Craftsman house plans
are an outgrowth of the Arts and Crafts style of the late nineteenth
and early twentieth centuries. In the aftermath of the Industrial
Revolution, architects reacted to the mechanization of life by trying to
return to nature. They used wood and stone, and designed homes to blend
into the landscape. In the 1880's designers and thinkers such as
William Morris, John Ruskin, and Philip Webb launched the Arts and
Crafts Movement to celebrate handicrafts and to encourage the use of
natural materials and simple forms. In the U.S. the brothers Henry
Mather Greene and Charles Sumner Greene designed homes which combined
Arts and Crafts ideals with the simple wooden architecture of Japan and
China. The word "Craftsman" is derived from the title of a magazine
published by designer Gustav Stickley from 1901 through 1916. True
Craftsman homes are those built according to designs published in
Stickley's magazine, but other pattern books and mail order catalogues
published plans with similar designs. Soon the term "Craftsman" meant
any home which expressed the ideals of the Arts and Crafts movement,
especially the simple and economical bungalow.
Craftsman custom home plans accent simplicity and lack of ornamentation,
using local materials whenever possible. Natural materials
traditionally played a large role in Craftsman style. These homes take
advantage of their sites by being positioned to welcome the sun, and
they are often surrounded by gardens. They usually feature a wide front
porch supported on stone and framed by thick round or square pillars,
which provides an outdoor living space. Exteriors were made of stone,
wood, or stucco siding, and roofs were low-pitched with wide eaves and
triangular brackets. Exterior stone chimneys are common. Interior floor
plans are open, with few hallways, and the efficient use of space allows
the display of large art pieces, and also accommodates large
gatherings. The walls typically have many windows to provide ample
light. Roof rafters are exposed inside and ceilings are beamed, and
there may be dark wood moldings and wainscoting. Shelves, cabinets, and
seating are usually built-in. Craftsman homes usually feature Arts and
Crafts-style light fixtures, and leaded or stained glass windows to
provide privacy as well as a play of light.
While Craftsman home design plans most often make people think
"bungalow", there developed different Craftsman styles, including
Prairie, Mission, and Foursquare. The Craftsman style is experiencing a
revival at present, especially since the current economic downturn. One
reason is that new, low-maintenance products such as PVC and composites
make it possible to create architectural accents which don't require the
maintenance that traditional materials needed. For example, window
boxes and functional shutters and brackets are making a comeback, since
PVC window boxes resist water and don't rot. PVC is also being used for
windows and trim work. The current recession is helping to bring back
Craftsman-style attention to detail at an affordable price, since modern
home buyers are attracted to the simple, understated elegance and
inexpensive maintenance which modern materials can provide.
Craftsman house plans create a livable, homey environment. The
unassuming Craftsman home design plans with their open custom home plans
and casual porch frontages encourage the enjoyment of space - they are
homes which feel like home.