The New
Bungalow Kitchen
How to Update
a Bungalow to Handle Today's Lifestyle Needs
By Peter
LaBau
Restoring, Renovating or Remodeling a Bungalow Kitchen
The American love affair with the Bungalow
continues. And in this most adored housing style, it is the kitchen
that homeowners must most often restore, renovate, or remodel. But
no one wants an authentic Bungalow kitchen, which was a rustic space
that usually featured just a stove, a hoosier, and a sink.
While there are books that describe the
authentic Bungalow kitchen, there are few that show readers how to
update a Bungalow to handle today's lifestyle needs and personal
preferences. Happily, manufacturers today understand the demand, and
there are many material and appliance options for homeowners-and the
designers they hire-to bring contemporary convenience and beauty to
an updated or new Bungalow kitchen.
The New Bungalow Kitchen not only provides
wonderful historical nuggets about Bungalow kitchens, it offers a
plethora of ideas about how to create a tastefully restored or
remodeled kitchen, or build new within the style.
Introduction:
I can't begin to think of how many old houses I have been in over
the course of the last 25 years, which was my tenure as the
president and co-founder of The Classic Group, Inc., an
architecture, interior design, and construction company in the
Boston area. The company was born out of my belief in the practical
and respectful integration of design and its execution— in other
words, living design— and my love for historic and traditional
American architecture.
As it was in my company, writing The New Bungalow Kitchen
gave me an opportunity to bring together history and living design
as they pertain to Bungalow-style kitchens. And it gave me the
opportunity to set down on the page what years of working on
historical and traditional-style homes had taught me. Having just
moved on from running the firm, I was eager to explore the popular
Bungalow aesthetic, a period style that's beloved for its
craftsmanship, richness of detail, and flexible design. Of the many
historical styles, it's perhaps the most easily adapted to the way
we live today, which is one of the reasons why it's so appealing to
me.
The New Bungalow Style
Clearly, I'm not the only one inspired by the Bungalow aesthetic.
What continually fascinated me in the writing process was how
architects, kitchen designers, and homeowners had interpreted the
style. Not all the kitchens in the book are located in Bungalow or
even Arts and Crafts style homes, nor are all the kitchens original
to the homes. Some are brand new; a few are barely-renovated
originals. And because I have an idea about the style, I've included
a project of my own. No other book has attempted to show how the
Bungalow aesthetic can be interpreted in this most hardworking room
of the house until The New Bungalow Kitchen. From the 17
beautifully-crafted kitchens photographed herein, a new definition
has emerged.
It was important to me to express how I would work through the
creation of a Bungalow-style kitchen in this book just the way I
would with one of my clients. After so many years, I have developed
an instinct for guiding people through the process. For example,
first you must understand the historical context of the space you
are endeavoring to improve. Then you must follow a series of logical
steps for making it over in a new and functional space that fits
your lifestyle. A newly constructed house—and its kitchen— that is
styled on an older precedent is much the same.
This book is meant to inform you about the Bungalow style and its
Arts and Crafts origins, and to help you to take liberties within
the language of the style. In it, you'll learn the basics of
Bungalow-style kitchens and their place in history. Layout
strategies, discussed in Chapter Two, are at the heart of any
renovation or new-build. I focus on how to treat walls, windows,
floors and ceilings in Chapter Three. Cabinetry and storage— both
major considerations for any kitchen but especially important to the
Bungalow style which is virtually built on the idea of
craftsmanship—are the main topic. "The Working Kitchen" or Chapter
Five examines appliances that deliver convenience, and the final
chapter explains how to apply lighting and hardware.
I know from my own use of many home design books by The Taunton
Press that whether they are read cover to cover by a homeowner, or
only used as a picture source book by a design professional, a good,
logical framework is essential to their value. I hope you'll find
this to be the case with The New Bungalow Kitchen, and that
regardless of whether you are a homeowner or design professional,
you will find this book a valuable part of your library.
Today, the kitchen is where we gather, we eat, and we work in our
homes. To create one that reflects the beauty and history of the
Bungalow is a true accomplishment. It's my hope that my book gives
you the tools you need to get started on this wonderful journey.
— Peter LaBau
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Chapter One: The
Allure of the
Bungalow Kitchen
The New Bungalow
Kitchen
Bungalow Houses,
American Style
The Pre-War Bungalow
Kitchen: 1900-1920
The Post-War
Bungalow Kitchen:
1920-1940
A Kitchen Style for
Today
Chapter Two:
Making Room:
Reconfigurations,
Additions, and
Bump-outs
First Thoughts:
Three Basic Choices
Sticking to the
(Floor) Plan
Trading Spaces
Adding On, Bungalow
Style
Old Style, Modern
Convenience
Chapter Three:
From Floor to
Ceiling: The
Interior Shell
Classic Ceiling
Choices
The Walls Around You
Floors
Doors
Windows
Trim
Chapter Four: Out
of the Box:
Cabinetry, Counters,
and Built-ins
Cabinetry
Countertops
Backsplashes
Islands and
Peninsulas
Furniture-Style
Built-ins
Storage Problems
Solved
Chapter Five: The
Working Kitchen:
Appliances,
Fixtures, and
Gadgets
Ranges
Refrigerators
Dishwashers
Microwave Ovens and
other Gadgets
Sinks
Faucets
Chapter Six:
Finishing Touches:
Lighting, Hardware,
and Climate Control
Lighting
Hardware
Notes on Heating and
Air Conditioning
The End at the
Beginning
Hard-cover,
9-3/4 x 10 in., 224 pages
Published 2007
ISBN: 978-1-56158-862-6
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