A bungalow defined the good life

In California, the "Craftsman" style of 1900 to 1915 featured open, informal planning with the exterior of a simple rural cottage. While the idea was for a retreat to the countryside, it became the architectural style of urban and suburban areas.

Unique styles

The California Bungalow was an outgrowth of this with influences from several directions lending unique styles. California invited outdoor living with its warm climate and lack of rain. The craze really took off after 1900 along with an obsession with healthful living. The fad continued into the 1930s.

The pure "craftsman" featured heavy timbers and fine details with natural wood finishes. The look was sturdy, with heavy porch pillars and substantial looking beams. There was a "Japanesque" version with upturned eaves, influenced by increased travel and interest in pictures and things from Japan. There were also "Mission" and "Spanish Colonial" versions with stucco walls, tile accented roofs and arches for the windows or doors. The Spanish eclectic style expanded into a Mediterranean version with more Moorish details in peaked arches and glazed tile accents.

The Mission and Spanish versions were particularly popular, celebrating the romantic myth of California, no matter that it wasn't particularly accurate. A low roof and massive pillars supporting the verandah evoked the good life. The liberal use of windows made the garden a continuation of the home.

The houses often featured "built ins" that even included beds in some designs. They were intended to be cozy, sometimes with nooks near the fireplaces. Screened porches for open air summer sleeping were popular at that time, and were sometimes a feature of the bungalow. The word "bungalow" itself originated in India for the small cottages built there.

In all cases, the emphasis of line was horizontal, not vertical, with low roof lines. They were typically single story or one and a half story homes, although some more elegant multi-story versions were built. Plan books were published, and monthly magazines printed drawings and diagrams. You could mail in for a complete set of plans for $10.

Ready to assemble

Anyone could erect a bungalow. Some designers would even deliver all of the materials, precut and ready to assemble. These homes were intended for people of "modest means." First-time homeowners were often tradesmen who already had some skills in building. It was the start of our modern "do-it-yourself" concept.

This was also the first type of house used by builders to construct neighborhoods on speculation. Contractors could design them without the help of an architect, improvising on the finishing touches. Street after street of bungalows could be erected and then sold at $100 down and $25 per month. This was a step toward tract homes. The cost to build a bungalow could be as low as $900, but the average was closer to $3,500.

Many of these houses were built in San Mateo County, as this time frame coincided with the post 1906 earthquake development of several of our cities. Over the years some have been modified, and many have been replaced. These homes can still be found, but the prices have gone up. Just a bit.

Rediscovering the Peninsula appears in the Monday edition of the Daily Journal. For more information on this or related topics, visit the San Mateo County History Museum, 777 Hamilton St., Redwood City.