Expert consulted: From a breezy Martha’s Vineyard beach cottage to the prettiest Mississippi farmhouse, we’re big fans of casual living quarters here at Country Living. And if there was ever a home type to eschew formality, it’s Craftsman style homes.
“The style was a reaction to the fussiness of the fancy Queen Anne-style homes that were popular at the end of the 20th century, when things were mass-produced and maximalism was all the rage,” explains historic preservationist and co-host of HGTV’s Who’s Afraid of a Cheap Old House? Elizabeth Finkelstein. “Designers of Craftsman-style homes took the opposite approach. Everything was meant to feel intentional, handcrafted—even if it wasn’t, in actuality—and at one with nature.”
To learn more about Craftsman houses, including their history and key design characteristics, read on.
The History of Craftsman Style Homes
As turn-of-the-century creatives grew increasingly frustrated with the sub-par quality of the Industrial Revolution’s factory-produced pieces as well as the fussy stylings of Victorian and Art Nouveau aesthetics, a new school of design thought, the Arts & Crafts Movement, emerged. The Arts & Crafts aesthetic championed a return to older ideals and favored clean lines, natural materials, and hand construction.
Though the Craftsman name is generally credited to Wisconsin-born furniture designer Gustav Stickley, who promoted the movement state-side with his magazine The Craftsman, the residential architectural style first emerged on the West Coast. As architectural historian Virginia Savage McAlester noted in A Field Guide to American Houses, American Craftsman houses were “inspired primarily by the work of two California brothers—Charles Sumner Greene and Henry Mather Greene—who practiced together in Pasadena from 1893 to 1914.”
Built in 1908, their now-iconic Gamble House is one of grandest examples of the style, but it was the brothers’ more modest single-family bungalows that inspired the Craftsman-style house plans that proliferated across the country through the 1920s. (In fact, many such plans were included in Stickley’s magazine, and some historians believe that only these examples can be called true Craftsmans.)
Key Design Characteristics of Craftsman Homes
Unlike vertically-oriented Victorians and overly-accented Tudors, Craftsman style homes are typically horizontally-slung dwellings with low-pitched gable roofs and minimal adornment. That said, their most defining characteristic may just be the front porch. "Nothing beats the strength and majesty of a Craftsman porch!" Elizabeth says. "They're always so deep and magical, like worlds of their own, and the porch columns are always so heavy and sturdy."
Other key exterior features often include:
- Overhanging roof eaves underscored by intentionally exposed brackets or rafter tails
- As mentioned above, spacious front porches supported by thick beams that taper towards the top. The beams are often, but not always, set upon brick or stone columns that extend to the house foundation.
- Earth-toned exterior paint colors (think: sage greens, dusty browns, and golden yellows)
- Large bay or picture windows
- A humble 1- to 1 ½-story frame, though larger Craftsmans certainly do exist
- A clapboard, stucco, or shingled exterior, though brick Craftsman are common in the Midwest
Craftsman Home Interiors
If you’re ready to say goodbye to the open floor plan and be at one with the world around you, the cozy quarters of a Craftsman are just the ticket. "Interior design in Craftsman-style homes had the goal of bringing the outdoors in," says Elizabeth. "Nature was a huge influence here, which means that the wood was always natural (unpainted), and the shapes simple and streamlined."
Inside a Craftsman, you’ll often find:
- Separate rooms for separate functions, often closed off with pocket doors
- Lower slung coffered ceilings
- Thick wood trim around door frames and windows
- Built-in elements such as cabinets, bookshelves, and window seats
- A focal fireplace typically located in the living or dining room, and, if you're lucky, surrounded by eye-catching adornment. "The giant decorative clay tiles that came out of this period are some of my favorite old house details," says Elizabeth.
Craftsman vs. Bungalow
While you may see the terms used interchangeably, they technically shouldn’t be. Craftsman refers to an architectural style, while a bungalow is a type of small house. So a Craftsman bungalow can exist, but a Craftsman can also be a grander dwelling. (Doesn’t a Craftsman farmhouse sound totally dreamy?) Similarly, there are bungalows that are not of the Craftsman style.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I capitalize Craftsman?
Yes. When referring to Craftsman as an architectural style, the term is capitalized. If you’re using the word as a generic descriptor, it is not capitalized.
Why is it called a Craftsman home?
As mentioned above, the name is derived from Gustav Stickley’s magazine of the same title. The term is intended to honor the hand-work of carpenters—true craftsmen of their trade.
What makes a house a Craftsman?
The quickest way to spot a Craftsman from the street is to look for overextended roof eaves supported by brackets and a wide front porch buttressed by thick beams.
Where are Craftsman houses most commonly found?
Southern California as well as the Midwest.
Sarah Zlotnick is the Lifestyle Director at Country Living, where she covers a little bit of everything—small towns, life in the country, and, her favorite, antiques. A research buff at heart, she loves a deep dive into the history of vintage finds and uncovering the reasons behind old-as-time traditions.
Elizabeth Finkelstein and her husband, Ethan Finkelstein, are the brains behind the popular Instagram and newsletter Cheap Old Houses. Together, they restore historic homes in HGTV’s series Who’s Afraid of a Cheap Old House? Elizabeth grew up in an 1850s home lovingly restored by her parents, so her love for crown molding and peeling wallpaper runs in her gene pool. She holds a master’s degree in historic preservation and has put in years of professional work restoring old houses. While not filming or nurturing the vast and wonderful @cheapoldhouses community, the couple spends time restoring their own cheap old farmhouse — a little slice of heaven they snagged for a cool $70,000.
