Bungalow Nation

I love craftsman bungalows. I love the open floor plans, the overhanging eaves with the knee braces, the porches with the pillars, the classic bungalow interior wall with a fireplace flanked by windows and built-in bookcases, the nooks and crannies, the stained glass, wood, stone and tile work, the sconces and the chandeliers. What’s not to love?

And fortunately, I don’t have to go to California to see them, as Seattle is a hotbed of the bungalow style. To realize this, you only have to take a drive or a home tour of Wallingford or Ravenna or Montlake, or hit the Sunday paper real estate section for open houses of bungalows for sale.

For those of you into bungalows, Historic Seattle is hosting their 11th annual Bungalow Fair on September 27-28 at Town Hall Seattle at 1119 8th Avenue. This is a great opportunity for you to learn about and ask questions to experts about early twentieth century architecture and Arts & Crafts period furniture and decoration. The event includes a variety of lectures, as well as a show and sale of antiques and new work by 50 leading craftspeople in metal, tile, glass, textiles, ceramics, and lighting. Don’t be surprised if all of this information and all of those goodies inspire you to start that bungalow renovation project you’ve been dreaming about.

One of the premiere publications about bungalows – Bungalow Magazine – was published right here in Seattle from 1912 to 1918, and you can see all of the back issues at the Central Library. The Central Library also has issues of the current magazine American Bungalow from 1991.

Your Seattle library also offers many books about bungalow architecture and Arts & Crafts interiors.

The Arts and Crafts Movement in the Pacific Northwest by Lawrence Kreisman and Glenn Mason sets the stage locally, with beautiful illustrations and period resources explaining the ideals and the legacy of the many architects and craftsmen who worked here. Bungalow Nation by Diane Maddex extends the focus by introducing bungalows from five cities around the United States where they flourished, including Seattle and Pasadena.

Books looking at the variety of styles and features which have defined the bungalow over time include Bungalow: the Ultimate Arts & Crafts Home by Jane Powell and Linda Svendsen, The Bungalow: America’s Arts and Crafts Home by Paul Duchscherer, and American Bungalow Style by Robert Winter.

And for those inspired by the Bungalow Fair, there are several books to guide people planning to renovate or remodel their bungalows or incorporate bungalow features into more modern homes, including Bungalows: Design Ideas for Renovating, Remodeling, and Building New by M. Caren Connolly and Louis Wasserman, Along Bungalow Lines: Creating an Arts & Crafts Home by Paul Duchscherer, and Bungalow Style: Creating Classic Interiors in Your Arts and Crafts Home by Treena Crochet.

So here’s a shout out to all of you Seattleites living in bungalows, or wishing for an Arts & Crafts haven of your own. Tell us what are your favorite bungalow features or Arts & Crafts items, or where your favorite local bungalow is located, or who is your favorite craftsperson to help outfit a bungalow. And I’ll see you at the Bungalow Fair.

~posted by Tom M.