ALBANY PARK — Whether tackling small restoration projects or wholesale renovations, Chicago's bungalow owners share a common passion for preserving the city's historic homes.
Every year, the Chicago Bungalow Association honors the best of those efforts with the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Bungalow Awards, which are handed out in a number of categories.
Nominations are now open through Oct. 30 for the 2017 awards.
Homeowners, neighbors or friends can nominate projects, which need to have been completed within the past five years. Homes must be certified brick Chicago-style bungalows located within the city.
A panel of architects, preservation experts and civic leaders will judge the projects, including paying an on-site visit to finalists' homes.
Categories are exterior rehabilitation, interior rehabilitation, interior restoration, small project, green project, landscape design and window restoration.
The first-place winner in each category will receive $1,000.
Nominations can be submitted online (click here) or mailed to the Historic Chicago Bungalow Association at 53 W. Jackson Blvd., Suite 1125, Chicago, IL 60604. Submissions must include at least 3-5 before-and-after photos of the project.
Check out some of the 2016 Driehaus winners.
Interior restoration: Owners restored the bathroom’s woodwork and followed a tile and fixture scheme that honors the era when their bungalow was built. At the same time, they made practical updates. [All photos courtesy of Chicago Bungalow Association]
Sensible addition: Homeowners' rear addition is barely visible from the street. The majority of the house was otherwise unaltered.
Window restoration: The windows are as functional as they are beautiful.
Small project: The homeowner incorporated an existing radiator into a larger kitchen rehab by morphing it into an island.
