Craft House is a popular style of house that emerged from the American handicraft movement in the twentieth century, which included everything from architecture to interior and landscape design, in addition to applied and decorative arts.

History of Craftsman Architecture

Like political elections, architectural movements are often the result of what has already been said, a revolt against the status quo. Handicraft houses are an American architectural tradition that emerged and developed mainly between 1900 and 1929. It was a reaction against the flourishing Victorian architecture that fueled mass production and the Industrial Revolution, making valuable ornaments and decorations more accessible with new technologies.

If the Industrial Revolution celebrated the wonders of man-made materials and the possibilities that machines could do for humans, Craftsman’s architecture was an aesthetic affirmation of the beauty of natural materials and forms and wonders that humans could create with their own hands.

The American craft style was inspired by the British arts and crafts movement, which in turn provoked a strong reaction to the European Industrial Revolution. Craft architecture was especially popular in California and the Midwest, but it spread throughout the country, in part thanks to furniture designers and the strengthening of the arts and crafts movement that helped popularize the style.

California cottage style was also popularized in handicraft houses by people who were strongly influenced by the Japanese style. Another notable style that emerged from the American Craft Movement was the highly acclaimed architecture founded by the legendary architect who designed some of the masterpieces of modern architecture in the mid-century.

Contrary to what appeared a century later, artisan-style houses were small to medium-sized one-family houses that displayed the beauty of simplicity and humility in architecture. While craft-style homes are just as popular as California craft homes, keep in mind that not every home is craft-style.

Artisan-style homes are still one of the most popular home styles in the United States. The original craft houses are still widely regarded, and the main elements of the Craftsman style continue to inform architects and new neo-artisan buildings to this day.

Key Characteristics of Craftsman Houses

1. Sloping roofs with single or double gables protruding and protruding edges 
2. The exterior has exposed beams, brackets, and/or beams
3. The wide-open front porches are supported by thick conical columns
4. Ordinary craft houses are one to one and a half stories high
5. The design of the house may be symmetrical or asymmetrical
6. Large margins or pictorial windows consist of a small ledge protruding from the window, with beam tails.
7. The exterior is usually painted wooden siding, which is traditionally shocking cedar zones.
8. It often includes stone or bed accents in both interior and exterior
9. The main handicraft houses were generally painted in earthy colors such as brown and green, but today they can be found in a rainbow of colors.
10. Sash windows in Craftsman’s main homes may feature iconic glazing.

Craftsman Interior Design Style 

Undoubtedly, one of the reasons Craftsman Homes remains one of the most popular American architectural styles is because they reflect aesthetics and timeless values that never went out of style. The house of artisans is built with natural materials and colors and motifs inspired by nature, focusing on the beauty of handicrafts. While Craftsman’s designs focused on simplicity and efficiency, they nevertheless paid more attention to detail and interior character than today’s simple and minimalist designs.

The interior of the craftsmen is made in such a way that it is cozy, homely, unpretentious, and warm. Unlike ordinary open spaces today, they have distinctive living and dining areas. Small corners of the kitchen; And a traditional spatial design on a human scale. Living and dining rooms are usually anchored by one or two fireplaces as features of the central room that may be covered with brick or tile.

One of the elements that make handicraft houses feel inviting to live in is the widespread use of woodwork. This includes windows and doors with thick wooden frames. Interior bookshelves, window chairs, and other custom works. Beam ceilings; And the hardwood floor. The use of the medium to dark wood in the interior gives the Craftsman interior a traditional masculine feel.

While craft houses have large windows that let in natural light, by modern standards they can be somewhat dark. While pure people never dream of painting wood in a traditional craft house, many people prefer to lighten some natural wood, usually with neutral shades of white, gray, gray, and beige.

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