provo, Utah, Kurt and Viktoria Anderson
Our house is located in the Provo Historic District several blocks south of Brigham Young University. The woodwork in both the living and dining rooms is gumwood and the floors are quartersawn oak. Opposite the brick fireplace is a unique combination of three windows at the top of the wall, and the extra-wide front door is gumwood veneer inside and quartersawn oak outside with three beveled glass panels. Our house was featured in the Provo Landmarks Tour of Homes in June 2004.

Santa Clara, Calif., Dan and Joan Meacham
Our 1910 bungalow was built by the Farfan brothers, who were from Spain and built other houses here in Santa Clara. The house has had many owners and was a rental starting in 1968. However, almost everything is original and in good shape. The kitchen has black and white hex tiles, and cabinets with Craftsman-style glass doors; every room has crown moldings and fir doors. We are enjoying this cozy house and will be painting the outside and putting a new roof on in the coming year.

Geneva, N.Y., Bob and Ann O’Connor
Since our house first appeared in American Bungalow (Issue No. 12), we have uncovered the stone arch work below the railings and have added a deck and arbor on the back. Inside, our house still has the original wood ceiling beams, a brick fireplace and back-to-back bookcases in the living and dining rooms. Last fall we finished sanding and painting the front porch. We love this house like we love all bungalows.

Milan, Mich., Steve and Sue Okonski
When we saw this house 14 years ago, we knew it had to be ours. The house has the original woodwork and doors, a window seat in the dining room and the first-floor bathroom still has its claw foot tub. The kitchen was updated in the 1950s, but several years ago we returned it to its 1912 look. Out went the orange shag carpeting and orange-and-gold-flecked wallpaper, replaced with Bradbury and Bradbury designs. Ours is not the grandest house in town, but both friends and strangers tell us it’s the nicest.

Madison, Fla., Stephen and Rae Pike
When we found our 1920 bungalow on six acres just outside the lovely little town of Madison, we knew we were home. The 3,800-square-foot house has five bedrooms, a large front living area and three fireplaces. Since we’re located in a pine forest, most of the interior is heart and yellow pine. Our plan is to return the house to as close to the original as possible, with the exception of the kitchen, which will be “Stickley-esque.”

No Comments »

Monrovia, Calif., Eric and Deanna Paré
We wanted to share our 1910 Craftsman-style home after its six-year restoration. The process was a difficult one in that we also added a master suite and an additional bedroom. We were true to the Craftsman style, using antique interior doors, wood framed windows and original-looking moldings and casings around the doors and windows. We extended the porch to tie in the addition and found the exterior hard duplicate, due to the distinctive cedar shingles.

Bay Village, Ohio, William Squires
One of the 100 most significant homes in the area, this Craftsman-style bungalow was built in 1924 on the shores of Lake Erie. Extensive work was done on the lakeside hill and shoreline to maintain access, the boathouse was restored and a new Arts and Crafts garage built with a tile roof to match the house. The home features oak woodwork and floors, with beveled and leaded glass windows throughout. A Craftsman gem!

Boise, Idaho, Mardi Stacy and Bob Kaiser
Mardi had her eye on this turn-of-the-20th-century bungalow in a mixed-use city neighborhood for more than a year and couldn’t believe it when she saw the For Sale sign. When we bought this two-bedroom charmer, the foundation was literally crumbling like powder and the original boiler in the basement was operating at 20 percent efficiency. We had to restore every wall and floor to some extent, but the results are paying off as passersby admire our new xeriscaping. The less-visible rehab projects will keep us busy for a few more years.

Oxnard, Calif., Casey and Arnie Koenig
My husband and I bought this beautiful 1918 Craftsman home in May 2003 in the Henry T. Oxnard Historic District. The house was in need of major renovation on the outside, which we have just completed. It is my dream come true to have a historic home; I love it and couldn’t be happier.

New Westminster, B.C., Gavin Hainsworth
Ours is a designated heritage home and is in the English cottage style. It was built in 1910 by a streetcar carpenter, possibly from a catalog plan. The current exterior was done by the third owner in 1937. He was a superintendent of a local lumber mill, and it has shadow-line shakes made of original old-growth western cedar. New Westminster, the oldest city in western Canada, is a leader in the area of heritage policy and has many interesting protected homes in its inventory.

Lake Crystal, Minn., Terry and Emmaline Froderman
Our home was built around 1915 with an original exterior of raw concrete and white trim. Previous owners had painted the stucco yellow and the trim red, and replaced the original kitchen with a modern one. We recently completed an extensive renovation and added a two-story addition. The new 24′x24′ kitchen has quartersawn oak cabinets with inset doors and a fireplace with oak trim and a tile hearth flanked by matching window seats. In the main bath we reused the original tub and installed new subway tile. The best compliment is when visitors don’t know where the old house ends and the new one begins.

