What Is a Craftsman-Style House? Everything You Need to Know About This Charming Design

So, what exactly defines these homes? There are more varieties than you might think, and the style has evolved a great deal over the years. Here, we traced the style's long history and defining characteristics—from oversized roofs to wood-trimmed living rooms.

Meet the Expert

Diane Kett, architect and founder of DK Studio

History of the Craftsman

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Arts & Crafts movement saw architecture and design trends move away from the fussiness of the Victorian period and toward a simpler, more natural aesthetic. "Gustav Stickley was an interior designer who really pushed this style forward with his mission-style furniture, which was about much simpler lines and boxier shapes," says architect Dianne Kett, founder of DK Studio. "It was a rejection—or response—to the Victorian overabundance of details."

The style became an iconic part of the architectural landscape in California and throughout the Midwest, with major architects—including Frank Lloyd Wright—incorporating it into their designs. Sears even sold Craftsman-style home kits, making the movement accessible to nearly any homeowner.

Defining Characteristics

Organic materials, welcoming silhouettes, and light-filled interiors create a unique relationship between these homes and their surroundings, says Kett. "The Craftsman style was often associated with a connection to nature," she adds. "There is a big play of light in these houses. It was also very proportional to the human scale—again, a nod back to nature."

A Pleasant Size

Many Craftsman-style homes are just one or two stories high, with a cozy 750 to 2500 square feet of living space, according to Kett. "You can definitely find large, grand houses in this style—architecture firm Greene and Greene was known for these—but you more often find them to be smaller in scale," she says.

Recognizable Rooflines

Craftsman-style homes are known for their deep overhangs and low, pitched roofs. Look for "exposed wood rafter tails, gable roofs on the front porch, or hip roofs," says Kett. "Typically there are large, wood-painted brackets under the ridge and the two sides of a gable. Oftentimes the roof material was more of a wood shingle—especially in the midwest to western states—which allowed the house to breathe more."

Exterior Details

Other famous markers of the Craftsman style include a wide, columned front porch; detailed, window-screen frames and divided glass; and stained-wood or stucco exteriors. Brick and stone often accent the chimney and the porch columns.

Wood-Trimmed Interiors

Some Craftsman-style homes include entry foyers, while others open directly into the living room. Original floor plans included small kitchens—nowadays, these are often expanded for more modern use, says Kett. Built-in bookcases line walls in the libraries, flank the fireplace, and separate living and dining spaces. "If budget allowed, there would be stained-wood wainscoting throughout the main living rooms, with simple details," she says. "Some spaces would have stained, exposed beam ceilings, providing a warmer feel."

Distinctive Design Elements

Tiled countertops, standout fireplaces, an earthy color palette, and stained glass windows give Craftsman-style homes a unique character. "The interiors are really fun on these houses," says Kett. "The fireplaces are often accented with a plaster façade, stained wood mantles, arched openings, or brick or stone, and there's always an interesting tile in the floor."

The stained glass often depicts images of trees, branches, or flowers, she says: "It's always interesting because they use so much stained wood on the interior, yet all the glass keeps it feeling light."

Related: The History of the Saltbox House, a Timeless Style of New England Architecture

Different Types of Craftsman Homes

 

Bungalow

The cozy, sunny bungalow is often the home that first comes to mind when you hear the term "Craftsman." The layout is often two rooms wide and three rooms deep, with a first floor raised off the ground and accessible by steps up to the porch, as per Kett. "They always have a front porch with columns, and are typically one story. Sometimes, they have a second floor in the back, which is often referred to as an 'airplane bungalow,'" she says.

Prairie Style

Frank Llloyd Wright's take on the aesthetic galvanized Prairie-style home builds. Wright made many of the traditional Craftsman elements bigger, according to Kett, like deeper overhangs, stained glass, and long pitched roofs. "He also was a big believer in looking at nature and letting it influence the design," she says. "He cited these houses as always relating to the surrounding landscape."

Mission Revival

Mission Revival-style homes, popularized in California as a take on Spanish colonials, are grouped into the Craftsman family—though they have a few elements all their own. "The Mission Revival is almost always stucco, with a stained wood front door, arched openings and windows, tile accents, and clay tile roofs," says Kett. "Sometimes, there are reliefs in the stucco shaped like quatrefoils."

Four Square

The two-story Four Square gets its name from its geometric appearance. "It means exactly that—you could divide the front façade up into four squares," says Kett. "Typically there are four windows with the front door in the middle, a big front porch spanning the entire width of the house, a dormer at the attic or roof line, and two sets of single windows on the second floor—either one wide window or two smaller windows grouped together." Though the square footage usually exceeds that of a bungalow, she says that the homes still have a sense of proportion and scale.

Enduring Charm

The inviting front porches, dynamic rooflines, natural wood accents, and sunny interiors make Craftsman-style homes a quintessential, timeless architecture style. "I rarely hear anyone complain about a Craftsman-style house!" says Kett. "The use of big gables, generous front porches, wide steps, and big columns adorned with stone and brick ... people feel so comfortable in these houses, and they remain so popular today."