Hello all,
My fiance and I are looking to purchase our first home soon. I have had a love of the bungalow since I discovered that my grandparents' house that I loved so much as a kid was, in fact, a Sears Kilbourne bungalow.
We are going to look at a home tonight and I am having a hard time figuring out by the exterior if it might in fact be a bungalow (it doesn't help that the photo on the realty web site is a little fuzzy). The house was built in 1928 and appears to be one-story, with a basement. It has two bedrooms and one bathroom, and an enclosed, three-season porch. It has a chimney on the back, but no mention of a fireplace in the listing. The notes at the end of the listing note the home's "beautiful woodwork," though there are no interior pictures provided on the site. The link to this home is: http://www.aperfecthouse.com/listings/410_2nd_st_cresco.htm
Any thoughts or opinions on this would be helpful! Thank you!

Hope you are enjoying the Lutheran capital of Iowa, beautiful town. I've seen lots of those all over Iowa, and I think they were commonly built during the Bungalow era--but they seem to be kind of "midwestern" in feel, and definitely don't have a lot of the exterior features that many Bungalows have. I'd say the inside will have to tell the story. I remember people calling these "railroad" houses in my home town in Iowa, because the Railroads built streets of these for their employees.

Kurt

I agree with the "midwestern" thing. Don't know what they are but would love anyone's opinion. My little city in West Central Wisconsin has dozens and dozens of houses that look just like this. Some of them do, indeed, have the wonderful woodwork of a bungalow inside, or more commonly the rounded arched doorways and occasional built-in that make me think of a more "tudoresque" kinda house than an arts and crafts type bungalow.

Anyone have a name for these houses?

-Amy V.-

My house in Mn is almost a perfect match, sans the closed in poarch (mine is open). THe more research I have done into it, I can't pinpoint exactly in research if it is a bungalow, however I am 100% convinced it is. It has an archway in the living room to the dining room, made of fur woodwork, the windows are all 1920's mission style esq and has a loft with a hidden staircase. I posted a photo awhile ago (its been a few years) of the house, and I am sure it is a bungalow, maybe not A and C (which is very frequently found here-specially craftsman), but a bungalow non-the less.

http://medcitybungalow.blogspot.com/

I find this to be a good answer when the "is this a Bungalow ?" question comes up.

Keep in mind that both Greene and Greene's Gamble House in Pasadena and a three-room vacation shack without plumbing were called bungalows. And they both affected what the typical year-round Bungalow would look like. The finest examples of Arts and Crafts handiwork found a place in the Bungalow-as did rustic furniture and grass matting.

From A&C Homes magazine

I read an article in this issue a while back - can't remember where of course. But I think the article called these types of houses construction bungalows. Basically, the gist of the article was that many houses were built to be like bungalows but without all the built-ins and extras that one would find in a classic bungalow. Other things were the same, such as floor plan, porch, hardwood floors, etc. - just missing the extras.

Thanks all for your comments. Just so you all know, we did end up purchasing this home yesterday. It is beautiful inside --well, simple but beautiful. It does have gorgeous, distinctive woodwork, though not as much of or as elaborate as perhaps a more traditional Arts and Crafts home might contain. Here are the details: The front door is solid wood (oak, I believe) with narrow panes of glass (two or three) extending in vertical lines down the front. The front door opens directly into the living room. There are wood floors (currently covered by carpet); solid wood windows with a double pane on top and a single at the bottom, and wooden door frames around each doorway (square). All the interior doors are wood, as well, and all have glass doorknobs. There are two built-ins: One closet in the livingroom, and a linen closet between the bathroom and the bedroom (also wood). The kitchen is small but has been remodeled to reflect a more current style. The kitchen features a stairway that leads to a walk-up attic. There is a chimney (brick) visible extending through the attic, but I don't know if this home ever had a fireplace. The kitchen also includes an entry to a full basement. The two small bedrooms and small bathroom are just off the dining room and kitchen.
The ceiling features tiles that appear to be embossed with some swirly design (they are white and look "puffy"-sort of like styrofoam, though I know that that's not what it is). I don't know if this is original...however, the living room and dining room each feature unusual lighting fixtures on the ceiling: A round, embossed, metal sphere (it appears heavy), with four small teardrop-size clear glass bulbs screwed into it. I've never seen a light fixture like this-I wonder if it might be original to the home (it looks like it could be from the 1920s,when this house was built). Currently, though, I have no idea. Anyone know what these sorts of lights might be and if they are typical to a particular style or era?
Oh-and the dining room door features some "cafe doors"-also wood, it looks like they might have been added later, but it's kind of fun, anyway...
So, there seem to be some Arts and Crafts influence: The living room to dining room to kitchen room configuration; the wood windows, divided top panes, built-ins and door frames; the bathroom and bedrooms being clustered on the other side of the home. It's a far cry from the very Bungalow-esque features of my grandparents' 1920s Sears home, but it still echoes elements of that style, which is good enough for me right now, considering it's our first home.
We will be moving in by Aug. 1. Meanwhile, we will close June 30 and will have a month in which to get the place ready to move into...I plan on removing the carpet in the living room and dining room to expose those beautiful wood floors-am thinking of painting the living room walls the "Ruskin Room Green" color in the Arts and Crafts brochure from Sherwin Williams...
Anyway, I'd appreciate further comments from all of you with respect to these new interior findings...any thoughts/ideas?

Thanks!

Yes, it is a bungalow. I live in Iowa too and I used to live in one almost exactly like it for six years that was built in 1926. This year I moved to a 1920 bungalow that has more of the traditional craftsman features, such as a fireplace and colonades with bookshelves between the living room and the dining room. From the reading I've done about housing, the mid to late 20's seem to be a time of transition away from the "craftsman" features such as built-ins, wood paneling, and fireplaces and towards a lighter, more simple style with plain plaster walls . The popularity of the colonial revival style was a big influence at the time.

I think your light fixtures are probably original. They sound like a kind of colonial revival or art deco fixture that was popular in the late 20's and early 30's. If you go the the Rejuvenation Lighting website and look at their antique fixtures, the colonial revival and historic revival categories have fixtures that seem similar to your description.

I'm sure you'll enjoy your house. Houses from the 20's were very well built and have a lot of charm. I've been very happy with the two that I've lived in.

Carlyn

Flaxenfire,

Sorry I missed the change to welcome another Iowan when you posted originally. At this rate we will soon outnumber the Californians! (who are really just the offspring of a bunch of transplanted Iowans anyway)

Your house looks very nice. I painted our library/music room Ruskin green last year and we're very happy with the color.

And while others will laugh in disbelief, the "little Switzerland" area in which you will be living is gorgeous, and hilly! I've biked through there on RAGBRAI several times.