I'm looking for some clues as to the style of my home. I realize that it isn't exactly a "bungalow" as it's larger than most - I suppose it would be considered a Four Square, Craftsman style. I'm in the middle of an interior rehab, mostly the kitchen (it had to be completely gutted, as it was re-done sometime in the late 70's/early 80's and was in awful condition to say the least, let alone completely outdated mechanically). Lots of original wood details remain, the interior seems to be a combination of Craftsman and possibly Victorian. We have it dated as of 1915 from the town, but possibly older?

Back of the house was expanded at some point - a small porch was enclosed and added to the kitchen and a powder room put in too.

Construction is stucco over terracotta. Not usual in New Jersey at all. In fact, quite unusual! There is also something odd in the basement, which we can't figure out what it was used for. It's not the coal shoot, something else, sort of a raised construction, sort of sloped forward from the wall, at the front area of the basement where there is a half moon window (hidden by the bushes, under the porch). We have a matching detached 2-car garage as well.

Thanks!

Bump?

Thanks!

As an architect who does restoration and preservation projects as well as researching house histories I must say I find this house quite unusual, You're right that is looks 4-square craftsman with a tad of Victorian given away by the two story bay window form. The river rock chimney is strongly bungalow without a doubt. There's a lovely entasis to the columns unless that's the photograph. There are some cement plaster/masonry houses with a half moon window near the ground plane that belong in the Prairie School movement. Perhaps you could send a photo of the weird projection thing - I'm not sure what you're describing but it sounds interesting.

OMG someone actually answered this! It's months later and I haven't checked this site in so long I forgot I posted this!

There is a convex curve to the columns. You are seeing that right. There is a slight "pyramid" shape to them. And, there is that half moon window at the bottom of the home, hidden by the large evergreens at basement level (which would be at the top of the ceiling at the front of the basement area) which is where the "construction" we can't figure out is. There is a coal shoot down there too. It's a shame it's so hidden as it's a wonderful feature however, we're not about to remove those bushes at the moment as they are in good health and it would cost a fortune to put in something else (and, I'm a big believer in saving what is there if it works - we're about to have them trimmed up and the bed widened to make room for some lower flowering items in front of them).

We've tried dating the house further, I found the 1915 Sanborn Maps online but, the house isn't listed on it - nor is it on the 1928 map either. However, this doesn't concern me too much since a lot of the homes in the area weren't on it. I found out that many smaller towns were not updated regularly; the map people only came out periodically so it's possible that the came in 1915 (which is when the town has it dated from) and didn't come back for many years.

The interior does seem to have a slight Victorian feel to it in some respects - almost as if the builder couldn't figure out which style they wanted. There are many inconsistencies; things which seem to have been hodge-podged together later on; like a door that was added in the living room to access port cochere. It makes no sense where it is, literally butting up against the fire place; and on the other side of the fireplace there is an old a/c unit where a window once had been. I suspect there was a matching window on the other side (which would have made sense) and one of the owners put in the door to the side (the door, is very old and the hardware is vaguely Victorian as is much of the hardware in the home). The walls are all plaster, stuccoed over downstairs completely. I have no idea when that was done or if it's original - I think not.

Someone added a small addition to the back; enclosed the little porch to make the kitchen larger and add a powder room, and add a closet off the dining room which now houses that and a our relocated powder room.

I'll try to remember to post some more pictures. I've never seen anything like it anywhere in NJ. It's quite unique and what made me fall in love with it. Of course, it's killing me financially also