by Kimberly Blackford
One of the most acknowledged architectural styles in America is the Craftsman style.
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The American Arts and Crafts Movement was popularized from the last years of the 19th century through the early years of the 20th century, but continues to be a favorite with architects, home designers and homeowners alike.
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Opposite of the Victorian Age, where excess decoration, ornamentation and accessories often filled a dwelling making it gaudy and uncomfortable, the Craftsman movement offered open spaces, a shift toward using natural materials and a simpler interior with less clutter. Many deemed this as a “breath of fresh air”.
One of the most famous American architects, Frank Lloyd Wright incorporated Craftsman ideas into his designs. Around the same time, Gustav Stickley began to manufacture Craftsman furniture and publish a magazine called, “The Craftsman” which made Craftsman style house plans available to people all throughout the United States by mail order. So, regions of the country where subdivisions were yet to be built suddenly had access to new home designs.
The Movement also began a shift in how Americans lived. Cities had begun to thrive and now many were moving to the suburbs. Suddenly, homeownership was not out of reach and soon became the American Dream. The Crafstman style home gave Americans the opportunity to live simply and comfortably while surrounding themselves with natural materials that rural country life typically offered.
Craftsman style was not favored by the upper and middle class Americans who still preferred the decorative style of the Victorian Age, but the common middle class man who was unable to afford a home could now purchase a Craftsman house plan since its materials were mass-produced.
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Craftsman style homes typically incorporated nature into the design and were less expensive to build, while also being easy to maintain. It was the perfect combination for the first-time homeowner.
Some of the most widely seen characteristics of the Craftsman home include:
- Craftsman homes were made with wood, stone or stucco
- Low pitched roof lines
- Wide eaves with triangular brackets
- Exposed roof rafters
- Numerous windows
- Large front porches with thick square or round columns
- Stone porch supports
- Stone chimneys
- Open floor plans with few hallways
- Interior exposed beamed ceilings
- Dark wood wainscoting and moldings
- Built-in seating, cabinets and shelving
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The Craftsman style house is often seen in the form of a bungalow, but many other styles have merged with Arts and Crafts styles through the years including Prairie house design, Mission design, Pueblo, Foursquare and Western Stick styles.
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Craftsman Style Today
The Craftsman style noticed resurgence in the 1980s. As Santa Fe and Cowboy styles grew and people began to move west and started restoring older homes, many of the homes being restored were Craftsman bungalows. At the same time, Craftsman furniture design became extremely popular as it combined with Spanish, Native American, Shaker and rustic styles. It is the perfect complement to the Craftsman style and the original American Dream.
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