Refine your plans to incorporate Craftsman architectural principles.
Your historic Craftsman home, whether a California bungalow or an East Coast foursquare structure, was built on the philosophy of a simple home design meant to harmonize with nature and its surrounding environment. As you plan the design for your faithful restoration, keep in mind the interior and exterior principles of Craftsman architecture if you wish to maintain the integrity of the original architecture. Does this Spark an idea?
Choose Materials
Redo your fireplace with local stone in rough-hewn, irregular shapes.
True Craftsman homes were built from materials native to the area, including local stone and wood. Select interior and exterior building materials and trim from local artisans, or at least consult your local lumberyard when picking out wood from your region. For example, you could reface an existing fireplace with natural stone from a nearby quarry for an authentic design and texture. Choose wide, dark woodwork for simple door frames and crown molding. Replace the metal gutters with Craftsman style's signature wooden gutters, integrated as part of the roof design. They could be reproduced using treated wood that is unlikely to rot even in wet climates.
Flooring
Refurbish the existing wood floors for the most authentic look in your remodeling project.
You can refinish the wood floors in your Craftsman style house or choose a glossy ceramic tile with a narrow border in black or white characteristic of the era. You may want a brick or stone floor in your kitchen, as both of these materials were considered sufficiently naturalistic by Craftsman architects. When removing carpet or linoleum that may have been installed in later years, you are most likely to find solid oak floors in a Craftsman style home from the period of 1900 to 1930.
Lighting
Keep your renovation authentically Craftsman by avoiding shiny brass light fixtures. Choose one of the iron and glass Mission-style sconces or overhead lights, or select a dark brass lamp with a stained-glass shad in keeping with the simple style of the arts and crafts movement. You'll want to stay with clean, straight lines and angles in your lighting rather than curvy, ornate Victorian fixtures.
Exterior
Brick landscaping is very flattering to the organic architecture of a Craftsman.
Your wide porch columns may need repair for rotting wood and a fresh coat of paint. You'll select earthtones of brown, green or gold if you wish to keep to a Craftsman's naturalism. Pick out regional stone to replace broken stone detailing or steps. Instead of a concrete driveway or sidewalk, choose brick for a more harmonious appearance. Iron or dark patina brass porch lights and a freshly refinished wooden porch floor will add to the curb appeal of your restored Craftsman.
Tags: Craftsman style, fireplace with, interior exterior, local stone, wood floors