1914 Craftsman Charm...with Baggage.

1914 Craftsman Bungalow with traditional dormer windows and strong wood pillars.

Guess what??  My husband and I are buying a house! Not just any house, mind you. A 1914 Craftsman-style bungalow. And I'm already gathering tons of inspiration on how to return it to its original (or near original) state. While recently updated with a bit of carpet and linoleum, the house maintains many of its Craftsman characteristics, so hopefully our reversions won't be too extensive. Take a look!

Beautiful inset cabinetry and wood floors are classic Craftsman traits, along with framed mirrored glass and high ceilings.

The kitchen, usually located in the back of a Craftsman house, has been updated with newer appliances and offers a lot of natural light.

I've read horror stories about how restoring houses has cost people not only their entire life savings, but their sanity, family and friends. I really don't want to go down that road.
I'm fortunate in that my husband is a general contractor, so we saved money on the initial cost of the house (because it's a fixer) as well as saving in the future on contractor fees. That's great because the house definitely has a lot of... well, baggage.

 

Historical Charm Means Baggage

A friend of mine once told me, "There's always a 'why' behind the 'what.'" For every issue we've come across, there's been a good reason for its presence that actually makes sense... in the context of the early 20th century. For example:

1. WHAT: There's a (small) sinkhole in the backyard. WHY: Most Craftsman homes (and most homes built around the 1900s) had clay pipes. We think the previous owners started fixing an untreated leak when the saturated ground collapsed. We're hoping it won't cost more than $1000 to fix it, unless we have to tie in to the city's main line (gulp!). FYI, if you have clay pipes, apparently they won't corrode underground as long as you flush rock salt down the pipes from time to time to clear out any invading roots.

Backyard with sinkhole near the basement door

2. WHAT: There's an upstairs closet with a toilet inside. They're calling it a "half bath", but there's not even a sink. The toilet is nestled right up against the wall, and I have no idea how anyone did any business in that tiny space. WHY: According to the tradition of the day, there was usually one bathroom, or powder room, downstairs so servants could easily powder their master's wigs. The idea stuck and it became popular throughout home architecture (named the powder room). The upstairs bathroom was never a Craftsman "thing", as far as we can tell, so this must have been a modern addition meant to solve a problem without having to spend a ton of money. Now it's a problem we'll have to solve.

3. WHAT: The walk-out basement is unfinished. The ceiling is barely high enough to allow this 5'4" gal to walk upright. The ground is dirt and pebble, and every time my husband talks about digging it down, I have awful mental images of the house collapsing with him underneath. WHY: Even though a lot of people think of California as having a warm climate, Sacramento winters can get below freezing. Folks knew that by building the footings of a house below the freezing line in the ground they could help protect the house from heaving upward when the ground froze. It's not a Craftsman thing, really. Just a cold climate thing.

In order to cut back on the amount of money it could take to restore the house to its original Craftsman glory, I've discovered some great tips at how to hint at the style without going crazy. (to be continued...)