Walk a few blocks in Ballard and you can pass an early 20th century bungalow, a mid-century rambler and a townhome built in the last few years. On Capitol Hill, older houses sit on tree-lined side streets a short walk from condo buildings. Seattle’s houses were built in very different styles, and each one asks something different of a camera.

A photo setup that flatters a glassy new townhome can make a craftsman bungalow look cramped and dark. A slow, detail-heavy video suits an old house full of woodwork and bores a viewer in a clean modern interior. This guide goes through the three styles you see most in Seattle listings and how each one reads in photos and video.

Craftsman Houses and Early Bungalows

The appeal of an early 20th century Seattle house is in the details: a deep front porch, square or tapered porch columns, low-pitched roofs with wide eaves, and inside, built-in cabinets, window seats, wood trim and a fireplace at the center of the living room.
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