Welcome to The Craftsman Bungalow!

Architectural and design topics focusing on historic restoration and landmark homes of the early 20th century, from the perspective of an Arts & Crafts, Craftsman and Bungalow Home Enthusiast.
Follow The Craftsman Bungalow on Facebook Email The Craftsman Bungalow Follow The Craftsman Bungalow on Facebook Follow The Craftsman Bungalow on Twitter Follow The Craftsman Bungalow on Facebook
Peek Inside: A Tropical Oasis Thrives At A Classic Portland Foursquare

Peek Inside: A Tropical Oasis Thrives At A Classic Portland Foursquare

Perhaps it was serendipitous that a internationally recognized horticulturist would end up living in a home that once belonged to a descendant of John Olmsted, the prominent landscape architect who designed countless parks and public spaces across the country.  But...
A Virtual Visit To "The Shire" From J.R.R. Tolkein's Lord of the Rings Trilogy

A Virtual Visit To “The Shire” From J.R.R. Tolkein’s Lord of the Rings Trilogy

Those of you who are fans of J.R.R. Tolkein and his work may recognize some of the images below from the Lord of the Rings films and most recently, The Hobbit.  Tolkien grew up in rural Western England around the...
The Craftsman Spotlight: Michael Stinnett And The Antique Piano Shop

The Craftsman Spotlight: Michael Stinnett And The Antique Piano Shop

Most people don’t typically associate pianos with the Arts & Crafts Movement, and for good reason.  Established piano makers of the late 1800s didn’t really see the Movement coming, and by the time they did, it wasn’t economical for them...
Remembering When We Listed Our Previous Bungalow In Portland For Sale

Remembering When We Listed Our Previous Bungalow In Portland For Sale

I’ve written about our previous home in Portland a few times – I bought it in 2004 and painstakingly restored it over the next 5 years that we lived there.  In 2010, when we moved to our current home in...
Photo Essay: Santa Barbara's Bungalow Haven and Amazing County Court House

Photo Essay: Santa Barbara’s Bungalow Haven and Amazing County Court House

With its rich history and sunny Mediterranean climate, Santa Barbara has been an immensely popular destination since being settled by Spanish Missionaries in the late 1700′s.  Following its annexation by the United States in 1846 after the Mexican-American War, Santa...
Origins of the Arts & Crafts Movement in America: The Roycroft Campus

Origins of the Arts & Crafts Movement in America: The Roycroft Campus

This week I traveled to Western New York State for business and while there I was able to spend some time in the Arts & Crafts artisan community of “Roycroft” in East Aurora, just outside of Buffalo.  The Roycroft Campus...
A Resurrection in New Orleans:  Restored Bungalows of the 9th Ward

A Resurrection in New Orleans: Restored Bungalows of the 9th Ward

Everyone remembers the heart-wrenching and tragic photos of Hurricane Katrina’s cataclysmic effect on New Orleans in 2005.  In the eight years since that calamitous storm, you may have moved on with your life and forgotten just how devastating the damage...
Where It All Began...

Where It All Began…

To understand what we were dealing with when we initially bought the house, let’s go back to late 2009… This is what the exterior looked like when we first moved in (we have since painted it).  I came to find...
Recent Articles From The Craftsman Bungalow
Reader Submission: Thoughtful Restoration Makes A Home "Smile" Again

Reader Submission: Thoughtful Restoration Makes A Home “Smile” Again

When Sandy Evans and her husband Richard Herbold purchased this handsome 1915 bungalow in Delmar, New York, it was about to turn 100 years old.  But on the inside, its previous owners had tried to re-imagine its interior as a contemporary, industrial space that more resembled a post-modern office building than a cozy, century-old residence. ...
The Sagamore Hotel, Part I: The History Of The Iconic Resort On New York’s Lake George

The Sagamore Hotel, Part I: The History Of The Iconic Resort On New York’s Lake George

