House Architecture | Bungalow House Styles

Central Austin is filled with pre-war homes commonly referred to as bungalows, and are sought after by many for their charm, coziness and attention to detail.

The word "bungalow" comes from the Indian word "bangla", which used to refer to homes built in a Bengal style. "Bangla" were cottages with low roofs and large porches built around them. The British took the idea from the Indians, and began building their summer homes in a similar fashion, and the bungalow, as we know it, was born- all rooms on one floor, built around a central parlor. Once the first American bungalow was built in Cape Cod in 1879, the home style took off across the country.

During the early 1900s, there was a massive migration to the west, with many people settling in California. The architecture firm of Greene and Greene created the one and a half story bungalow, which became wildly popular, and soon could be purchased through mail order catalogs, such as Sears & Roebuck, and Montgomery Ward. The bungalows that now cover California are referred to as "California Bungalows", though the style is popular across the country, including here in Austin.

Though there are different styles of the bungalow, such as the Arts and Crafts, Prairie Style, and Queen Anne, they all share similar qualities and features. Bungalows were built to battle the elaborate Victorian movement, and to return to warmer, family oriented housing where the craft of the homebuilder was showcased. Since bungalows were created for warm summer housing, they reduce heat with large, overhanging eaves, many windows, and rooms interconnected, without hallways, to create good airflow through the house. If the home has a second level, it's much smaller in surface area than the first floor. Most bungalows also have large porches and stone chimneys leading to grand fireplaces inside.

Many Arts and Crafts bungalows can be found around Austin, with a vast number in the Hyde Park area. The Arts and Crafts movement was launched in the 1880s by a group of English designers, and it celebrated the use of handicrafts, simple forms, and natural materials. Arts and Crafts homes, or Craftsman homes, have low-pitched roofs, wide eaves with triangular brackets, large porches with thick round or square columns. Inside, most Craftsman bungalows have many windows, exposed beam ceilings, and built-in cabinetry and seating.

Other bungalows, such as the 1922 Norwood House on Lady Bird Lake (currently under disrepair) are built in the Prairie style. Prairie Style bungalows got their start in America in the early 1900s, and were developed by a group of architects in Chicago that became known as the Prairie School. Frank Lloyd Wright was the master of the Prairie Style home, characterized by broad, flat chimneys, the center of the home standing taller than the adjacent wings, and often with a Japanese flair.

The Queen Anne bungalow, also found within Hyde Park and elsewhere, is highly decorative and has an asymmetrical layout. These are often found with wraparound porches, and art glass windows, and sometimes one or two dormers popping out of a medium-pitched roof.

Though the architecture varies, the feeling of the bungalow remains the same- family friendly, and packed with hand-crafted style, and Austin is chocked full of them.

Escapeso Realty helps clients interested in Austin real estate. Escapeso runs a Austin real estate blog as well as hosting a search of the Austin homes.

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House Architecture | Organic Architecture and the Pacific Northwest Coast

Modern day architects, be they professional or amateur, practicing in the coastal areas of the Pacific Northwest, have frequently turned to the use of native materials.

Can there possibly be any more true organic and native material than the giant softwood trees which abound in the coastal forests. Western Red Cedar, giant Douglas firs, the hemlocks and even the more diminutive pines - all have been used to great effect.

Western red cedar, thuja plicata, has perhaps long been the wood of choice. Going back to the days when the Haida Indians built their incredible long houses from giant logs, one wonders how such magnificent structures were completed using such primitive tools.

Yet built they were, and many of them still stand to this day. A tribute to both their engineering skills and the ability of the wood itself to survive for many decades in the harsh climate in the area.

The majestic cedars are becoming more and more rare with much of the old growth wood being felled today falling far short of the stature of the mighty cedar of a century ago.

Architects of the twenty first century may not have the luxury of using these spectacular timbers from the past, but they have developed what has become known as the West Coast Style.

The proportions have been reduced from the great long houses to that of a modern day home. Almost without exception, these west coast style homes are built overlooking the ocean. It is the job of the architect to make certain that the home takes full advantage of the view, while at the same time blending well into the site.

The very nature of the western red cedar lends itself perfectly to an organically designed house. Here on the west coast, the landscape is bold and rugged. The land rises abruptly from the sea sometimes thousands of feet with hardly a break. It takes a certain type of house to suit this terrain, and there can surely be no more perfect building material than the majestic trees of the Pacific Northwest coast.

