Looking to buy a bungalow in Richmond? You’ll find this charm-filled, cottagey style scattered all throughout the city and beyond. With their generally compact size, open floorplan, and artful aesthetic, bungalow-style homes are particularly popular with first-time homebuyers and small families in Richmond.
The history of the bungalow
Though it’s been known as a classic American home style since rising to prominence in the early 20th century, bungalows actually have roots in India. The modern bungalow as we know it was adapted from small thatched huts that were built in Bengal for British officers back when England occupied India. The homes were built low to the ground with open floor plans and wide covered porches to help with cross-ventilation. The Hindustani word for this home style was Bangla or Bangala, meaning belonging to Bengal.
The bungalow made its way to the United States in the early 1900s, heavily influenced by the Arts & Crafts movement. In fact, some people have used the terms bungalow and Craftsman-style home interchangeably. Whatever they were called, bungalows were designed to be simple and economical yet stylish and solidly built. Over time, many riffs on the bungalow emerged around the country, from California, Mission, and Prairie bungalows to Chicago, Cape Cod, and Moderne.
How to spot a bungalow in Richmond
So we’ve established that there are many different styles of bungalows out there, but there are a few defining characteristics that set this home style apart.
- Size — Bungalows tend to be on the petite side with just one or one and a half stories tall.
- Porch — Most bungalows boast a broad covered but unenclosed front porch featuring thick support columns.
- Windows — Look for large front windows as well as lots of windows and natural light throughout the house.
- Roof — Bungalows have low-pitched, sloped roofs, often with broad eaves.
- Floor plan — Bungalows generally have an open floor plan with minimal hallways. The front door usually opens directly into the living room. Bedrooms may be located on the ground floor.
Where to buy a bungalow in Richmond
If you want to buy a bungalow in Richmond, target your search toward the areas of the city that were built in the first half of the 1900s. You’ll find many bungalows for sale in Northside, particularly Bellevue, and areas of Southside like Forest Hill and Stratford Hills. You can also find bungalows in Byrd Park, the West End, and many surrounding counties. Be sure to let your local real estate agent know your dreams of buying a bungalow-style home in Richmond (like this one!), and they’ll be able to help you narrow down your search and find your perfect home.