What style of home would you say this is?

CK
by CK
This home was built in 1927. Two story..full second story not slanted ceilings. I think it's classified as an American Foursquare or a Craftsman Foursquare. What do you think readers?
  18 answers
  • MaryStLouis MaryStLouis on Mar 30, 2015
    I think it's a simpler version of a foursquare, lacking the usual half story above and a central dormer. The double hip roof design stamps it as a bungalow or foursquare, especially knowing when it was built.
  • Jean Thompson Jean Thompson on Mar 30, 2015
    Yep I agree.
  • Terry Terry on Mar 30, 2015
    Many homes that look like that ...came mail order from Montgomery Ward or Sears.
  • Terry Terry on Mar 30, 2015
    House from Sears
  • Terry Terry on Mar 30, 2015
    Hopefully I can show this house now.
  • CK CK on Mar 30, 2015
    Terry, your link worked. :-) I too figured it may be a Sears or Montgomery Wards home since it's that age and in the historic district of our town. However I couldn't find the exact floor plan for the house pictured. Years ago I was lucky to find the floor plan etc. for the Montgomery Wards home I grew up in on our ranch. Just in case you're all wondering, hubby and I looked at this house for sale yesterday. It's in a very coveted historic area in our town and would be affordable for us. However, after weighing all the pros and cons (even after almost 30 years of wanting an historic house!) we've decided not to purchase. Our current home, with a very unique multi-level design built in 1961, has tons of windows letting in glorious light....that was one of the big selling features for us....so at least for now, we've decided to stay put ;-)
  • Pete Wells Pete Wells on Mar 30, 2015
    This is an American Foursquare, porch was originally open..
  • Jody Benge Jody Benge on Mar 30, 2015
    Pete, I thought that it was a Craftsman Foursquare with the porch originally open. You may just be right however. What was the difference specifically? It was most likely a Sears House.
  • Dee Dee on Mar 30, 2015
    Craftsman from Sears catalog.
  • Pat Pat on Mar 30, 2015
    Agree that it is a Craftsman.
  • Jeff C. Keane Jeff C. Keane on Mar 30, 2015
    I was going to say a simplified prairie, but, the consensus seems to land on some type or other Sears/ Montomery Ward modified American foursquare.
  • Jeff C. Keane Jeff C. Keane on Mar 30, 2015
    Maybe the Engineering Department of the municipality or county could yield City/county Plans/builder/developer permit info/ owner plans/info. Title Deeds sometimes have an "improvements" note.
  • Jeff C. Keane Jeff C. Keane on Mar 30, 2015
    Also, you can check The Survey plans for clues/ leads as well as historical committees.
  • CK CK on Mar 30, 2015
    Yup, it's most likely a Craftsman. Jody above mentioned that the porch was probably open at some point in time. I suspected that too, but the porch floor has the same oak hardwood that the adjoining living room has. Also the same crown moulding as the living room. Plus going into that area from the living room and the entryway there are French doors (single from the entryway, double from the living room). Would they have taken that much care on an open/exposed porch? I have seen homes with a very similar floor plan where the porch is open. I'm suspecting that even originally when this was built, it may have had an "enclosed porch option" in the floor plan for cold climates like here in the Upper Midwest. Whatda y'all think of that possibility?
  • Jody Benge Jody Benge on Mar 31, 2015
    You may well be right Connie, about the enclosed porch option. I agree that if it was originally open that most people would not have gone to the expense that you mentioned with flooring and French doors. Also if an open porch had later been converted to a closed in model, the flooring and the crown molding would not have matched or the owners would have had to change the flooring in the living room as well. That just would not have happened, as the expense would have been too great!. It would be great to be able to find either an old or a reproduction of the old Sears Catalog that sold the homes. I have two different years reproductions in my antique store, and will look at them a little later. However, I do not remember seeing any homes in them for sale. I suspect that the homes were in a specialized catalog. I also looked at the link that was provided, but obviously this exact home was not there. I understand why you did not purchase this house, but it definitely could be a gem with some tender loving care. I do know that certain areas of Chicago had many of these homes, but I also remember a specific house that was only a block away from me when I was growing up in the 50's and 60's, that looked just like this, but the porch was open, and this was in Davenport, Iowa. I could probably spend some time when I visit there and find many others that are similar. Also, the people who had the house constructed (put together) could have hired a contractor and had the enclosed porch built at the time of construction and that would explain why everything matched perfectly. Sorry, got carried away here, but I love homes, antiques, everything of this time period.
    • CK CK on Mar 31, 2015
      @Jody Benge I totally get what you're saying about old homes. I've been totally infatuated with them for many many years so I truly enjoyed reading all you've written here. :-) There are so many "if only______" for this house: If only we didn't have to have shop space for our business. If only we didn't have to have room for both cars. If only the driveway wasn't in the shade so much (the ice/snow would never melt till spring! LOL!) But we are who we are and we have to find homes that match our lifestyles. For now, this beautiful home just wouldn't work for the way we live and work....and that's kinda sad in a way, but also understandable reality. The house would need to be painted inside...every room and every trim, door, etc. The thing is, all of the upstairs trim and doors have already been painted so it seems logical to me to merely give them a fresh coat of paint....rather than to strip and refinish (a much longer process and far messier). On the main floor, the trim could be left dark "as is" but because the house faces north, the rooms are quite dark ... and hubby and I are both light-lovers ;-) The rooms are painted verrrrrry dark mahogany brownish colors that suck the light and life right out of the room! I'd be inclined to paint all the trim there too (because it does need some attention) while painting the walls. (People gasp when they hear someone wanting to paint old original trim. The fact is, the homeowners of the day often did it too as styles changed.) But alas....those are just dreams ;-) There are the houses we think of as our 'dream homes' and there are the houses we create our dreams in. Our current home, which we've lived in for only 3 years, is a big departure style from our previous ranch style. My goal is to create more memories here now from our dreams. My business motto is "LOVE THE HOME YOU'RE IN ... AGAIN!" and I truly believe that with a little love (and probably a lot of paint and a few extras) nearly every home can become a dream home :-)
  • Rhonda D Rhonda D on Jun 12, 2015
    If you can find any open beams... ie. in the attic, crawl space, basement ~look for the American Foursquare stamp or numbering system stamped onto the timbers. I own an American Foursquare in Bowie, MD and have found the stamps. Good luck.
  • Debra Debra on Jun 12, 2015
    is it a SEARS catalog house by chance??