The houses were typically not symmetrical, which made them more interesting from the street. They looked casual and informal. They used natural materials or materials created from natural substances. For instance, floor tiles are common in Craftsman houses. The roofs had low pitches and sometimes had gables. Very often the roof rafters were exposed at the edges of the house. Sometimes additional braces were added under the gables, but they were typically decorative.
A wide overhang was extremely common in Craftsman homes. This allowed for a large shaded porch, and allowed for air cooling. Typically the overhand was supported by columns that were squared at the bottom and tapered upwards.
In the interior of the homes the skills of the tradesmen who built them really showed. Built-in cabinets with woodworking details were common. Many rooms had nooks, but the rooms themselves were wide and spacious. Wood or tile floors were common. Good wood was used. Very often interior doors to the kitchen were ornate, made of wood. They...
Swinging doors were common (Author not given, 2004).
Because of the amount of work done by individuals for each individual house, no two Craftsman houses were alike. Because of the high quality of construction, many Craftsman-style homes survive to this day. They have often been remodeled (Author not given, 2004), but the Craftsman elements often remain hidden if the homeowner chooses to restore the house to its original state.
Bibliography
Author not given. 2004. "Arts & Crafts Architecture in America," in Craftsman Perspective. Accessed via the Internet 10/26/05. http://www.craftsmanperspective.com/docs/architecture.html
Daly, Les. 1994. "The Prime of Los Angeles: The City of the Future Discovers Its Past and Gains a New Appreciation for Culture." The Atlantic Monthly:273.
LaChiusa, Chuck. "The Arts and Crafts (Craftsman) Movement in Buffalo, New York." Accessed via the Internet 10/26/05. http://ah.bfn.org/a/archsty/a-c/tc.html
