Old Florida #6

This bungalow, created in the Spanish style popular in California and Florida in the early part of the 20th century, looks little changed from when it was new. I discovered several streets of these stucco bungalows when I was in Sarasota (Florida) this morning. Far too many of the ones I saw have been updated and no longer retain their original appearance. Sadly, others have been modernized in unattractive ways, and have lost their elegance. Through the years, people have made room additions in architectural styles which don't match, or have removed the old windows and put in ugly aluminum double-hung replacements which are an abomination!

These old houses tend to have Spanish tile floors, casement windows, beamed ceilings, and beautiful oak woodwork on the inside. The interiors and floor plans are similar to the style known as Craftsman Bungalow.

This particular house looks little changed from houses I used to see when I was a child, and retains it's original appearance from the late teens and early 20's when the neighborhood was developed. The streets in this part of Sarasota have tree names - Orange, Lemon, Myrtle, Citrus and Shade, to name several. A few of the original massive oaks (which would have been planted at the same time as the houses) are still growing, and there is lots of wonderful shade. In the old days, the streets might not have been paved except with oyster shells or fine white sand.

During the same time period, an architect named Addison Mizner
built larger homes and resorts in a similar style called Spanish Colonial Revival. Images of some of the more notable of these fabulous buildings can be found here.

No one style of home predominates in Florida because of the ever changing influence of tourists and new comers from all parts of the US through the years. With our tropical foliage, however, the Spanish style suits the landscape very well, and is my favorite.