AN ARTS & CRAFTS BUNGALOW

Inside and out, this 1916 house in Spokane, Washington, retained all of the original detailing. The owners brought out its inherent charm.

These DIY owners were looking for “the worst house in the best neighborhood” and came upon a bungalow down on its luck. Roof shingles curled with black mildew, a mattress leaned against one side, and Christmas icicle lights still dangled across the front. Side stairs had been cut straight through the front porch. Inside, incontinent cats had run amok.

But the layout had never been changed; original windows sparkled, and the woodwork was intact, albeit under layers of paint. In this living room, the Craftsman fireplace had been covered with unattractive bricks in the 1970s. So they installed vintage (salvaged) Grueby tiles over the brick, and gave the fireplace more presence with a wide mantel that replicates profiles of the original woodwork.