What is a Bungalow?  A Bungalow is a one- or one-and-a-half story dwelling in a style that was first developed in India, with low sweeping lines and a wide verandah.  Bungalows feature prominent roofs with expansive overhangs, often supported by substantial brackets and columns.  A Bungalow’s low profile and strong horizontal aesthetic encourage visual connection to the landscape.  This characteristic is strengthened by the large front porch and by interior spaces that visually bring the outside in. 

The Arts & Crafts emphasis on natural materials resulted in Bungalows built with local and regional materials – stone and brick exteriors with large fireplaces and enclosed porches in colder climates and plank, shingle and stucco exteriors with generous porches and outdoor living spaces in warmer climes.  On the inside, Bungalows are efficiently organized, with flowing interior spaces, generous built-in cabinets, inglenooks, window seats, fewer but larger rooms, an emphasis on natural materials and an abundance of natural light.  

Bungalows are more than houses; they are a way of life.  The Bungalow style is heavily influenced by the Arts & Crafts Movement.  In the 1850s, William Morris and others were looking for values of simplicity and directness in response to the negative impact of the industrial revolution on social order and the methods of building.  Morris and his followers adopted the simple joys of English vernacular forms and encouraged the use of local crafts and materials in residential construction.  Today, homeowners are again seeking simplicity, honesty and necessity. They are discovering that these values are manifested in Bungalows, and that this quality enriches their daily lives. 

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Bungalows and the Arts & Crafts Movement can inspire renovations, remodels and construction of wonderful homes and buildings of all styles.  

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