“Princeville” Sears Model in Whitefish, Montana
Sears sold homes as “kits” from 1908 until 1941 to over 100,000 people across the U.S. and Canada. This house was featured in an article I wrote for the February/March 2010 issue of Cottages & bungalows magazine. Whitefish is a charming ski town near Glacier National Park. This 1911 Sears Roebuck kit house came to the city in pieces on a rail car.
Colors for all seasons
The colors for this bungalow were specifically chosen so that it to look great in summer and winter! “We just received these [images], the first we’ve seen of any paint, and our immediate reaction/first impression was of being thrilled with the color selection.” Dane & Melanie
Goal & Solution
Goal
When I first saw the house it was robin egg blue. The new owners did some remodeling and updating and wanted a period paint scheme to show off their historic bungalow.
Solution
The colors chosen for the house were drawn from a historic Sears paint book and from information gathered from the Sears Modern Homes catalogue from 1911 that I have in my research collection. Images and written documentation suggest a two tone body color for the home with off-white trim.