What Is A Craftsman?
A Craftsman style home is an American architectural and interior design that began in the late 19th century. It developed during the Arts and Crafts movement which lasted from 1860 to 1920, but the Craftsman style remained extremely popular well into the 1930s.
The Craftsman style was first published in “The Craftsman,” which was a magazine of the Arts and Crafts movement, and published in New York in the early 20th century.
A page from a 1934 issue from a Sears kit/catalog when Craftsman homes were popular
The editor, Gustav Stickley, had two main ideas for the magazine: to give advice to the budding cabinet maker, and offer floor plans for the middle class. The homes for these floor plans often fit the niche between the lower-end Sears kits and the Frank Lloyd Wright homes that were also built in the same Arts and Crafts tradition.
With such a storied history, it’s safe to say that the Craftsman style home isn’t going anywhere. For nearly 100 years, it has remained one of the most famous architectural style homes in the United States, with 43 percent of Americans preferring the style.
Styles Of The American Craftsman
So you know that Craftsman style homes are well loved — but the real question is what makes them so popular?
The short answer is that Craftsman homes are known for their open living spaces, windows that have two operable sashes, and exposed rafters — which makes them both appealing and functional.
These homes boast visual craftsmanship — hence the name — and they tend to mix natural materials that create impressive exteriors, such as stone and handcrafted wood. They also include clean lines, lots of windows, and construction features like beams and columns.
The Three Main Styles
Craftsman homes are recognizable upon sight, but did you know that there are three main styles? All are relatively common, but you might not even know you’ve come across one since they vary in exterior style:
- Bungalow
- Prairie
- Foursquare
Bungalows are small and cozy, and almost always one and a half stories tall with large dormer windows on the second floor. They have low-pitch, gabled roofs with extra-wide columns on the porches. The living room is the heart of the home and at the center of the floorplan.
Prairies have long, flat roofs, rows of tiny windows, and open-concept floor plans. Linear Japanese prints inspired this style, so they always have clean, horizontal lines.
Foursquare styles are named for their four rooms on each floor, making the house large and box-shaped. They are great for large families, since they always go up to a second story and sometimes third. Foursquare homes are classic and traditional-looking, but you’ll also find smaller and denser, less aesthetically-pleasing foursquare homes in urban areas that house multiple families.
Interior Features
Most Craftsman floor plans come with two to four bedrooms, two bathrooms, and typically an included half bath. One-story Craftsman homes are standard, but most people seek out two-story homes with garages and a minimum of three thousand square feet.
Notable interior features include:
- Numerous double-hung windows
- Grand fireplaces surrounded by stone, featured in the center of the living room
- Open and connected spaces on the first floor with few hallways
- Open-concept kitchens
- Breakfast nooks
- Built-in cabinets and shelving units
- Custom-made features like window seats or cabinets
- Natural materials such as wood and stone
However, what makes a Craftsman most recognizable are their exterior features with its impressive curb appeal.
Exterior Features
Craftsman homes are known for their vaulted ceilings with visible dormers and windows from the outside of the home.
Some more notable exterior features include:
- Deep eaves
- Hip roofs
- Steep gables
- Long porches
- A covered porch
- Large columns that support the roof which appear to be more sturdy at the bottom and become smaller at the top
- Wood and stone facades
- Large wooden columns
- Deep overhanging roof eaves
- Exposed rafter tails
- Visible knee braces (which is the exposed triangle-shape that supports a deep roof eave from underneath)
- Single dormers, centered and very large, often with multiple windows
- Earth tones like browns and greens
- Partly paned doors
Is A Craftsman Right For You?
It’s no surprise why Craftsman homes are a classic favorite — they are open, gorgeous, and boast unique craftsmanship.
Craftsman homes are perfect for any size family, whether you want to live on the beach, in the mountains, downtown, or in suburban neighborhoods on the outskirts of any of these areas. With inviting entryways, earthy color palettes, large and connected living spaces, it’s hard to see why anybody wouldn’t want a Craftsman!
The fun part is finding one that suits your needs perfectly.
Find The Perfect Craftsman House Plan
No matter what type of layout you’re looking for, Monster House Plans allows you to customize your floor plan search by bedrooms, bathrooms, stories, garage bays, square footage, foundation options, and much more.
If you’re looking to build your dream home from the ground up, find an extensive variety of Craftsman house plans at Monster House Plans.