Situated on its own island on the shores of pristine Lake George in the Adirondack Mountains of Eastern New York, The Sagamore Hotel has been welcoming guests from near and far for over 130 years.  But what many of those guests may not know, is that the luxurious historic hotel that sits on the property...
The Handcrafted "Blue Ribbon Hall" at Milwaukee's Historic Pabst Brewery

The Handcrafted “Blue Ribbon Hall” at Milwaukee’s Historic Pabst Brewery

From the late 1800’s until the mid-1940’s, Pabst Brewery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin was the largest brewer in America, and at times, the world.  Originally established in 1844 as the Best Brewery – named after its founder, Jacob Best – the name changed to Pabst in 1889 when Best’s son-in-law, Frederick Pabst, became majority stockholder in...
Photo Essay: Westwood Park, A Vast Bungalow Enclave in Victorian San Francisco

Photo Essay: Westwood Park, A Vast Bungalow Enclave in Victorian San Francisco

San Francisco is well known for its abundance of elegant Victorian architecture, but tucked away among the tens of thousands of Victorians, there exists a small enclave full of hundreds of charming bungalows.  Westwood Park, located just south of Mount Davidson, was originally a grove of tall eucalyptus trees – part of an old Mexican...
Bungalow Flashback: Finding and Restoring Our Dream Home

Bungalow Flashback: Finding and Restoring Our Dream Home

After completing the restoration of our first home, we knew that at some point in the not-too-distant future, we would be starting a family.  With that in mind, we quickly came to the realization that while our home had served us very well for the previous 5 years, a growing family would need more room...
A Hidden Oasis: Hawaii's Historic Manoa Valley Inn Bed & Breakfast

A Hidden Oasis: Hawaii’s Historic Manoa Valley Inn Bed & Breakfast

I was fortunate to recently travel to Hawaii for business and while looking for a place to stay – away from the hustle and bustle of tourist-packed Waikiki – I was thrilled when I came across the beautiful Manoa Valley Inn. Originally built in 1915 by an Iowa lumber baron named Milton Moore, the house...
Where It All Began...

Where It All Began…

To understand what we were dealing with when we initially bought the house, let’s go back to late 2009… This is what the exterior looked like when we first moved in (we have since painted it).  I came to find out later that the house had been for sale earlier in 2009 through a realtor,...
Frank Lloyd Wright's Frederick C. Robie House: A Prairie Masterpiece

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Frederick C. Robie House: A Prairie Masterpiece

When Frederick Robie commissioned Frank Lloyd Wright to design a home for him and his growing family in 1908, neither man knew that the home’s iconic design would become the celebrated jewel that it is today.  Considered by many architectural scholars to be one of the most influential and important residential designs of the 20th...
The Craftsman Spotlight:  Untold LA: A First Hand Look at The Rebirth of West Adams

The Craftsman Spotlight: Untold LA: A First Hand Look at The Rebirth of West Adams

When photographer Jett Loe came to Los Angeles in 2012 in search of a home for he and his wife, he was amazed at what he found – hiding in plain sight.  Almost by accident, Loe stumbled upon West Adams, a once forgotten central Los Angeles enclave located halfway between Downtown LA and Santa Monica,...
The Architectural Heritage Center's 14th Annual Portland Kitchen Revival Tour

The Architectural Heritage Center’s 14th Annual Portland Kitchen Revival Tour

This past weekend was the Architectural Heritage Center’s Annual Kitchen Revival Tour.  Now in its 14th year, the tour showcases the efforts of Portland homeowners who have restored their home’s kitchens to its original glory.  Most of the homes featured were professional restored by local contractors who concentrate on period homes, however one home’s kitchen...
Bungalow Flashback: The Kitchen Restoration At Our Previous Bungalow

Bungalow Flashback: The Kitchen Restoration At Our Previous Bungalow

The bungalow that we’re currently restoring is actually the second bungalow restoration that we’ve undertaken.  Our first was a 1927 English Cottage style bungalow, also in Portland.  Below is a picture of the finished kitchen… The house was in overall good condition, and while the kitchen was functional, it was rather tired looking and in need...
Lake Placid Lodge: The Arts & Crafts Jewel of the Adirondacks

