Beautify Bungalows

Nearly 75 years after the bungalow building boom, many of these houses are in need of renovation. In Chicago alone, more than 95,000 bungalows with 290,000 residential units were built between 1920 and 1929. With its brick construction, rectangular shape, low-pitched roof with overhang, full basement, and generous windows, the Chicago Bungalow, as it came to be known, was a variant of the bungalows being built throughout the nation between 1908 and 1939.

To guide bungalow remodeling, the Historic Chicago Bungalow Association offers suggestions for maintaining the architectural integrity of these houses. For example, remodelers should restore or attempt to recreate art-glass windows. For the complete list of dos and don’ts, visit www.chicagobungalow.org for the design guidelines and many links to other useful bungalow sites.