Milwaukee, Wis., Joe Cerreto and Jon Krueger
We thought we wanted a nice modern townhouse until walking into this beautiful 1906 home. I was always afraid of an older home until I actually sat down and took in the timeless craftsmanship. Fortunately for us, our realtor knew we’d want it before we did. Thankfully much of the house has been lovingly preserved; the original four-door icebox remains intact including the drain into the cellar. We plan to spend much of the Wisconsin winter at the library and historical center researching the history of our house.
Alameda, Calif., Bill and Patty McNamara 
Alameda is filled with Victorians and Craftsman bungalows. Ours, built in 1911, is considered very unique, and has been featured on two home tours sponsored by the Alameda Historical Society. Its nickname is the “House of Many Gables” due to its additions. The interior has many of the charms of yesteryear, including the original hardwood floors, leaded-glass breakfront and built-in nooks. Unfortunately, four original stained-glass windows were removed by the previous owners, but it’s been lovingly restored and decorated room by room.
Sherrill, N.Y., Patricia Hoffman 
My home, designed in 1918 by Charles R. Ingraham of Hendrickson & Ingraham of Oneida, N.Y. was constructed in 1920. I purchased the five-bedroom two-bath home in 2005. The kitchen had already been remodeled and since living here I remodeled both bathrooms to conform to the Craftsman style. The original woodwork, built-ins, hardwood floors and windows thankfully remain. One of the most delightful features is a brick Rumford fireplace that, true to its design, has an incredible draw and actually throws heat into the room.
Kirkwood, Mo., Sheila and Dennis Thompson
We are very proud of our 1927 bungalow, designed by Swiss architect Franz Herding. It is one of the original homes built where the Osage Indians were once settled. Our home, which we’ve lived in for ten years, has great bones. The walls are made of a very thick plaster/horsehair lath. The architectural details are plentiful. We have done mostly cosmetic work to bring it back to its roots. The radiators are still in use, which are so cozy during the winter months. We love our bungalow home.
Green City, Mo., Britainy and Duane Heller
In 2008, we purchased our house, which was built in 1923. We’ve been searching for information ever since. I’ve found similar antique home plans, but ours is always different in a significant way. It’s a three-bedroom house, two down and one up, but it easily could have been intended as a five-bedroom house. The addition of two walls upstairs would add a hallway and two more bedrooms. A large upstairs room spans the house; each side has a window and a walk-in-closet, leading us to think it was originally meant to be a five-bedroom home.
Coatsville, Pa., Eric Collins
I’ve lived in my 1928 stone bungalow for 15 years, during which time I steadily restored the interior with help from my son Ethan, including exposing the stone chimney above the fireplace. Finally, I’ve finished the restoration of the exterior. I removed the plastic shutters, then added an eave-vent and brackets on the dormer. I also built a cedar window box and repainted the siding and front porch. I planted a garden in the front yard to improve the view from the living room and porch. I’m very happy with the results—the neighbors love it.
Portland, Ore., Joshua Salinger and Carolyn Fine
We purchased our 1925 Craftsman bungalow in 2006. Charmed by the little details—the fireplace, wide baseboards, crown molding and built-in bookshelves—we saw an opportunity to correct some mistakes made in the 1960s and restore artistic dignity to the house. My husband is a designer/builder, and our house has been his labor of love. Mortise-and-tenon-jointed fir beams and floating shelves, concrete countertops, and stone tile bring in elements of the outdoors. Living in a wonderful neighborhood at the base of Mt. Tabor is the cherry on top.
Grand Rapids, Mich., Mike and Deb Hoag
After looking at many homes over six years, we discovered our 1920s bungalow in 2004. Windows in groups of five circle the house, allowing natural light to flood every room. When we bought it, white carpet covered red-oak floors. With the carpet gone and the colors changed, much of the character was restored. We were happily surprised when we heard from more than one guest, “It’s peaceful here.” Every day we are filled with a sense of peace and satisfaction living in this wonderful home.
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