Bungalow Nation [Hardcover]

Diane Maddex (Author), Alexander Vertikoff (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 2003

In "Bungalow Nation", Maddex and Vertikoff follow up their publication of "American Bungalow Style", taking readers into a selection of the most characteristic bungalows from five of America's most bungalow-plentiful neighbourhoods: Washington DC, Chicago, Seattle, Minneapolis and Pasadena. The book tells the stories of homeowners who are reviving these houses and the neighbourhoods the bungalows have long enriched.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Built mostly during the first quarter of the 20th century, bungalows have been experiencing a kind of renaissance amongst today's homeowners-especially the first-timers. In this celebration of the architectural form, Maddex (American Bungalow Style) visits 75 bungalows throughout the country, including L.A., Seattle, Chicago and D.C. Hers is a warmly told history, which guides the reader from neighborhood to neighborhood and introduces them to the bungalow's many architectural styles-from Federal to Arts & Craft to Spanish. She explains that bungalows were originally "designed for California's outdoor lifestyle," but eventually, "Sears, Montgomery Ward, Aladdin, Gordon Van-Tine, Lewis Homes and others all made bungalows a mainstay among their ready-to-assemble houses." In subsequent chapters, she explores the better-known bungalow architects, such as California's Ellsworth Storey and Seattle's Willatsen and Byrne. Beautiful photos by Vertikoff enable the reader to fully experience the quaint charm of the bungalow exterior, and the warmth of the its wood-detailed interiors and light-filled kitchen nooks.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Diane Maddex, formerly the director of the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Preservation Press, is the president of Archetype Press and the author of numerous award-winning books on the American home. Maddex resides in Fenwick Island, Delaware. Alexander Vertikoff's award-winning photographs have been the basis for numerous books. He is a regular contributor to American Bungalow magazine. Vertikoff resides in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams (December 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810946289
• ISBN-13: 978-0810946286
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 9.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #829,802 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Love affair with the bungalow, December 20, 2003

By 

Peggy Vincent "author and reader" (Oakland, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bungalow Nation (Hardcover)

I live in a California Craftsman bungalow and therefore gravitated immediately to this book when I saw it in Builders Booksource in Berkeley, CA. It's absolutely lovely: the story of 75 bungalows in LA, Seattle, Chicago, DC, and Minneapolis. I was surprised that Berkeley wasn't included, but the homes shows epitomize America's love affair with these cozy, well-built structures. Included are features on porches, fireplaces, numerous built-ins, furnishings, landscaping, and interior/exterior decoration. You'll love this book, as I do.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars truly lovely homage to the American bungalow, August 7, 2004

By 

F. Orion Pozo "Orion Pozo" (Raleigh, NC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bungalow Nation (Hardcover)

Bungalow Nation is a truly sumptuous and detailed look at American bungalows.With color pictures on every page, this book is a wonderful balance of text and graphics. The author's text and the photographs by Alexander Vertikoff together present a well-rounded introduction to bungalow style through brief looks at over 75 specific examples of bungalow architecture.

In a chapter called "In The Land Of The Bungalow" the book starts with a brief history of the origins and growth of the architectural style and its place in American history. This chapter is followed by brief treatments of specific aspects of bungalow style: the outside, porches, the inside, fireplaces, built-ins, and furnishings.

Then the author and photographer take us to five different cities to look at examples of bungalows in each. Sample bungalows in Los Angeles, Seattle, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Chicago and Washington DC are highlighted in two to four page spreads. Each house has a description and history of the house and some information on the current owners. This is followed by some photographs of specific features with captions describing each.

The book ends with a bibliography and lists of organizations and architects in each of the five areas highlighted.

This is a lovely book. The bugalows are beautifully photographed. The endpapers are sheet music for the song "In The Land Of the Bungalow" by George F. Devereaux. The cover has a color print of a crewel embroidery of dragonflies. It is a labor of love that is a delight to read and a treat to the eyes. If you love bungalows, this is the book for you.

I got this book because I am planning to remodel the kitchen and bath of my 1930 bungalow and was looking for ways to do so while retaining the original integrity of the house. This book has given me the ideas I need to move forward with confidence.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Homes to Emulate, April 6, 2006

By 

K. S. Karshna (Minneapolis, MN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bungalow Nation (Hardcover)

When I bought a 1920's bungalow a year ago, I checked out every arts and crafts and bungalow book I could get my hands on. This one rose to the top. Perhaps I'm a little biased because a good portion of the homes featured in the book are located in the Twin Cities, where I live. But the thing I really like about Bungalow Nation, besides the lovely quality of the photograhps, is that it provides excellent inspiration for the interior decoration of arts and crafts style homes.

If you have a bungalow, or just love the style, you will adore this book.