If you would like to find out more about organic architecture please feel free to join me right here

Keith Elliott is a retired builder with an extended interest in organic architecture, particularly that of the Pacific Northwest where he lives.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Keith_Elliott

House Architecture | 5 House Styles for Homes Lover

Colonialary House

The characteristics of colonial house follow to Georgian architecture is a square area house, that may have one or two story rectangular shape, roof dormers and eaves-front of symmetrical building with the central door. Straight lines of multi-paned windows with double-hung sash are on the first and second floor. The entry of the house is frequently decorated with classic style such as columns, pediments, pilasters, fanlights, etc. A colonial style house usually has a formally-defined living room, dining room and family room. The bedrooms are typically on the second floor and may have staircase at the center or to either side.

Modern House

The characteristics of Modern House Designs is the house that composed of geometric shapes suit for new technology and young adults, flat roofs and smooth wall surfaces. The windows are set flush with the walls with no decorative trim. The entrance to the house is asymmetrical. Decorate the front of the house with modern style architectures.

Country House

The country houses are usually built in rural areas outside of cities, suitable for people who love natural environment and beautiful view. The characteristic of country house styles are combine several traditional architectural details on their well-proportioned. The house always has gabled roofs higher in pitch than other home styles. Large wrap around porches, cozy facades, gables, lap siding, shuttered windows, and dormer windows. Inside the house, use tall ceilings for ventilate the air.

Thai House

The characteristics of Thai house are different from another style. Thai House use high floor level allowing an average height man to walk under the floor. The reasons of high floor level are safety from wild beasts during night time and used for producing handmade products. The other characteristic of Thai house is a high gabled roof and ample slanting eaves. Forty percent of the total floor area is a large platform area for receive to sunshine and good clean air. The major material of Thai house style is teakwood and decorates with Thai traditional potteries.

Cape Cod House

The Cape Cod house is the most common building type. The characteristic of the house is symmetrical design which front bay central entry, one and a half stories eaves. The roofs are usually low to moderately pitch and the dominant rooflines extend down the front and the back of the home to the first floor. The Cape Cod houses have side gables and a small overhang, a central door, multi-paned, double-hung windows and low ceilings. The floor of the house often uses hardwood.

Navivar Athi is a pharmacist. Any questions of health and medicines, you can consult him at Health-Care His websites include: Computer Games and Home-Garden

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Navivar_Athi

Elegant Bedroom

There's nothing like a four-poster bed to add theatrical impact to a bedroom. Here we've chosen a bed with a simple frame and partnered it with rich silks and velvets in violet, grey and taupe with touches of deep purple. Mirrored bedside tables add to the sophisticated feel, while the bench and mirror echo the subtle, oriental lines of the bed. homesandgardens.

Home builder in Sydney

What is the repair? Universal accident or a way at last to see habitation of the dream in a reality? Once building of houses from the base to a roof was quite on forces to several people. And the so-called design of an interior and at all was an exclusive prerogative of owners, instead of a highly paid field of activity. In general, and today nobody forbids to repair independently apartment, to erect a garden small house, and even a cottage which becomes habitation for a family. Forces on it will leave much, but all will be made by the hands. And money it will be spent less, after all it will not be necessary to pay to designers, intermediaries and workers. Sometimes, thinking in a similar way, the person manages to forget about an ultimate goal. And after all the main thing not to save, and to create convenient and beautiful habitation.

Any activity requires preliminary planning, and building in particular. That doubts have not crossed out pleasure from complete business, it is necessary to weigh, consider and plan all carefully. It, instead of attempts to make all is independent, will allow to save time and money.

Even if construction of a summer garden small house or cosmetic furnish of a room is planned, it is necessary to answer itself some questions. First of all, whether there is at you time for independent repair of apartments, then — whether enough you are competent not to miss annoying trifles which will spoil all subsequent life, and whether forces, at last, will suffice to finish business.

If cottage building without attraction of additional forces, as a rule, does not manage is planned. Sydney home builder — the highly professional and reliable building company in Australia.

Entrust repair to professionals!

Think, if you are an excellent bookkeeper or the talented journalist why you should be able to carry out qualitative Bathroom renovation Mosman or to glue wall-paper in a drawing room? Observing of harmonious actions of professionals, necessarily you will reflect, instead of whether to call to the aid professional builders? Quite probably, that it will be a little bit more expensive, but faster and more qualitatively!

