This 1939 Bungalow Sat Untouched for Decades Until a Reno Unearthed Gorgeous Details

Built in 1939 and originally 1400 square feet, the house that Ali and her husband, David, purchased three years ago was hiding some delightful architectural secrets: “During renovation, we uncovered original longleaf pine shiplap beneath layers of drywall — a discovery that became the spark for a complete reimagining rooted in craftsmanship and curiosity.”

When it came to restoring and redesigning the house for her family, Ali explains that she was inspired by a family member’s Arts & Crafts lake house in Michigan, and worked to add in period-inspired details to the historic home. Elements like “mouth-blown glass transoms, William Morris wallpaper, and thoughtfully designed millwork” blend with a custom-built bar and media unit made of old-growth oak. They’re technically new elements, but with Ali’s skills they look like they’ve always been a part of the house.

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Of course a huge thing the renovation accomplished was adding to the size of the home and updating the house’s floor plan for flow. “Originally just 1,400 square feet, the bungalow had a tiny bath, a dark and disconnected kitchen, and no access from the living room to the backyard,” Ali writes.

“As passionate cooks and hosts, we knew the layout had to change. With architect Lindsay Shillington, we designed a discreet second-floor addition that respected the historic streetscape while dramatically improving livability,” Ali continues. “The bedrooms shifted to the front, freeing the back for a sunlit kitchen and living room that now open directly to the garden, and the new second-floor primary suite feels like a treehouse retreat.” A mudroom and laundry room was also added to the side to make a nice transition from inside and out (likely essential in a home with Greta, a Bernese Mountain Dog).

“Today, the home spans 2,300 square feet and is layered with antiques, vintage rugs, and hand-crafted furnishings that bring warmth and soul,” writes Ali. “What began as a modest bungalow has become a home that balances preservation with progress — honoring its 1939 history while supporting the rhythms of modern living.”

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• Entry Corridor + Office Trim — Benjamin Moore Bonsai, customized to be 25% darker
• Downstairs Full Bath Walls + Trim — Benjamin Moore French Canvas
• Powder Bath Trim + Beadboard — Benjamin Moore El Cajon Clay
• Mudroom/Laundry Room Trim + Beadboard — Benjamin Moore French Canvas
• Kitchen Cabinetry — Farrow & Ball Green Smoke
• Kitchen/Dining/Living Walls + Trim — Benjamin Moore French Canvas
• Primary Bed Trim — Benjamin Moore Olive Grove
• Primary Bed Walls — Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee
• Primary Bath Walls + Trim — Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee

• Rug — Vintage from Sapere Collection
• Sofa — Vintage Arne Norell from Round Top
• Desk — Vintage from South Loop Loft
• Desk Lamp — Anglepoise
• Desk Chair — Wishbone Chair 

• Wallpaper — Twigs Fern
• Shades — Hartmann & Forbes
• Bed — Birch Lane Bobbin Bed
• Nightstands — Vintage
• Nightstand Lamps — Jake Arnold for Crate & Barrel
• Bed Blanket — Tartan Blanket Co. (discontinued)
• Quilt — Julia Berolzheimer for Pottery Barn (discontinued)

• Counter — MSI Calacatta Valentin Quartz
• Wall Tile — 5”x5” Pompeii Malachite
• Mirror — RH Pivot Mirror
• Shower Curtain — Custom with House of Hackney Gaia Fabric

• Powder Bath Wallpaper — Morris & Co Pimpernel Bullrush/Russet
• Mirror — Vintage Tramp Art from Pierce & Ward
• Faucet — Waterworks Ludlow Wall Mount 

• Mudroom/Laundry Room Wallpaper — Morris & Co Marigold Artichoke
• Counter — MSI Calacatta Valentin Quartz
• Bench — Vintage
• Rug — Rush House

• Counter — Calacatta Fiorito
• Stools — Ochre Caribou
• Pendants — Hector Finch Chicago
• Art Lights — Mullan Elle
• Window Treatments — Indian Chik Blinds

• Pendant — Visual Comfort Vendome w/ custom shades out of Morris & Co Fabric
• Dining Table — Custom
• Dining Chairs — RW Guild Seamoor Chairs
• Cushion Fabric — Perennials Tatton Stripe

• Rug — Vintage from Sapere Collection
• Coffee Table — Vintage 
• Sofas — Vintage from 1st Dibs and reupholstered
• Bamboo Sofa Fabric — GP & J Baker California Velvet in Charcoal
• Green Sofa Pillow Fabric — Dedar Be Bop de Lula 007
• Floor Lamp — Vintage w/ new custom shade
• Nesting Side Tables — Arteriors Addison
• Art — Tyler Buck Guinn

• Carpet — Fibreworks Alps Mont Blanc
• Pendant — Woka 21905
• Bed — Custom in Virginia Kraft Moroccan Stripe Fabric
• Nightstands — Custom
• Nightstand Lamps — Visual Comfort Pimlico Swing Arm w/ Custom Shades
• Bed Blanket — Bella Notte (discontinued)
• Bed Accent Pillow Fabric — Christopher Farr Cloth x Commune Cactus Flower
• Bed Sham Fabric — Dedar Alumnus 002
• Bed Bench — Crate & Barrel Rodin
• Tapestry — Vintage
• Side Table — Vintage Charles Duduoyt from Eneby
• Dressing Room Pendant — Hector Finch Lucia Rise & Fall
• Pair of Side Chairs — Custom
• Dressers — Custom and Vintage

• Counter — Calacatta Fiorito
• Floor Mosaic — Artistic Tile Pacific White Broken Joint
• Wall Tile — 3” x 6” Glossy White Crackle (discontinued)
• Wall Liner Tile — Waterworks Standard District Liner Glossy Privet

This tour’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.
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