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Home & Interior Design books:
Bungalows: Design Ideas for Renovating, Remodeling, and Building New (Updating Classic America)

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Disappointing -
I didn't find the book to be helpful or even enjoyable. Little to no information about transitioning an older Bungalow as I had understood the book would contain.

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inspirational, if not particularly informative -
This book is richly illustrated with plenty of photographs of updated bungalows from several styles ranging from the simple Midwestern houses made to be affordable in their day, to modern, contemporary West Coast bungalows.
Where I found the book somewhat lacking was in the area of detailing before and after transformations of existing bungalows. Given the title, I would've expected more information about specific remodeling and renovation projects, with plenty of photos detailing "before", "during" and "after" the remodeling phases. There's very, very little of that in this book. The majority of the photos and scant floorplans dwell primarily with the finished project, though there are a very few that indicate what the owner started with. If you're looking for project specific guidance for rennovating or building your bungalow, this may not be the best choice. Still, the finished photos and supplemental text are inspiring. I would recommend this book with caution, based on the idea that it should likely be only one of many books in a modest library on period architecture upfitting.

Call it four and a half stars -
The authors of this book do a very good job of highlighting the bungalow's unique traits and then showing inspirational bungalow renovations. Early pages give the requisite definitions of what makes a bungalow, but I was most impressed by the middle three chapters: "Remodeling Inside the Walls"; "Beyond the Walls"; and "Brand New Bungalows". It is here that the authors challenge you to update your bungalow without losing any of the home's original character (or build anew with the same overall goal of classic home character).

As any bungalow fan knows, there are three definite "branches" to the bungalow tree: in the Eastern U.S. craftsman bungalows rule, in the Midwest you find prairie styles and simple Chicago bunghalows, and in the west you find mission styles and the Greene and Greene influenced California bungalows. Being from the Midwest, I found this book especially compelling because so many of the example houses illustrated in the book are from my part of the country. Thus if you are from the Midwest I recommend this book with 5 stars, otherwise I give it a 4.5.

Updating Classic American Bungalows is a must read for anyone who owns, lives in, or loves the bungalow style of architecture.

Highly recommended!

More good ideas for bungalites -
The authors confess early on in this beautifully illustrated book that they are themselves bungalow-owners and -dwellers, which makes them automatically sympathetic to the situation of the novice who finds himself with a fixer-upper or a house that needs a new kitchen, more storage, or just more space. And they tell, in a very practical way, how to go about creating what you need. Quite apart from the many beautiful full-color photos, they offer plenty of really vital information. "With the right architect, a radical overhaul can be sensitively done...[integrating] many of the interior details that people love about their bungalows," they say. "A potential side benefit of [renovating one's attic] is that [its slanted knee walls] may mean [it] isn't legally a room at all and therefore not taxed as a bedroom. Check to see if your local ordinance states that if more than a certain percentage of a room's walls are sloping, it is exempt from full taxation." (This is something that would never have occurred to me!) "As real estate values escalate, you may find that the lot is more valuable than the house itself. That, in turn, can make it difficult to get a mortgage on a 900-sq.-ft. house. But if you apply for a loan with a proposal to add on, you may have a better chance of getting financing...Look at the local ordinances covering setback and height requirements and limits on the percentage of the site that can be built on...You also have a chance to address any shortcomings your lot [yard] may have..." Team this volume with Treena Crochet's Bungalow Style: Creating Classic Interiors in Your Arts and Crafts Homeand Diane Maddex's Bungalow Nation (see my reviews) and you'll have a core shelf that will help you understand, appreciate, and sensitively update your bungalow.

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The Title Says it All... -
This book is called UPDATING Bungalows! Amazon is a wonderful resource because you can browse pages before you buy. This book should not be a disappointment for those who are paying attention.

I am now the proud owner of a 1922 California Bungalow. I have no illusions that this was the tract home of its day (I have found 4 others exactly like it in my neighborhood). This book embraces the ideals of the bungalow and the intent of the lifestyle completely. Not all of us can live in rarified homes in Pasadena or Chicago, and a strict period restoration with Stickley furnishings may not be practical for our lives in the 21st century. This book is about UPDATING what you have to balance the traditional Craftsman aesthetic with modern sensibilities.

For those who are hard core Craftsman enthusiasts bent on a period correct restoration, this is not the book for you. If you live in the modern world but respect the ideals of the era, check this out. There are plenty of good ideas, and a few photos of loving restorations too.