# Forum More Stuff Owner Builders Forum  What type of house do I own?

## alsocass

I think our house was built around the post-war period (but it might be older). We have discovered some gorgeous old floorboards and I have a lovely pink enamel (?) bath.  
I am keen for the restoration to do justice to the original design and style of the house... however I do not know how to find out more information about this house. 
I thought I would start googling and came up with Australian residential architectural styles - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia which shows lots of houses, but none exactly like our house. 
Would love some advice.   
ETA: Just asked my pop. He bought it in 1949/50 and says it was 5 or 6 years old then. So it was most likely built in the 1940s.

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## Black Cat

Hi Alsocass. Your house is a fairly basic, vernacular California Bungalow-style (as opposed to a proper California Bungalow) of house. Does it have any internal panelling, leadlight windows or similar features? It does rather look as if someone has 'modernised' it at some stage, so the odds are they will have removed a lot of the original features.

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## alsocass

Yes, I suspect my grandparents did modernise it at some stage. Everything that might hint at the era has been covered (probably 15-30years ago). Carpets, Lino, gyprock, internal bathroom, new windows, new cladding etc. The ceiling in high, but I am told even that is a false ceiling and the original is above it. 
No leadlights (all aluminium framed windows), however we have the original front door in the shed, it is a 4 piece door all with leadlight.  
So my next question is ... If I want to find out more about that era so I can let it influence my design a bit... where do I start?

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## Black Cat

There is a book published by the NSW Heritage office: NSW Government Shop | shop.nsw that will help you. Lucky you live in NSW eh? It is probably in the local library along with a range of other similar books with the words California or Californian Bungalow in the title. There is also a couple of books - Australian Houses of the 20s and 30s, and Australian houses of the 40s and 50s that will give you interior shots of not so architecty type houses. Scour the local charity shops for discarded home decorating magazines might win you some ideas as well. I do have a document about bungalows from that period, but it is way too big to photocopy the lot. But if you have specific questions I will be happy to see what I can find in it, and where appropriate, scan the relevant images. 
You will also find your local authority has a heritage adviser who will help you research earlier photos (the local historical society may also be able to help there) and direct you to less altered versions of your home. It could be that it was built by a local builder, in which case you may find there are a range of available examples to check out. Feel free to knock on people's doors. Most people are thrilled that someone is interested in their home. But make sure you look respectable so they don't worry you are casing the joint.

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## alsocass

Thanks for all the tips!! 
It so happens that my local library has a copy of that book (online catalogues are wonderful), so I am getting it held until I head down there next.

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## Black Cat

No worries. It's what i do for a living, lol.

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