It is time to agree that repair of apartment which was carried out exclusively by the hands earlier, from intrafamily process has turned to work for professionals to whom trust so that suppose even on protected territories. What to speak about repair of offices or other uninhabited premises where speed and quality of work, first of all, is important.

Thus the owner at all does not lose feeling of participation to arrangement of the house in spite of the fact that other people repair. Actually, applying a minimum of efforts and spending has some time, the owner receives the full control over an event - and materialised dream as a result. Home builder Sydney will help with repair of your cottage!

Bathroom Renovation — Before & After

Create an Elegant Style of Home Decor

create an elegant style of home decor

If you are looking to create an interior decor that's elegant in style, then here are some ideas that you can use to help you achieve the results you're looking for.

When it comes to deciding on the finishing touches for your new home or renovation, it depends not only your budget, but more importantly, knowing what you want. Many people try to perform a renovation without knowing what they really want when it comes to interior decor, and as a result, find it more difficult to turn their ideas into reality.

So here are some tips that you can use to create an elegant style of home decor, and to find out the various ideas that are available when it comes to interior decorating in this style.

Instant House by H3AR architecture and design

 

Hugon Kowalski of Polish firm H3AR architecture and design recently created 'Instant House' for an international student competition in Milan. The theme was that of a temporary residential mini unit, linked to the presence of young people with high levels of territorial mobility connected to particular metropolitan events.the concept includes concrete cylinders, made from styrofoam concrete (which increasesthe acoustics and insulation and is twelve times lighter than normal concrete). This concretecontains TI02, which will reduce air pollution. In 2014 it will be possible to produce concrete from rice husks which reduce carbon dioxide emissions during the making process.

Xeritown

X-architects, architecture office from Dubai, have design huge blocks for new city in the city Dubai. Main difference is that this project is not vertical, but is classical horizontal town. This multifunctional space is also minimising energy consumption. So this project is try to bring to Dubai something new with principles of old.

House in Japan

Kochi architects interestingly solved problem of privacy in closely build colony of houses. House KN is designed for a suburban area of japanesse city Kanagawa. It is a classical concrete box slited to originate intimate, private garden. The patio oin the second floor is opened and at the same time saved from eyes from surroundings. Very impressive.

House on a coast

House OS is build on beautiful coast of spanish Cantabaria. The house by its connection to the nature it arrange under itself useful covered place, covered from sun and wind. The house has a green roof, that even more maintain integration of the house to the place. OS is absolutely luminous, opened, but also properly covered, with a lot of private atriums.

Building of Swatch in Tokio

Shigeru Ban design building in the heard of Tokio for the company Swatch. Building is separated into 4 parts, by Swatch´s luxury labels. Single parts are break up by superfloors with a hanging gardens. Others floors are anchorage and so the hanging gardens have visuale dominantion.

House of the Week 046: Heeren Shophouse

The shophouse is an important element in the study of how the Malay streetscapes evolved demonstrating the negotiations between the strict Dutch planning regulations of the 17th & 18th Century and the commercial and domestic needs of the urban population. Singapore architect Chan Soo Khian (SCDA Architects) renovated this historic site in 2002 on a meagre budget as a meditation centre that sympathetically recalls it's previous use as an urban residence.

house of the week 47: Tubac House

In the desert of Arizona, architect Rick Joy has created a rough weathered steel exterior form that contrasts with the refinement of the soft white, steel and maple wood interior palette. The house, defined by retaining walls burrowed into the hillside, is punctuated with openings that frame articulated views of the landscape.

No house should ever be on a hill [...] It should be of the hill. Belonging to it. Hill and house should live together each the happier for the other

Frank Lloyd Wright

House of the Week 048: Sorrento

Perched on a large elevated deck, this low key beach house by Marcus O’Reilly Architects, sits on an eucalyptus tree filled site in the Mornington Peninsula in Australia. This eco-responsive dwelling utilises passive means to limit the effects of the environment and uses local materials, in the sandstone walls and tea tree stake sunshades in a nod to the local vernacular.

images by Dianna Snape

House of the Week 049: the Spaghetti House

Originally designed as a graduate thesis project, architect David Baker built and resided in the Spaghetti House in the 1980s. Built in San Francisco, California the house is actually the renovation of a dilapidated 1911 stucco duplex that used every inch of available lot space. The house smartly and quietly uses alternative energy sources integrated into architecture.