Craftsman House Plans Mesh
With Their Surroundings
Craftsman style homes were popularized by Gustav
Stickley. Mr. Stickely was an accomplished furniture designer.
He pioneered the craftsman style house plan to be simple, informal
and have utter charming curb appeal.
Mr. Stickely’s magazine, “The Craftsman,” promoted
simplicity, functionality and quality. The Craftsman house
plan earns his name from that very magazine. Mr. Stickely wanted
craftsman style homes to show artistry in home building, furnishing
and decoration. He urged many an average person to do the construction
on their own home plans. To assist them he published several
home building plans just for the average citizen.
Two other home builders also played a very strong well of
the development of the craftsman style house. Henry Mather
Green and Charles Sumner Greene. These two gentlemen combined
arts and crafts with simple wooden building from China and
Japan. Like the development of the ranch style house plan,
the craftsman also found its birth in California.
The influence of the Arts & Crafts movement during the
1800’s in England gave the Craftsman house plan its foundation.
This movement was started by John Ruskin, William Morris, and
other English designers. The informality and simplicity of
the plan was contradicted the Victorian period and the effects
of the industrial revolution.
The exterior of craftsman homes differ
as you cross the US. In the west craftsman homes are found
with stucco and wood.
In the Midwest homes are widely found with brick exteriors.
As you travel further east you will find homes with more shingles
on the façade.
This homes feature
* Wood, stone, or stucco siding
* Low-pitched roof
* Wide eaves with triangular brackets
* Exposed roof rafters
* Porch with thick square or round columns
* Stone porch supports
* Exterior chimney made with stone
* Open floor plans; few hallways
* Numerous windows
* Some windows with stained or leaded glass
* Beamed ceilings
* Dark wood wainscoting and moldings
* Built-in cabinets, shelves, and seating
Today more and more home developments are designing their
new communities after the craftsman style house. These homes
are inviting and welcoming making them a perfect fit for young
families and starter homes.
