Architecture 101 - Everything You Need To Know About Craftsman Style Exteriors
Is there anything that is more classic than a Craftsman home? Between the rich history, welcoming front porches, and cozy rooflines, these homes are truly unique in their character and charm.
But have you ever wondered what really makes a home a Craftsman Home? What are the common characteristics of the Craftsman? What colours and materials should be used? And how could a boring, outdated house be updated to not only embrace the style, but project that irresistible “welcome home” feeling that make a Craftsman home so desirable?
History of the Craftsman Home
Interestingly enough, the Craftsman style is rumored to have originated in colonial India. The British officers working in India at the time were inspired by several elements of Indian Architecture, including porches and heavily overhung roofs. Once the officers returned to England, they began incorporating those elements into their own homes.
But it wasn’t until the late 1800’s to early 1900’s that the Craftsman style really took off, growing in popularity as people began to reject the perceived notion that the individual worked was no longer valued and only the elite could afford the non-mass produced products that were becoming less common as a result of the industrial revolution. It was also around this time that the popularity of the Victorian style had begun to fall, and people began to gravitate towards the simplicity of the Craftsman instead of the ornate detailing that appeared to clutter the Victorian home.
Common Characteristics of a Craftsman Exterior
A typical Craftsman home would incorporate many of the elements listed below:
A large yet cozy front porch.
Pillars featuring heavy, often stone clad bases supporting a heavy roofline over the porch.
Low-pitched rooflines incorporating dormers or front facing gables.
Brackets are often incorporated at the roofline as either decoration or additional support.
Homes are often clad in shakes or siding, but may also incorporate stone.
Earth tone colours and materials.
A Few Examples of Craftsman Homes
This is a great example of a traditional Craftsman home. A large, wrap around veranda featuring wide overhangs protects the home while also creating a warm sense of welcome to anyone passing by. Sturdy columns with thick bases support the roofline over the porch, while brackets have been incorporated to support the front facing gables, which seem to dominate the roofline.
The materials and colours used are very simple, with the exterior primarily being clad in a painted wood shake. Interest is created through the incorporation of a traditional red brick and the crisp contrast of the white trims, brackets, and railings against a neutral, earth tone wood shake.
Here is another great example of a smaller Craftsman style home. Again, you will notice the prominent features of this home include a large covered veranda and front facing gables.
Rather than wood shakes, this home has been clad in a simple white siding, but interest is still created through the use of brackets, brick, and trim details that contrast against the main siding colour.
This is a great example of a Craftsman home where interest at the roofline has been created through the incorporation of a dormer instead of gables.
A dormer is a roofed structure, often containing a window, which projects out of the main roofline.
Dormers can be completely decorative, which makes them a great feature to incorporate into an otherwise simple home or roofline.
A Few Homes That Could Easily Be Converted to Craftsman Home
Below are two average homes in Edmonton…
Before
A covered porch featuring traditional Craftsman style columns could be built across the entire entry door wall while the stucco and vertical siding could be replaced with either horizontal siding, shakes, brick, or a combination of the three. In order to make this home really look like a traditional Craftsman, brackets could be added at the roofline, thicker trims could be added around the doors and windows, and the windows and door could be updated to better align with the Craftsman style.
After
Before
The steps on the left side of the home could be removed in order to make room for a covered porch.
Alternatively, a covered porch could added across the entire front face of the home.
Just like the previous example, brackets could be added at the roofline, heavier trims could be added around the windows, and brick and/or shakes could be incorporated to help create more of a Craftsman style home.
After
Want to learn more about residential architecture? Check out the rest of the series:
BY EMILY RADKIE
