Bell Avenue bungalow

The bungalow belt was built for this: the front room faces southwest and gets long, slanting light from two until sunset. We painted it a deep inky blue so the leaded glass throws color instead of glare, kept every inch of quarter-sawn oak, and put a cream sofa where the family actually sits.

The kitchen at the back faces the morning and was kept white and oak with terracotta tile underfoot. The enclosed porch got one wicker chair and the best light in the house.