Craftsman Home Features

Defining Characteristics of the Craftsman Home

The Craftsman home stands as one of America’s most beloved architectural styles, combining practical design with handcrafted beauty. Emerging from the Arts and Crafts movement of the early twentieth century, these homes rejected the ornate excess of Victorian architecture in favor of honest materials, quality construction, and connection to nature. Understanding these defining features helps homeowners restore, maintain, or thoughtfully update their Craftsman properties.

Exterior Features

Low-Pitched Roofs with Wide Eaves

The Craftsman roof typically features a low pitch—usually between four and six on twelve—with wide overhanging eaves that often extend two to three feet beyond the wall. These deep eaves protect the home from sun and rain while creating dramatic shadow lines. Exposed rafter tails beneath the eaves showcase the structural honesty that defined the movement.

Tapered Columns and Covered Porches

Full-width or partial front porches are hallmarks of Craftsman design. Substantial tapered columns—often brick, stone, or wood set on sturdy piers—support the porch roof. These columns grow wider at the base, giving the home a grounded, substantial appearance. The porch serves as a transitional space between indoors and out, extending the living area and encouraging connection with the neighborhood.

Natural Materials

Craftsman homes celebrate natural materials left as close to their original state as possible. Exterior cladding might include wood shingles, clapboard siding, stucco, brick, or combinations of these materials. River rock, cobblestone, and clinker brick appear on foundations, columns, and chimney stacks. The goal was always to showcase the inherent beauty of materials rather than disguise them.

Gabled and Hipped Roofs

Most Craftsman homes feature prominent front-facing or cross gables, often with decorative bargeboard trim. Hipped roofs with wide eaves also appear frequently, particularly on bungalow-style homes. Dormers add living space while breaking up the roofline with additional gables and windows.

Interior Features

Open Floor Plans

Craftsman homes pioneered the open floor plan concept, flowing seamlessly from living room to dining room with only columns, built-ins, or half-walls defining spaces. This openness creates a sense of spaciousness while maintaining distinct room identities. Wide doorways and colonnades connect rooms while allowing natural light to penetrate deep into the home.

Built-In Cabinetry

Perhaps no feature defines Craftsman interiors more than built-in cabinetry. Bookcases flank fireplaces. China cabinets and plate rails grace dining rooms. Window seats with storage beneath fit beneath banks of windows. Inglenooks create cozy reading spots beside the hearth. These elements reduce the need for freestanding furniture while showcasing the craftsmanship that gives the style its name.

Woodwork and Trim

Substantial wood trim appears throughout Craftsman interiors. Wide baseboards, often six inches or more, ground the walls. Crown molding features simple profiles that complement rather than compete with other details. Picture rails, plate rails, and wainscoting add visual interest and function. Quarter-sawn white oak remains the most authentic choice, though Douglas fir and other softwoods also appeared in original homes.

The Craftsman Fireplace

The fireplace serves as the focal point of the Craftsman living room—the heart of the home around which family life revolves. Substantial wood mantels, often quarter-sawn oak, frame openings faced with clinker brick, Batchelder tile, or river rock. Built-in bookcases typically flank the fireplace, creating a unified wall of beauty and function.

Beamed Ceilings

Exposed ceiling beams—whether structural or decorative—bring warmth and visual interest to Craftsman rooms. Box beams in dining rooms and living rooms divide ceilings into panels, often with coffered details. Even simple rooms benefit from the horizontal lines that beams provide, drawing the eye outward and creating a sense of shelter.

Windows and Natural Light

Craftsman windows typically feature double-hung sashes with divided lights in the upper portion—often three, four, six, or nine panes—over a single lower pane. Casement windows also appear, particularly in groups flanking fireplaces or lining breakfast nooks. The goal was always to maximize natural light while maintaining connection to the landscape outside.

Arts and Crafts Philosophy

Understanding the Craftsman home requires understanding the philosophy behind it. The Arts and Crafts movement sought to restore dignity to handwork in an increasingly industrial age. Leaders like Gustav Stickley, the Greene brothers, and Bernard Maybeck believed that well-designed homes built with quality materials and skilled craftsmanship could elevate daily life.

This philosophy manifests in every Craftsman detail—from the pegged joinery of built-in cabinets to the hand-hammered copper hardware on doors. Nothing was left to chance. Every element served a purpose, whether functional or aesthetic, and every material was chosen for its inherent beauty and durability.

Regional Variations

While sharing core characteristics, Craftsman homes adapted to regional conditions and tastes. California bungalows embrace indoor-outdoor living with expansive porches and extensive glazing. Pacific Northwest versions feature steeper roof pitches and darker stains to complement the rainy climate. Midwest interpretations often incorporate Prairie-style influences from Frank Lloyd Wright’s work. Understanding your home’s regional context helps guide authentic restoration and updates.

Living in a Craftsman Home Today

The Craftsman home remains remarkably livable more than a century after the movement’s peak. Open floor plans suit modern family life. Built-ins provide storage without clutter. Natural materials age gracefully, developing character rather than looking dated. With thoughtful maintenance and sensitive updates, these homes continue serving families for generations to come.