Bungalow Basics

Book excerpt: Set almost invariably in a lush garden, the early-twentieth-century bungalow allowed countless suburbanites to get "back to nature" without leaving the cozy confines of their own property. The bungalow front porch epitomized the indoor-outdoor lifestyle associated with this popular new form of housing. Furnished as an extension of the adjoining living room, it offered a comfortable spot from which to enjoy unimpeded views of the surrounding landscape. Because the front porch typically defined a home's street presence-providing what realtors refer to as "curb appeal"-it also represented one of the most distinctive features of bungalow architecture. Bungalow Basics: Porches examines both the social history and the design characteristics of bungalow porches, with dozens of resplendent, flower-filled photographs and rare illustrations from period publications.