The Search for Home: The Bungalow

This is a house that's been on my list for over 2 years & it's gone down over $120,000 since I've had my sights on it. (Funny how in-demand my favorites are, right?!! ;) It's a bungalow built in 1911, is in the same town my husband works & is about 20 minutes away from my family (parents & grandparents) & where we'd like to be. It's situated on half an acre (wahoo!!!) is I LOVE IT. Below is more how I imagine it would look if I could get my hands on it:
Here is the living room (below) which is really tiny & I would definitely want to knock the right wall down (which is a bedroom) & have it expand the width of the house. How gorgeous are the floors?!! 10 foot ceilings and all of the original details!!! Floor to ceiling windows!! It's been in the same family all of this time.

Here's another view of the living room:

Here's the adorable vintage bathroom with the original fixtures, most of which I would keep:
Love the tub but would have to go with those wraparound clawfoot rods for function:
Here is the dining room & this is the room that does it for me. I LOVE those uper windows & al the woodwork. Although I have to admit that bungalow-lovers would probably hate the crime I would have to do to this house: It would go white... da-da-da-dun! It owuld just have to. sorry.
Here's the kitchen which is situated in the back of the house. It's prettyold, but I think would be pretty easy to fix up.


I'd want it to feel something like this, below (This is maybe my FAVORITE kitchen ever... you will see it again ;) the wall of windows is on my kitchen wishlist.)-- country living


Upstairs there's this little room: A child would go here since they're little people ;) ;) hahaha but seriously I think it's a really cool room even though it's short. The eventual plan would be to put an additon on the house to get it more liveable space-wise.


There are 2 bedrooms on the main level which I would eventually want to open up into living space (once an addition went on.) I drew the floorplans for the addition this past summer & have that all planned out but won't bore you with it.
And finally, here is the awesome screened-in shed:

I think I would want to do something like this (country living) to it:

Isn't that just one of the best little secret spaces you've ever seen?!!! I just want to be there right now. really. They added glass to an old potting shed & I think this would work out with the structure on the property:

How beautiful?!!!!Anyway, my husband says this house is a no-go & I've been working on him for a long time with this one & he isn't budging. He won't go for the neighborhood. :(

32 comments:

Fargerike Dagny said...

I LOVE IT! How can that beautiful house be in the wrong neighborhood? And your plans are to die for! Both Indie and I are feeling a lot better today, but mr b is sooo sick.

Things That Inspire said...

This house has so much potential, and is pretty great as is! I am curious about the neighborhood. What is the problem?

You know what they say...location, location, location. It is better to have an average house in a great location than a great house in a bad location.

Thank you so much for taking us along on your house hunt! I love it.
I adore your dream kitchen - I have saved that to my inspiration files. I dream of having a kitchen with a huge window across the back, like the one in this post! I don't even need to have a big kitchen, just one that is filled with light.

Anonymous said...

oh its soo charming!

KM said...

Work on him some more! As long as it's not a totally unsafe neighborhood then keep working on him. Wouldn't want Jr. to be in harms way. But I love it. I have those same images saved for myself! I died over that little glass greenhouse when I got my CL. LOVE IT!

Anonymous said...

take it take it take it.......it is just adorable.

MFAMB said...

love it! all of it. hope you can get it.

Anonymous said...

Keep working on him! I think you've got great ideas for that little place - and to have a yard like that, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

Dianne said...

Sweetie, it's all about LOCATION!!!!! Listen to your husband.

No.35style said...

oh love that! the floors, tall ceilings, BATHROOM FIXTURES!! and you will need to get one of those industrial lights like on my blog for the outside of that darling shed!

Anonymous said...

Oh, this bungalow is lovely! It's funny how husbands are so determined about location. I found an AMAZING bungalow last week only 15 blocks north of our desired area but my husband won't budge either.

Good luck with your search.

Kylie of Bandelle
xxx

High-Heeled Foot in the door said...

Oh my! I LOVE it!!!!! A craftsman bungalow has always been on the top of my list for a must have house. There are very few of them on LI so it's really hard to get one so as you know we ended up going a different way, but oh how I love them. It's the main reason why I watch you, me and dupree. I love the house they live in. My kitchen is even modeled after their kitchen.

How are the schools there? Could the area be up and coming. Come on we must think of something to get Dave on board!

Anonymous said...

