Hello Bungalow fans.

My wife and I are purchasing our first home and my research led me here. I have enjoyed looking at pix of people's nice homes and hearing their stories, so I will share mine.

After years of renting, the addition of a new member to the family helped my wife and I decide to buy. We have been renting a loft in a Victorian home for years in this small North/west Illinois city so we were most interested in buying a Queen Ann or a large four-square.

But nothing available was quite what we wanted. A nice Bungalow entered the market but I was afraid it was too small for our needs. We had looked at prior Bungalows and they were to cramped.

But we ended up falling in love and buying this one. My early research led me to believe it was Chicago Style because of the brick but it lacks other "Chicago" features.

Here is front view:


Here is the drive:


The rear:


We just love the exterior. It is smaller lot and yard than we wanted. Before we found this we were moving on a Queen Ann with a large lot that the bank was eager to sell.

The interior is plain compared to many of the homes I have seen here. This is not American Craftsman since there are no buit-ins. There is no fire place.

Here are some interior shots;
Front entry to living room:


Dining room:


Perhaps the high shelving in the dining room shot is original built-in? I do not know yet. But it's very pretty. All the wood work seems to glow a soft yellow/gold when the natural light is right.

There are two bedrooms downstairs that look very similar to the prior interior shots. The kitchen, bedrooms, familyroom, bathroom, and stairs up all connect to an octogonal hallway area.

Stairs up and two rooms and one/half bath upstairs.

Here is upstairs room w/ bath to right through door:


We were looking for at least 2000 square foot and this is 1490 so we gave up some space. I am the product of split levels and split foyers so I wanted anything but. I had never noticed how nice these house are before. We haven't moved in yet but are very excited.

I enjoy your forum very much and look forward to learning about Bungalows.

You are right that it is not exactly a "Chicago" bungalow, but it is definitely a midwest sort of house, and a very nice one at that. I particularly like hte way the garage roof echos that of the house. Chicago bungalows tend to be narrow, but deep because of the narrow lots typical of the time. Your house looks to have more of a traditional bungalow layout. Brick bungalows are common throughout the midwest. Good luck.

What a pretty house! I love the landscaping, too. I agree with Greg about your home not being a true Chicago bungalow, but what you have is a bungalow nonetheless! Congrats!

Glad to meet you. I loved seeing the pics of your bungalow. It was especially interesting because the woodwork style around the windows, doors and floors is exactly like mine. However, I don't have the plate rail in the dining room (yet). Even your archway is like mine. I don't live too far from you. Do you know who built your house?

Love the house. May you find more than what you expect with your family there. I'm sure you all will enjoy and time will only reveal exciting possibilities and a new world of living.

Hi Lin,

I don't know who built it yet but once things quiet down and we get fully moved I am going to research the subject.

Thanks for the nice comments everybody.