Bungalow Designs
from the Historic American Building Survey
Inspired by designs
published by Gustav Stickley's magazine The Craftsman,
Americans fell in love with bungalows in the early 1900s. Before
World War II, thousands were built in all parts of the US and
Canada.
According to the
Library of Congress, typical design features include:
- a low
profile of one or one-and-a-half stories
- a
low-pitched roof which has widely overhanging gables or
eaves with decorative braces
- the gables
often form a porch with square columns or heavy battered
piers, so the porch is included under the same low,
overhanging roof as the main house
- the presence
of built-in cabinets, shelves, and seating
- the emphasis
on the natural quality of materials such as wood
The Library of
Congress list of bungalow designs, shown in photos and measured
drawings, includes forty homes in twelve different states.
Although most of the designs are classic American bungalows that
include most of the features mentioned above, some are quite
different. Samples of adobe, Mission Style and vernacular
cottages show how bungalow features were included in many home
styles.
Check out the
extensive bibliography for sources of reprints of Bungalow and
Craftsman style home plan and home kit catalogs, and for
interesting websites that focus on American bungalows.
The Historic
American Building Survey is a joint effort of the Library of
Congress and the National Park Service. Read more about their
efforts to preserve America's heritage by visiting their
website:
Built in America To learn
more about any of the designs listed here, search for it by its
card number. Then, explore the vast and ever-growing HABS
collection to view related building designs.
