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Katerina Krysan, Intern

Historical Colors of the Chicago Bungalow (and Where to Use Them)

When the bungalow was introduced to the Chicago area in the early 20th century, its design was rooted in the Arts and Crafts Movement. The movement emphasizes the beauty of natural materials and simplicity, which was expressed in every piece of the design of the bungalow, including the color schemes used when selecting the paint and furnishing for the homes.


The colors in the below palette are a combination of shades of the Chicago bungalow and colors associated with the Arts and Crafts movement.  


The palette includes the HEX color codes of each individual color so that you can draw inspiration from them for your own home!


These colors are pulled from two places – a catalog of “Historic Interior and Exterior Color Statements” by Pittsburgh Paints, and an Aladdin Company archive, advertising a specialty paint palette for its mail-order homes.


Pittsburgh Paints - "Historic Interior and Exterior Color Statements"

Aladdin Company Archive Advertisement


The grays, browns, and beiges in the palette are meant to emulate shades found in the natural materials of the Chicago bungalow – such as the bricks, clay tile roofs, and limestone details. The bolder colors – green, red, and orange – draw from the Arts and Crafts Movement.


All these new color ideas… the question is – where to use them?


With respect to the interior of the bungalow, the walls are the most obvious places to paint with this color palette. However, many of the more natural brown colors of this palette can be incorporated by using wood furnishings and leaving historic wood framing/trims untouched. Using the palette as inspiration for other decorative pieces can also help to create a cohesive and historic space within your home.


Browse award-winning bungalow interiors for inspiration! www.chicagobungalow.org/driehaus-awards-gallery


While it is difficult to incorporate the bolder colors (like green, red, and orange) of the Arts and Crafts Movement to the exterior of a Chicago bungalow, the natural colors of bungalows usually already exist in the brick exterior and limestone details of the home. These colors provide a fitting base for any other standout decorations that homeowners may want, such as colorful windows, planters, or gardens that feature varieties of vibrant plants.


Browse award-winning bungalow exteriors for inspiration! www.chicagobungalow.org/driehaus-awards-gallery


Historically, timber framing and shingles on bungalows were painted or stained dark natural colors, to echo "the weathered idea of the old bungalow which gained its beauty largely by leaving the unprotected lumber to be exposed to the weather." Exterior trim is the most flexible element of Chicago bungalow exteriors, in that many different colors will work. Using colors such as warm whites, grays, soft greens, browns, and yellows can all provide the home with both historical accuracy and color cohesion. These colors keep the home in harmony with the surrounding nature, staying true to the principles of the Arts and Crafts Movement.


Art glass windows are a characteristic of Chicago bungalows inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement – and they commonly include colors that stand out slightly from the general theme of the home. Art glass windows can feature pastel accents, such as pink, purple, blue, and yellow panes, and many have metallic elements throughout. This makes them a unique and detailed addition to the home, along with an extra opportunity for color incorporation.


Restored historic art glass windows (chicagobungalow.editorx.io/2023-trom)


Pink and purple, along with other bold colors, were also historically included in bungalows through the bathrooms. In the 1920s and 1930s, manufacturers had begun providing new tile colors, prompting the incorporation of bolder colors in bathroom design. If you like vivid colors, this is a fun place to incorporate them while sticking to historical themes of color in your bungalow!


Colorful bathroom tile and fixtures of the mid-1920s and 1930s


It is important to understand that there are parts of vintage homes that should not be painted at all. Painting vintage brick or stone will trap moisture into the material, and eventually lead to paint peeling/bubbling, and even deterioration of the masonry itself. A previous blog post has more details about this – and gives tips on removing paint from previously painted masonry. Additionally, if you have original historic wood in your house that is not already painted, we recommend leaving it be! However, if previous homeowners painted it already, and you want to repaint it to a color that suits you rather than go through the process of stripping and refinishing the wood, then have at it.


While sticking to a historic color palette for your vintage home is not by any means required, it is an easy way to add to the harmony of your home and give you a framework for your home decor ideas!

 


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