Gaining popularity in the early twentieth century, the Craftsman style house is easy to identify. Its distinct design characteristics set it apart from most other home styles. From its iconic front porch, exposed beams and grand fireplace, the Craftsman home has a character all its own. If you’re planning to build a new Craftsman home, this article will highlight a number of its classic design features.
A welcome like no other
Of all the defining features of a Craftsman home, the covered front porch is one of the most recognizable.
Anchored with brick or stone footers, Craftsman porch columns start wide at the bottom and taper toward the top. The front porch has deep overhanging eaves, visible knee braces and exposed rafter tails that extend beyond the roof line. Shingled eaves and handcrafted trim are also a notable detail found on examples of the style.
Definitive scale
Balanced proportion and scale are very important qualities of a Craftsman home. Standing vertical but solid, most Craftsman’s are only one or two stories. Their low-pitched roofs provide a squat facade which works proportionately with their wide floorplans. Intersecting roof lines also help to convey a textured dimension to the home when viewed from every angle.
Creature Comforts
Another hallmark of the Craftsman style is a large fireplace usually located in the living room. Working as the home’s centerpiece, it often uses the same stone and wood detailing found throughout the home.
As with other elements pulled from the Arts and Crafts movement, built-in cabinetry and shelving can a be found in the living spaces beyond the kitchen. More tell-tale interior details include multi-pane windows with wide trim wainscoting or chair rails, period light fixtures and paned doors. Intricate metal hardware on doors and windows add to the Craftsman charm.
Show the bones
Craftsman homes are known for shamelessly showing off their structural components. Exposed beams on the interior and exterior of the home act as signature architectural details. As mentioned above, the ends of the beams, called rafter tails notably extend outside of the roof line. Inside, natural wood rafters accent the ceilings in most every room. This treatment brings an element interest to an otherwise overlooked aspect of the home.
Naturally designed
With locally sourced wood and stone as the go-to materials, the Craftsman home exudes an earthy ambiance. The color palette of this style reflects the natural world, as well. Earth tones like browns and greens are most often used. While handcrafted dark wood detailing and accents add to rustic influence.
There are many reasons the Craftsman style home is one of the most popular across the country. It’s iconic style fits in nicely from coastal to mountainous regions. And in addition to its historic architectural beauty, the style is still quite functional in our modern world. Featuring a deep-rooted essence of comfort and hand-crafted elegance, the Craftsman home has earned its illustrative name while standing the test of time for more than a century.