Since the Great War came to the end and the Roaring Twenties began, America became ever increasingly an automobile dominated society. Automobiles, cheap gas and the availability of inexpensive land created a housing boom in the suburbs and outlying areas around the cities. A new home style, the bungalow, came about as the result.

Although the details varied from location to location (a Chicago bungalow is very different from the Southern California cousin), the bungalow was generally little, with its living spaces on one floor. The homes typically had five or six rooms, with a few bedrooms and one bath.

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As much as these homes were brought about by the rising popularity of the car, it would take a subsequent generation of domestic design (ranches, split-levels, 1970s Colonials) and larger lots to fully integrate the garage with your home. Back in bungalows, the garage has been typically detached and accessed by way of a back alley or, if the lot was broad enough, a side driveway.

Expanded, renovated and upgraded, bungalows have a lasting quality which make them enviable homes for the family. Many cities across the country have actively encouraged the preservation and renovation of bungalows. Chicago, in reality, has a citywide initiative, the Historic Chicago Bungalow Association, to promote and strengthen the many bungalow areas in the city.

An interesting side note is that the term”bungalow” originated in India and has Hindi roots. It had been used to describe modest lodgings and later came to imply a one-story, detached home with a veranda.

CG&S Design-Build

Bungalows from the South and Southeastern parts of the United States are typically built of timber and heavily affected by the Craftsmen style. The massive front porch extends the living room out, and spacious, the elephant columns help the low sloping roof.

Groundwork, Ltd..

In the Chicago area and upper Midwest generally, bungalows were built long and narrow to fit long, narrow lots. Second-floor living spaces have been created beneath the roofs, with dormers added for natural light and air. The Chicago bungalow is mostly a brick construction with a solidity that befits the”city of the big shoulders.”

Madson Design

Whether a century old, West Coast bungalows are typically built of timber and determined by the Arts and Crafts and Craftsmen styles. All these bungalows have front porches supplying outdoor living room for the milder climate.

Paul Moon Design

Another West Coast bungalow affected by the Craftsman style is, like the Chicago bungalow we observed before, long and thin to fit a narrow lot. The tiny front porch roof is supported by elephant columns.

Lisa Lucas Design

Bungalows integrated the open floor plan which was becoming popular early in the 20th century. The living and dining rooms, traditionally divided by a complete wall, were beginning to be combined with only a lot of woodwork between the two.

Bud Dietrich, AIA

Though initially meant to be modest homes, it wasn’t long until bungalows became quite large. Even at a larger scale, bungalows more frequently than not rely on Arts and Crafts and Craftsman aesthetics.

Harvest Architecture, LLC

Bungalow living rooms are generally anchored by a large fireplace teeming with built-in shelving and cabinetry. These fireplaces could be brick, stone or faced with a decorative tile to add colour and interest to the living room. In the early days, these fireplaces supplied heat, hearth and entertainment center all in one. They were the genuine center of their bungalow home.

Goforth Gill Architects

Original bungalow kitchens were usually plain and small. Subsequent renovation and remodeling has created kitchens which accommodate today’s lifestyles. Craftsman details, stained wood trim and cabinetry with the look and texture of furniture keeps the classic quality of the home.

Maughan Design & Remodel

Bungalows are about using space effectively. So breakfast nooks would be the norm.

Morava Glass Studio

Bungalows frequently have a richness of detail though, for the most part, a bungalow started as a home for people of small means. Art glass windows are a staple in several bungalows.

Goforth Gill Architects

The normal one-bath bungalow has been, like everything else in a bungalow, little and consisted of bathtub, sink and toilet. Today these bathrooms, even when kept to their original footprint, can be made special with built-ins and tasteful finishes.

Kitchen & Bath Design Center

The reduced ceiling, canted walls and chance for built-ins creates the upstairs (attic) rooms in a bungalow quite appealing.

Do you Reside in a bungalow? Tell us about it below!

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