Lake Placid Lodge: The Arts & Crafts Jewel of the Adirondacks

The Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York have long been recognized for their rugged wilderness and unspoiled natural wonder.  There’s a peaceful sense of timelessness here – a feeling of quiet isolation that hearkens back to those early rustic days when frontiersmen settled here and built their cabins from the fabric of the land itself. ...
Photo Essay: Beach Bungalows (and Memories) on the Jersey Shore

Photo Essay: Beach Bungalows (and Memories) on the Jersey Shore

As far back as I can remember, my family has been vacationing on a beautifully quaint barrier island in New Jersey known as Long Beach Island, or simply LBI.  After spending a week or two there just about every summer from birth through my early teens, some of my fondest childhood memories occurred on the...
Memory Lane:  The Wilbur's House - The Heart of My Old Neighborhood

Memory Lane: The Wilbur’s House – The Heart of My Old Neighborhood

This past week we traveled cross-country to spend Thanksgiving with family, friends and neighbors in the rural New Jersey town I grew up in.  One of the many highlights of the week (in addition to celebrating my parents’ birthdays and their anniversary) was to spend some quality time with Carol Wilbur who lives in the...
A Portal to the Past on the Oregon Coast: American Bungalow Cover Article

A Portal to the Past on the Oregon Coast: American Bungalow Cover Article

I’m very excited that an article I wrote for American Bungalow magazine made the cover of the Winter 2013 Issue #80!  The article is about an amazing home on the Oregon Coast that sits on a secluded cove with panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, the rugged Oregon coastline and a 1920s-era bridge that was...
Tor House: The Handcrafted Stone Cottage of Poet Robinson Jeffers

Tor House: The Handcrafted Stone Cottage of Poet Robinson Jeffers

Some time ago,  we took a trip down the California Coast during which we explored some of the countless arts & crafts cottages in and around the oceanside artist community of Carmel. The highlight of our time there was getting to take a tour of Tor House – the handcrafted stone cottage of poet Robinson...
A Trip to Pasadena For Inspiration from the Masters: Greene & Greene

A Trip to Pasadena For Inspiration from the Masters: Greene & Greene

With all of the basic stuff done at our new house, the focus has shifted to the big stuff.  Our wishlist started with just remodeling the kitchen and bathrooms and building a new garage, but has quickly ballooned to include adding on a new master suite above the garage, as well as adding a second...
The Craftsman Spotlight: Asheville Tileworks

The Craftsman Spotlight: Asheville Tileworks

Diana Gillispie’s eye for design and acute attention to detail has made her a fixture in the Asheville, North Carolina art scene for more than three decades.  Having first moved to the area in 1978, she became one of the pioneering artists of Asheville’s River District when she started a small pottery studio with a...
The Harmony of  A Craftsman: American Bungalow Cover Article

The Harmony of A Craftsman: American Bungalow Cover Article

The Spring 2015 issue of American Bungalow magazine has just come out, and an article that I co-wrote made the cover!  The article, written in conjunction with Southern California-based writer Laszlo Remenyi, is about a truly unique recording studio (below and at left) built by film composer, record producer, and self-proclaimed ‘reformed rock musician,’ Richard...
Portland's 1883 Ladd Carriage House Gets Resurrected as "Raven & Rose"

Portland’s 1883 Ladd Carriage House Gets Resurrected as “Raven & Rose”

Although neither craftsman nor bungalow, the story behind the beautiful and historic Ladd Carriage House is a compelling one that I wanted to share. Today, it may seem a bit out of place among the modern high-rise buildings that surround it on a busy corner in downtown Portland, Oregon, but when it was built, the...
Peek Inside: A Tropical Oasis Thrives At A Classic Portland Foursquare

Peek Inside: A Tropical Oasis Thrives At A Classic Portland Foursquare

Perhaps it was serendipitous that a internationally recognized horticulturist would end up living in a home that once belonged to a descendant of John Olmsted, the prominent landscape architect who designed countless parks and public spaces across the country.  But that’s exactly what happened.  First moving to the property as a renter in 1995, Sean...
Photo Essay: The Eclectic Bungalows of Boise, Idaho

