What Is a Craftsman House?
Gustav Stickley, a furniture maker and architect, created a periodical called "The Craftsman," which popularized and named Craftsman style homes during the American arts and crafts movement in the early part of the 20th century. With a distaste for uniformity brought on by the industrial revolution, Stickley translated his love of handmade, natural wood furniture into one of the more popular building styles of his day. Does this Spark an idea?
History
In 1901, Stickley launched "The Craftsman." This magazine soon became the voice of the American arts and crafts movement. The crafts movement centered on handmade furniture, decor items and other home crafts. In 1903, Stickley began working with Greene and Greene, an architectural firm in California that shared his philosophy and wanted to extend it to home building. Together, they designed 221 home plans and published them in The Craftsman.
The Craftsman style was wildly popular between 1905 and the 1930s, in almost every part of America. Then, in the late 20th century, the Craftsman style became popular again. Many architects began designing replicas, and many real estate investors began renovating for resale every Craftsman home they could acquire. Unfortunately, the revival was short-lived and gave way quickly to the trend toward model homes and the planned suburban community.
Features
Until 1916, Stickley included these home designs in his magazine. Readers began referring to them as "Craftsman" homes. Many other publications began printing home plans of the Craftsman type as well; every home had common features such as low-pitched gabled roofs, exposed rafters and open floor plans that gave the home a welcoming, open feel. Other common features--beamed ceilings and dark wood moldings, built-in cabinets, shelves and seating--were practical and offered opportunities to showcase quality and craftsmanship. Numerous windows for natural lighting and generous porches with thick stone, square, or round columns, suggesed a communion with the natural environment.
Distinctions
Today, most Craftsman homes are referred to as bungalows. However, not all bungalows are Craftsman homes. Practical design and high-quality workmanship distinguish a Craftsman house. They sport traditionally modest designs that make use of the land and area where they are constructed; they will also use local building materials whenever possible. Natural materials, like rock or timber, sometimes pulled right from the building site play a big role in the Craftsman style.
Considerations
Though its unique style is what makes a Craftsman house so attractive, it can sometimes present unique challenges. The use of natural wood throughout the home requires regular attention to prevent stripping, wood scarring or scuffing on floors, paneling, and door frames. Craftsman homes built in the tropical climates of the Gulf Coast region (Florida, Louisiana and coastal Texas) may have issues with wood warping and require regular termite prevention. Also, matching wood when doing repairs or renovations can be almost impossible. Many homes of this type were originally built on smaller lots, so expansion possibilities may be limited as well.
Legacy
The Craftsman was last published in 1916. Gustav Stickley, not the most gifted businessman, filed bankruptcy in 1917. Though his Craftsman style lost its great following after the 1930's, his design ideals; building with the land, blending practicality with aesthetic values, using natural materials from the local environment, and a distinct aversion away from anything prefabricated heavily influenced Frank Lloyd Wright and other prominent architects. Consequently, many true Craftsman homes built after the 30's serve as retreat homes for the wealthy instead of the practical-minded American middle-class homeowner, as Stickley intended.
Tags: Craftsman homes, Craftsman style, crafts movement, 20th century, American arts, American arts crafts, arts crafts