Oh my God, first of all that potting shed is the cutest thing I think I have ever seen in my life. Second, a $120k price cut? I think you need to work on the husband some more. Really.

Susan S said...

This bungalow is so well preserved that, if money were no object, it should be moved! What a shame. You've got me crying.

Susan

LindsB said...

Wow, I LOVE this one- those floors, the wood, the windows, everything! The house has so much character, and I know after you got your hands on it, it would be AH-Mazing!!

Booo hiss to the husband for saying no- keep working on him!

Sarah Ring said...

Hubby & I are also on our way to a little 50's bungalow! These images are very inspiring!

Linda@ Lime in the Coconut said...

THIS one is even more of a beaut! But wrong 'hood eh? Is it changing? Does the price reflect a wrong 'hood price?

Everything about it is so lovely! (and...for what it's worth...I hear ya on painting the DR...shhhhh)

Porchlight Interiors said...

Oh Lauren, Shame you can't go for it. Husbands always crush our dreams. Actually, I'm pretty lucky, my husband is a dreamer like me!
Amazing potential. You have great ideas. Sounds like you already own it! Hayley

Velvet and Linen said...

This home is so charming. You have a very beautiful clear vision of what you want to do with it.
However, your husband has a point. The location of your home is key. It becomes even more important when you have children.

You may be getting a little frustrated, but I am enjoying your search!

xo
Brooke

Lauren said...

you are all so right- LOVE the house but location is important- of not the most important thing. (And of course so is my husband's piece of mind!!! :) It'S not atually in a bad neighborhood itself, but is too close to one, he thinks. Don't worry, we've got our sights on something else right now!!! (until we find out whatever it is we usually find out that keeps us from buying!! haha)
xoxo,
lauren

Unknown said...

What a cute house! But husband is right. Neighborhood really is everything, especially in this market. I'm sure another beauty will come around.

Unknown said...

I love the draped veranda in the second picture. It reminds me of my recent visit to The Viceroy Palm Springs where all the verandas were draped.

Nicki's Notebook said...

thats like my ideal home right there!

x

Maria Killam said...

OMG I love that house, and I simply adore the way you've shown what you would do! That wainscoting is just begging to be painted (that's funny I need that picture for the post I just wrote today :).
You are so talented!

My Galveston Cottage said...

My husband and I were just talking about putting a yoga/garden room on our property near our home. Hope you don't mind but I may take some of your inspirational shots as my own. (smile) Thanks for sharing and good luck with the house hunt. It will all come together! Come see me again. best, -susan

Windlost said...

Lauren, I love this house too, with all its unique features. What is wrong with the neighborhood, or is it still too expensive?

You have so much creativity, you will make anything beautiful. Just remember that life is a progression and that even if you don't get the house of your dreams this time, you are young and with time, you will move along to more beautiful homes. Enjoy and savor the process even if you have to settle a little. You will make it HOME and it will be perfect.

Good luck. I love the house tours...

Terri xox

Room Service ~ Decorating 101 said...

lauren, this home has so much charm, I would love to see what you could do with it. Did you read my "house tales" post? I thought of you while I was writing that post...

erin said...

ok, this is my fav of the houses so far. it is charming, has integrity, a style of it's own... the list goes on... but I have to agree with your hubs and the old saying 'Location Location Location' it is true. Deep down do you feel the same? Do you love the house so much you are not being honest about the area, or is it really ok with you? If so then try til you can't anymore to show your hubby what you see, not only in the house, but in the area. Good Luck! This is so fun following your hunt.

pve design said...

love this, but as a happy wife, a marriage and a home are all about give and take. We looked so long and I cried thinking we would never ever find our home, but we did! I wish you happiness where ever you make your home.
pve

DesignTies said...

Lauren - bungalows like this are favourites of mine! But I'm glad to read that you and your hubby have another house in your sites. I've actually been thinking about you and your house search, wondering how it's going. Looking forward to seeing pics of your next option... and perhaps purchase?!
Victoria from EdinDesign @ DesignTies

Anonymous said...

OMG I love that house! hope all is well! we need to plan a trip to come and see you! xoxox
Eddie

Whitney said...

OMG I love that kitchen and that little house and the bucket of hydrangeas and the end table and chair...I LOVE IT ALL! I am saving this post for my dream house. :)

DesignTies said...

I love this bungalow. It has so much potential... can't you just pick it up and move it to a hubby-approved neighbourhood?? ;-)

Kelly @ DesignTies