Mystery House #7
California Mystery

The Mystery | Some Answers

A reader from Northern California, USA sends this mystery:

We are buying a home that was built in 1920. We are confused whether it might be a Craftsman or Italianate and would like to have your opinion and help.

Well, this house probably isn't Craftsman or Italianate. But... What's your guess? (Hint: Browse our index of Favorite House Styles for clues.)

Here's a closer view of the house. The porch shown here is not original. Any ideas on how it used to look?

Some Answers

From Jody: From its upright stance, I would guess it started as a classic American farmhouse but it has obviously been renovated many times. A floor plan or pictures of surviving interior details might give better clues.

From Peter: To me the house looks as though it was influenced by the Prairie architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright. It has a low hipped roof and wide eaves like a Prairie house. The small window panes lined up in a row also look somewhat "Prairie."

Photos on this page courtesty the homeowner

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