Photo Essay: The Eclectic Bungalows of Boise, Idaho

Boise, Idaho is tucked away in plain sight in America’s Inland Northwest, and although it’s often overlooked due to its relative isolation, Boise is a lovely town with a rich history of pioneers, agriculture, and of course, bungalows.  Boise’s bungalows run the gamut of all shapes, sizes, colors and styles, and were built from the...
Because She Loves The Things I Love

Because She Loves The Things I Love

A couple months ago, I traveled to Western New York and spent a couple nights at the beautiful Roycroft Inn in East Aurora, NY.  In the hotel lobby, they were selling chocolate bars made locally and packaged with labels that had a time-honored Elbert Hubbard quote on it.  Here’s a picture of the actual label:...
Greene & Greene's William T. Bolton House: A Journey of Restoration Through The Years

Greene & Greene’s William T. Bolton House: A Journey of Restoration Through The Years

The William T. Bolton House in Pasadena, California is a prime example of Charles and Henry Greene’s early emerging California Arts & Crafts aesthetic.  Taking its name from the prominent physician who commissioned it in 1906, the home predates Greene & Greene’s larger commissions – including the Gamble and Blacker houses – and introduces several more...
Frank Lloyd Wright's Oak Park, Illinois Designs: The Prairie Period 1900-1913

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Oak Park, Illinois Designs: The Prairie Period 1900-1913

This article is Part Two of a two part series highlighting the homes that Frank Lloyd Wright designed in Oak Park, Illinois during the years 1900 to 1913.  Part One focused on his transition to the Prairie Style and the Oak Park homes he designed from 1889-1899. During the years of 1889 to 1899, Frank Lloyd...
A Tale of Two Owners: American Bungalow Feature Article and Profile

A Tale of Two Owners: American Bungalow Feature Article and Profile

My latest two articles for American Bungalow magazine are in the current Summer 2014 issue!  The first article, entitled A Tale of Two Owners, chronicles the decade-long restoration by Steve and Deb Moskowitz of a grand 1909 craftsman home (below) in Portland’s historic Irvington neighborhood, and the subsequent passing of the torch to the home’s...
A Pilgrimage to The Gamble House: "The Ultimate Bungalow",  Part I: The Exterior

A Pilgrimage to The Gamble House: “The Ultimate Bungalow”, Part I: The Exterior

Recently I had the good fortune of traveling to Los Angeles for business, and while there I was able to fulfill a lifelong dream – making a pilgrimage to “The Ultimate Bungalow”: The Gamble House in Pasadena, California.  Designed in 1908 by the architectural firm of brothers Charles and Henry Greene, The Gamble House embodies...
The Annual Grove Park Inn National Arts & Crafts Conference in Asheville, NC

The Annual Grove Park Inn National Arts & Crafts Conference in Asheville, NC

Each February, the eyes of the Arts & Crafts community are focused on Asheville, North Carolina, and the upcoming 2020 edition marks the 33rd year of the National Arts & Crafts Conference at the Grove Park Inn. “It’s been a perfect match,” explains founder and author Bruce Johnson, himself an Arts & Crafts collector and...
Frank Lloyd Wright's Ross House Brought Back to Life

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Ross House Brought Back to Life

For a time, the Ross House was known by everyone who lived near it as simply “The Purple House.”  It had lilac trim on the windows, and there was an odd purple-ish addition that had been added to the front. It was an authentic Frank Lloyd Wright house, built in 1916, but its current state...
Defining The Craftsman Bungalow

Defining The Craftsman Bungalow

This is a great article by Patricia Poore that defines the traditional hallmarks and characteristics of craftsman bungalow homes.  It goes into specifics about interior and exterior design influences and the materials and construction details that distinguish the bungalow aesthetic from other architectural styles.  I have re-posted the opening of the article – to read...