Blog Post
What is Craftsman Style Architecture?
- By Steve Wauson
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- 15 Jul, 2017
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The Defining Qualities of the Arts and Crafts Movement
Why Craftsman Style?
At Craftsman Homes of Austin we are experienced, resourceful practitioners of the Craftsman Style. We remain true to Craftsman ideals because they result in sturdy, long-lasting structures, with timeless and iconic design. Craftsman is an early 20th century American style of architecture—a subset of the British born, Arts and Crafts movement which values the handmade over the mass produced.
Origins of Craftsman Style in the United States
In the early 1900s, a furniture designer named Gustav Stickley offered free plans for Arts and Crafts style homes in his magazine, “The Craftsman.” Craftsman homes quickly gained popularity, inspiring Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie School movement and eventually the Ranch house which, by the 1930s, had popped up in every American suburb. Wright’s style is evident in dozens of modern housing features. His Fallingwater (top photo) is one of the most well-known structures that embodies Craftsman philosophy.
Built for the middle class, Craftsman homes were low-slung bungalows that incorporated some common features:
- street-facing gables with composition or shingled roofs
- wide overhanging eaves
- deep porches
- large fireplaces
- an arched opening separating the living room and dining room
- built-in cabinetry in the dining room and kitchen
The Arts and Crafts Philosophy
Arts and Crafts originated in England in response to the Industrial Revolution and the opulent Victorian fashion. Architect Augustus Pugin and the writer John Ruskin advocated for a return to Gothic architecture and rejection of mass production. Other countries followed suit resulting in Art Nouveau in France and the Glasgow School in Scotland.
The movement purported that factory labor underpays and demeans workers resulting in inferior products. In contrast, Arts and Crafts values the work of craftspeople, artisans and artists. It states that the things we build should blend with nature, incorporate natural and local materials, and be simple, strong and subtle, yet comfortable and unique. One hundred and thirty years later the basic tenets and timeless philosophy of the movement are still relevant.
The movement purported that factory labor underpays and demeans workers resulting in inferior products. In contrast, Arts and Crafts values the work of craftspeople, artisans and artists. It states that the things we build should blend with nature, incorporate natural and local materials, and be simple, strong and subtle, yet comfortable and unique. One hundred and thirty years later the basic tenets and timeless philosophy of the movement are still relevant.
What You Can Expect from Craftsman Homes of Austin
At Craftsman Homes of Austin, we strive to remain true to the basic tenants of Craftsman construction: strong construction, beauty through simplicity, subtlety and dignity of style, ecological responsibility, and comfort.
Our influences range from the California Architects Greene and Greene, to the Prairie Craftsman designs of Frank Lloyd Wright and Fay Jones, to Japanese architecture. We use many Arts and Craft or Craftsman architectural details, and styles such as:
Our influences range from the California Architects Greene and Greene, to the Prairie Craftsman designs of Frank Lloyd Wright and Fay Jones, to Japanese architecture. We use many Arts and Craft or Craftsman architectural details, and styles such as:
- Roofs with large eave overhangs
- Shallow roof pitches
- Roof brackets
- Roofing materials
- Siding materials
- Exposed structural components
- Unique woodwork
- Casement windows
- Large-scale plate glass windows
- Open floor plans in which the kitchen, dining room, and living room—while occupying separate areas of the overall social space—are visually linked to each other
- An assortment of materials including beige brick, honey-colored oak
- Trim that wraps around all four walls of rooms
- Designs focused on a central fireplace
- Streamlined simplicity detailing that uses the warmth of natural materials such as wood or stone
On Valuing Craftsmanship
We use the best craftspeople we can find. We compensate them fairly, attend to their safety and treat them like family. We become emotionally vested in the work we do together. We greatly value their input and skills and often have over 100 years of combined experience on site. Each project is greatly influenced by this talented artisans. For example, the woodwork is specifically designed for each space.
At Craftsman Homes of Austin, each home is unique to the natural features of the site. Designs expose the decorative qualities of structural elements and feature local materials. We modernize traditional ideas by adding new technologies and smart strategies such as rainwater collection, earth sheltering, wildlife habitats, carbon consuming landscapes, Northern exposures, insulation, energy and water efficiency, outdoor living spaces, large casement and fixed glass windows, ponds, waterfalls and grottos.
In this architectural design, space is sparsely utilized. Craftsman homes are designed to be highly functional and comfortable. Function does not trump form, however, we are always aware that the house we build is not what your life is about, but rather its backdrop.
In this architectural design, space is sparsely utilized. Craftsman homes are designed to be highly functional and comfortable. Function does not trump form, however, we are always aware that the house we build is not what your life is about, but rather its backdrop.
Craftsman Homes of Austin has been working in Houston to help rebuild homes surrounding our Indigo Street project that were destroyed during Hurricane Harvey.