What exactly is a bungalow?

The bungalow was the most prevalent type of new home construction in this country from about 1905 to 1930. It was a product of the Arts and Crafts Movement and encompassed its philosophical, political, and social ideals. It meant simple, affordable, comfortable homes crafted by artisans and integrated with the natural environment. It was the American dream of owning a home with a little garden in the back, safely away from the city.

Here are some definitions from "Bungalow" by Jan Cigliano.

First, a bungalow is modest in overall size and scale. It is one or one-and-a-half story, low to the ground in appearance with dormers, deep roof overhangs and wide eaves. It usually has a porch across the façade that is integral to the house. The exterior may be of different materials and often uses local products. Several bungalows in Montrose, for instance, are built with yellow brick produced by Delta Brick. The interiors use a lot of natural wood and feature built-ins such as bookcases and china cabinets. Colors and themes are related to nature.

The kitchen had room for my mother's white baker's cabinet with its flour bin. I remember the smell of dough rising in the big yellow bowl on the black linoleum counter. We had one of those old tables with a porcelain metal top. My sister remembers turning quietly from the table and depositing her vitamin pill into the keyhole of the basement door behind her. We often wonder, if anyone ever took this door apart, what would they think?

Mother had a wringer washer in the kitchen. She would skim off the suds and toss them out to us to chase around in the back yard. I remember my father answering the phone at the desk next to the stairs in the front hall. I remember the dark woodwork and the ugly peach wallpaper going up the stairs.

So, what is the revival of interest in bungalows all about? Nostalgia? Some say it is a return to the original idea of comfortable, affordable, well-crafted homes. Some say it is a retreat to the times when the world seemed a little safer. At any rate, across the country, there is a new enthusiasm for bungalows. It is evidenced in the number of books that keep coming out.

Jane Powell has written several books on the subject. There are Bungalow: The Ultimate Arts and Crafts Home, and specialty books like Bungalow Kitchens, Bungalow Bathrooms, and Details: Exterior - all with wonderful photographs by Linda Svendsen. While Powell is a purist as far as restoration is concerned, she always offers two paths to follow: "Obsessive Restoration" or "Compromise Solution."

Taunton Press has a series of books called Updating Classic America, and Bungalows by M. Caren Connolly and Louis Wasserman is one of them. Treena Crochet has a brand-new book called Bungalow Style. Christian and Christen Gladu have published a book called Bungalow Plans which features new bungalows. There are local bungalow associations and even American Bungalow magazine.

I have these books and more because I am a bungalow nut. All of them talk about and picture the wonderful craftsmanship that went into these homes. Today's homes may have grand rooms with soaring ceilings, but you could not call them cozy or affordable.

I will be devoting my monthly columns to classic styles of houses in the Montrose area. Since the bungalow happens to be my personal favorite, I'll start with local examples next month. There are many different styles of houses in the area, and I would like to write about as many as possible. I would like to talk about how you feel about living in your home. If you have a classic home and would like to be part of this series, please contact me at the number below.

Published in The Monitor, Montrose, CO, April, 2005. Copyright © 2005 by Pat Allin