Mill Bay, B.C., Marilyn and Peter Crampton
Our 2,400-square-foot Craftsman home is situated on beautiful Vancouver Island. It has three bedrooms, a spacious kitchen and elegant white trim throughout. With our decision to move here from eastern Canada (and its snowy winters), we were lucky to find a terrific builder who specializes in the Craftsman style. In fact, the entire street is a tribute to this architectural flavor. The house backs onto a wooded area where fir trees seem to vertically go on forever.

Orange, Calif., Fred and Jonece Rue
After renting our bungalow since 1967, we bought it in 1999. It is located in the historic district of Old Towne Orange and was built in 1915. It’s about 95 percent original and we have been restoring it ourselves. The inside is furnished with Arts and Crafts furniture, textiles, pottery and light fixtures. We really enjoy the pergola over the back patio. Enclosed is a photo of the original owners in 1926.

No Comments »

Purcellville, Va., Jennifer and Peter Reynolds
When we built our bungalow in 1998, we were largely uneducated about the Arts and Crafts movement, but were moving from the Del Rey neighborhood in Alexandria and wanted to find a similar house. The interior moves away from a traditional bungalow design with an open floor plan and wall of windows that make it seem like you are sitting in the woods. It has a two-story stone fireplace and much wood inside and out. A favorite feature of this house is that the kitchen, eating area and great room are all one space so your entire family can enjoy time together.

Big Lake, Minn., Phil and Suzanne Hagen
My husband built our family a Craftsman-style home in a rural suburb of the Twin Cities. This was quite a change, but we’ve found it suits us. The theme of the porch railing is carried throughout the interior of the house. The main colors-subtle browns, tans and greens-were chosen to bring the outside in, Arts and Crafts style. We have a beautiful lot on the St. Francis River, and the surroundings match the house quite well.

Calgary, Alberta, Jude Polsky and Phil Hoffman
We bought and began renovating our 1915 bungalow in 1999. One of a string of identical, cottage-size workers’ houses on our block, we opted for a historic renovation on the outside and a modern interior featuring industrial touches and a vaulted ceiling. We removed asbestos tiles to expose the original cedar shingle exterior. Also note the dentil-block detail, which was common in both commercial and residential designs of the time. At 780 square feet, our house is tiny but full of charm and character.

Harrisburg, Penn., Edward Fox
This is my first home, a 1929 bungalow in Penbrook, a small borough just outside the Harrisburg city limits. I had a hard time pinning down what style it is, but many of your online readers suggest that it looks largely Colonial Revival. This summer I finished liberating my front porch enclosure from its aluminum siding. Next I’d like to replace the aluminum windows and return the kitchen and bath to period appropriate looks. An article in Issue No. 35 convinced me to track down the family of my home’s original owners; now my next-door neighbor wants to do the same. The passion for these charming little houses is contagious!

Byron, Ill., Greg and Christine Stark
After living in a ranch-style house for 20 years, we decided to try a bungalow. Designed by my wife, Christine, and modeled after a “Pomona” kit home, after four years of construction and my wife’s broken back, we finally finished our dream house. We did all of the construction with some help from family members, and used salvage items such as light fixtures, sinks, built-in bookcases, a newel post and hardware. We made our trim following dimensions from the Curtis Millwork Book 1914; our goal was to make it look old.

Portland, Ore., Karen Morris
Five years ago when I bought my 1909 bungalow, it was covered in asphalt “brick” siding. I have resided in cedar, replaced the roof and changed three windows from metal to wood. Although my one-bedroom bungalow, at just over 700 square feet, is tiny, it lives big, thanks to a sunporch adjoining the living room, a formal dining room and a windowed breakfast nook. It has oak and fir floors, cove moldings and original kitchen cupboards with glass doors. My next project is a bathroom remodel, complete with claw-foot tub and pedestal sink.

Chicago, Ill., Odessa White-Junious
I bought my 1930 Chicago brick bungalow in 2002. It has checkerboard face brick and supports for a missing window box on the front facade, and the interior woodwork is in beautiful mint condition. It is a story and a half, with four bedrooms. There is a bathroom addition in the basement, a wood-sided add-on at the rear and a hip-roof garage along the back alley.

Round Top, Texas, Russell Miller
We dreamed of a bungalow home for our rural acreage and found a late-1920s example in a nearby town and had it moved some 15 miles. It was expanded in the early ’30s and there were some minor ’50s updates to the bath and kitchen, but we started with a structure that still contained its original details. The house features longleaf pine floors and trim throughout, and is perfect for the Craftsman furnishings we’ve collected over the past 20 years. Landscaping with a focus on native plants occupies our time these days.

No Comments »

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.

Community

Recent Comments

Upcoming Events

Popular Articles

Family Album – Issue 67

Welcome, Guest