Life on the level: they may have a frumpy image but bungalows offer flexible living space and are perennially popular

Think "bungalow" and you probably think net curtains, gnomes and owners with one foot in the grave. Bungalows have been considered a little bit unfashionable for as long as many of them have been standing, but it appears that they may be creeping back into vogue.

• Stuart Baker, 64, lives in a bungalow in St Andrews with his wife Jennifer, 58

A recent study by Bank of Scotland found that the price of single-storey homes increased by 8 per cent between the second quarter of 2009 and the same period this year, a greater increase than any other house type including terraced and semi-detached homes.

So does this mean that the perennially uncool bungalow is back in the nation's favour?

"Like all fashions, the desire for bungalows is cyclical," explains Matthew Gray, property services director at Pagan Osborne. "Fifty years ago they might have been homes to families and many of the parents would continue to live in them, or, more recently, older people would buy them to live in their retirement. Now, those that are coming onto the market are being snapped up by young families who can see the development potential in these properties.

"As they are detached and often have large gardens it is possible to add extensions. It is often also possible to convert the attics. This makes them the perfect type of home for a family that is perhaps starting out."

The bungalow's origins lie in a traditional Indian bamboo hut, discovered by the British in Bengal and referred to as "banglas" or "bunggalos". The first UK home to be called "The Bungalow" was built in the 1860s in Norwood, South London, but it was in 1869, in the seaside town of Westgate, Kent, that the first true bungalows began to appear, created by architect John Taylor. By 1908, Queen Alexandra had a bungalow built on the beach at Snettisham, near Sandringham, and the English coast was rapidly filling up with similar structures.

Large numbers of bungalows were built in the UK between the First World War and Second World War and again in the 1960s. Where earlier examples tend to be square in plan, 60s properties are more likely to be oblong. Usually brick built, they are easily extendable and as such tend to hold their value well. In addition, planners are often flexible about dormer-style expansions into the loft space. However, the convenience of single-storey living for older, less mobile people has earned them a somewhat "frumpy" reputation.

Such a reputation has done little to affect their popularity, however. According to a 2005 study by Halifax, the bungalow is the happiest type of home in Britain, rated by its occupants as an average of 8.15 out of ten on a "happiness" scale, taking into account factors including space, privacy, and garden size.

In addition, demand for bungalows may be set to increase. There are 1.2 million bungalows in the UK, a figure which has changed little over the past decade.They are expensive to build because they require a larger foundation and roof area per square foot, so housebuilders tend to avoid them. Subsequently, they make up only 2 per cent of Britain's housing stock.

However, the number of people aged 70 or over is growing and is expected to continue to grow. Assuming that bungalows remain popular with this group, demand may outstrip supply, making the humble bungalow more sought-after than ever.

So have bungalows managed to shake their dowdy image for good? "I personally really like them," says Anna Murray of Glasgow-based interior designers Rehab Interiors. "Having everything on one level is a very sensible way to live.

"Bungalows are great for families and older people, but they're actually really flexible for all sorts of situations. You can do a lot with them, and they're very easy to adapt and to extend. They tend to be on a very domestic scale, which is one thing that divides people on them. Either people love the cosy rooms and low ceilings or they hate them. Either way, I don't think there should be any stigma surrounding them."

Bungalows have been the punchline in many a cruel joke, but it looks like their owners are getting the last laugh. Even in a tough property market, the combination of desirability and their increasing rarity means that a number of buyers are keen to snap one up. It's difficult to remember a time when they were considered "in" but regardless, bungalows are back.

'Who would miss going up a flight of stairs?'

Danny McIlwraith, 50, lives in a bungalow in Dalkeith:

I USED to live in a lovely Georgian property in Stockbridge, but I had the whole "house in the country with chickens and a dog" fantasy so I moved here three years ago. I hadn't seen myself moving to a bungalow, but I've never regretted my decision.

Twenty years ago, I'd have laughed at the thought, but it's been great. I had seen myself moving to an old cottage but living in a 1960s bungalow is wonderful. Before, my house was full of antiques, but I just started from scratch when I came here, and now there's a strong 1960s vibe to the whole interior. In the same way that I would embrace period features in a Georgian property, I love all the features that make this a typical 1960s bungalow, like the exposed brickwork.

People around my age tend to associate bungalows with elderly people and net curtains, but I've found younger people think they're quite trendy. The 1960s aesthetic is really in fashion at the moment and bungalows tend to fit in with that. The rest of us all remember when it was considered a bit naff, but it's quite fresh for the younger generation.

Plus, bungalow living is superb. I had always lived in flats before, but being in a bungalow, it feels like you have so much space. The stereotype is that they appeal to older people because there are no stairs, but I see it as sort of Californian living meets Scandanavian living. There's a special sort of feel to it which is difficult to describe, a special sort of light.

I'd live in another bungalow in a heartbeat. I can't think of any negative points about it really. I mean, who would really miss going up a flight of stairs?'I don't think of bungalows as unfashionable'

Wilma Punler is in her seventies. She has just sold a bungalow in North Queensferry and bought one in Dalgety Bay:

WHEN I told friends that I was putting my bungalow on the market, they told me I might have a difficult time selling it in this climate, but I immediately got three offers and sold it within five days.

It has lovely views, which I think contributed towards the quick sale, but I had a really positive reception from the people who viewed it.

I don't think of bungalows as unfashionable in the slightest. You rarely see them being built these days because of the cost of the land, so I think that makes them quite special.

Look at any new housing development and you're unlikely to see many bungalows because they're just too expensive for house builders.

The property I've just bought is a bungalow too. They're great for people who live alone and I find that they're very easily run. Obviously they're good for mobility too, but I don't think that there's a compromise in terms of the look, or the feel of the space. I love them.

'The joy of single-storey living is that everywhere feels so much more accessible'

Stuart Baker, 64, lives in a bungalow in St Andrews with his wife Jennifer, 58:

WE CAME here in semi-retirement 11 years ago, and we've enjoyed every minute of it.

When we were looking to move, 80 per cent of the houses we looked at were bungalows because we wanted a rural property and planners in rural areas seem to prefer single-storey buildings.

It wasn't necessarily a conscious decision, but the best thing for us has been the space. I think that one of the myths about bungalows is that they can be poky. We have four-and-a-half acres of land here and the house itself has been big enough for us to use two rooms as a bed and breakfast.

The joy of single-storey living is that everywhere just feels so much more accessible. You get a real feeling of space and openness. Two-storey houses feel very different. You're aware of a storey above you, whereas with bungalows you feel like you're stretching out a bit more. And the rooms are flooded with light.

I suppose one is aware that people sometimes use the word "bungalow" in a slightly derogatory fashion when describing old farts like me but you shrug it off. It's rather funny really, and we have no problems using the word bungalow.

Having everything downstairs can take a bit of getting used to at first of course. The normal perception of houses is "bedrooms and ablutions upstairs" so we find ourselves referring to the toilet by the back door as the "downstairs loo".

We're planning on downsizing further because our property is too big for us, but we're definitely converts to bungalow life.