What kind of bungalow/cottage is this?

[farmgal67357]

I'm thinking it is a combo of a couple of different homes. We just bought it, and I'd like to decorate it according whatever "style" it is. Thanks!

[RoseMary]

Hi farmgal~welcome to the forum! That's a very cute house~I'll be looking forward to seeing how you decorate!

[farmgal67357]

Thanks RoseMary! All of the inside of the house is painted beige, for now. One of the first things I will do is paint the front door red, probably a deep darked red for this house. It's something I do to all the houses I live in. It's the Irish in me!

Hey, I've been to Eureka Springs, and man it is gorgeous there. If you live anywhere there you get to enjoy all the fabulous scenery!

[Carrie]

It looks like your front porch was enclosed at some point. I lived in what we call a millhouse in Henderson, because the homes were built for the workers of the local hoseiery mill. Another term would be shotgun cottage because you could open the front door and see the backdoor from it. Your door looks like it's been relocated because the porch is enclosed.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shotgun_house

[ChapterTwo]

That's so interesting, Carrie! I love the article's photo of the shotgun house in LA; I hope Memmey sees that! I had never heard the term "shotgun house" before but I remember my mother talking about an apartment she lived in, while growing up,that had "railroad rooms" and it sounded just like the description in the article you linked.

[farmgal67357]

You could be right, but there is also a gable bumpout on the corner opposite this one, which you can't see in the picture. And there is a solid rock foundation under the gable areas too, like the rest of the original house (it's been added on to.)
Aren't there alot of "shotgun shacks" in New Orleans? I think I saw them redo one on This Old House a long time ago. If you shot your shotgun off the porch through the front door, it would go all the way through the house without hitting any walls! Very simple, and very functional homes.

[RoseMary]

I have a red door, farmgal~my favorite color! I love Eureka Springs. We went there on our honeymoon and now go up there several times a year just to walk around. I love all the old buildings.

Carrie, thanks for sharing the link. I think 'shotgun' houses were built all over the south. There were several in the neighborhood I grew up in. I guess it made it easy to keep adding on.

[Carrie]

She's right. There are a lot of shot gun houses all over the South. I would think there would be some of these all over where industry workers needed housing. They were simple houses but a few were made with brick foundation, probably because of local building codes.
I lived in one where the first room was the living room, the second one was the bedroom, the third room was the kitchen, and the final room was the bath. It was kind of weird because you really didn't have a lot of room division, being able to see one room to the next. A lot of owner put on additions on the side of the house to make room for children.

[Carrie]

Come to think of it, it looks like a bungalow. The porch may have been enclosed, but I see windows all the way down the side, and the window at the top tells me you have a second story.
You have a really cute house.

[farmgal67357]

Thanks! We plan on spiffing up the front entrance, maybe with an arbor or something. Believe it or not, this is just a one story house. There is an opening to the attic space inside a small closet. And there is a small window in the gable on the other side too. It's kinda wierd! The main roof of the house is a pyramid shape, so I don't think there's too much room up there. Maybe I should call this house a pyramid (hipped roof) bungalow with 2 gable bumpouts......It's been added on to in the back, so it started out a very modest house. It's only got 2 bedrooms.

[ChapterTwo]

Your new home is like a blank canvas, and you can (and will) work your magic on it! We'll love to see the transformation, as it takes place.

[shabbychick]

I used to live in a house where the attic was an entire third floor with windows and everything. Unfortunately, it also had exposed, old-fashioned wiring and a large collection of wildlife, but renovated, it would have made a wonderful master suite. Why is it that attics now are always tiny spaces with weensie little entrances in a closet or something instead of being useful and easily-accessed space for storage?

[Breezy]

Hi farmgal & welcome to the forums. Nice house!:)

[vintage girl]

Welcome!!! You have a darling little house:)

[farmgal67357]

First off, thanks for all the welcomes and encouragement everyone!

I'm thinking for adding an accent color to the light gray/dark gray already on the house. Since I will be painting the door red anyway, I thought maybe a dark red would work and could be used on the shingled part of the gables. Probably like a brick red, I don't really want it to look too purplish. Oh, and I'm planning on getting the hubby to make me some window boxes, especially for that picture window in the front. They can be red too. Whatcha all think?

[shabbychick]

I think the red and gray would be a great color combination on your house. I don't see why the window boxes couldn't be red, too.

[memmey]

Here is my two cents...I think the boxes need to be a third color. Something that will pop. Huuummmm I color hair and I have to use the color wheel daily and so If you use a gray body color it seems to me you would need to use a red with a blue undertone. It doesn't look blue but it is not an orange- red you know what I mean?? Then you could add the boxes in a complimentary color...the opposite of red on the wheel is green. A pretty green. It doesn't sound good but if you see if together I bet you will see what I mean. It could be a grey green and that would good match to the grey house body. There are a lot of shades of grey also. You know some have a pink cast and some or green and some are blue. Maybe stay within the same color hue except use a complimentary color with the same undertones for the boxes.
Feel free to ignore this...what do I know:rolleyes:

[farmgal67357]

I see what you are saying. In fact, I was reading the book "Bungalow Colors Exteriors" just last night! I LOVE green, so I wouldn't be adverse to using it. I'll go back and look at that book for more color combo suggestions. And I like to play with paint samples too!

[vintage girl]

I think Memmy's color suggestions are right on. Green and red are wonderful colors. Of course I love those colors because my house is Green and Red;):D

[shabbychick]

I think my only reservation about three colors is that when you add plants, you'll have to think about whether the color combo on the wood overwhelms what's in the planter. I imagine you'd want the plants, not the box and shutters, to take center stage. Do you already know what you're going to plant there? Maybe that will make a difference in what colors you decide to use.

[yarborough house]

Rule number one in colors on a house- you must have an odd number. So three or go to five - not two, not four..Just a rule..haha:)

[yarborough house]

Question- you are keeping the siding color as is right- a light gray?
Are you keeping the trim that is white now white?
And you are painting the door red correct?

[farmgal67357]

The body of the house is a light gray, and the trim and shingles on the gable are a darker gray. I think what you think is white is actually the frame on the storm windows. And yes, I am going to paint the door a shade of red.

[Queenofthecastle]

I'm thinking it is a combo of a couple of different homes. We just bought it, and I'd like to decorate it according whatever "style" it is. Thanks!

Around where I live (Colorado) they call those "Victorian worker's cottages". She's a cutie!

[farmgal67357]

Thanks! I'd never heard of a Victorian workers cottage, but by golly, if you do a search, quite a bit of info comes up. Thanks for showing me a new type of house! Our little bungalow is plain indeed, no fancy woodwork or built ins. But I'm not a fancy person so it works for me.