Your Home Style: A Craftsman Home Starter Guide
Your Home Style: A Craftsman Home Starter Guide
The great opportunity to work with Nelson Design Group fell into my lap by chance. Before that moment, my expertise in the home design world was limited to passing judgement on local homes for sale and occasional Facebook posts from realtor friends. My paltry experience with the architectural world was guided only by personal tastes. Of course, being immersed in floor plans, exterior materials, and structural design daily, I fancy myself a rather experienced novice in a fairly short time. Though I have not forgotten the early mistakes of assuming I preferred one home style only to learn I had completely confused it for another. This guide is designed to make your house plan search an easy, enjoyable mission. Understanding what makes a home craftsman, European, or modern will greatly help guide you to the perfect home plan!
The Craftsman Home History
History dedicates the beginning of the Arts and Crafts movement to a variety artists and architects. The drive to create furniture, homes, and patterns to stray wildly from the rigid Victorian formality birthed a focus on honest simplicity –in both materials and styles. In upstate New York, Gustav Stickley is commonly thought as a founder of the craftsman design. Stickley was a furniture maker and publisher in the early 1900s. Great importance was laid upon simplicity and preserving the natural beauty of the materials in each piece. Natural wood, stone, and canvas worked in tandem. Stickley founded the Arts and Crafts magazine, The Craftsman, to showcase his furniture and architectural designs, as well as articles and products relevant to middle-class homeowners. The first Craftsman home was Gustav Stickley’s home in Syracuse, New York, even! Interior photos of his home and that architectural floor plan were featured in The Craftsman and contributed greatly to the Arts and Crafts Movement.
What Makes A Craftsman Home
Interesting history aside, Craftsman homes are easily recognizable. A strong focus on natural exterior and interior elements and built-in details, a Craftsman house plan is one of America’s most popular home styles. Many of the delightful accents remain similar throughout the Craftsman style and have even been combined with differing home styles for a unique look.
o Open Floor Plans:
Craftsman homes are most often designed with open floor plans. Removing the stuffiness and “formality" of unnecessary walls or small rooms refocuses the center of the home in the Kitchen or Great Room. Not every Craftsman house plan will feature an open floor plan but this traditional design ties together the fine details and natural elements. 
o Hand-crafted Natural Materials:
You will see exposed wood rafters, built-in shelving, and stonework all throughout a Craftsman home. Both exterior and interior attention to detail makes a Craftsman home visually stunning.
o Exposed Rafters & False Beams:
Part of embracing the natural materials in a Craftsman home is incorporating the architecture into the design. Exposed beams, vaulted ceilings, and false beams are charming elements often featured in a Craftsman home.
o Gable Roofs:
While the roofline will vary by home, most Craftsman homes (or Craftsman-inspired) will showcase gable or hip rooflines. A commonly shared feature is a low-pitch roof, though your roofline pitch may need to be altered if you choose to modify your house plan.
o Built-Ins Galore:
A Craftsman home takes all the charm of the exterior design and features them indoors, too! You will never lack for storage in a Craftsman home. With built-in shelving, bookcases, nooks, and window seats, a Craftsman home is the epitome of cozy comfort.
o Covered Porches & Pillars:
Popular Craftsman homes will feature covered porches and columns or pillars framing the entryway to the home. These elements will typically highlight the so-loved natural aspects of the architectural design. Plenty of wood and stone to elevate the exterior design! 
Not all Craftsman homes will contain every expected feature of a classic Craftsman design. Many home plans are inspired by a design style and will reflect that appreciation. A Craftsman home plan is one of many stunning, ideal house styles. An unmistakable, timeless design perfect for growing families or empty-nesters. A Craftsman house plan values function as much as form leaving prospective new homeowners to decide what that means for their lifestyle. Natural elements take precedence over industrial and modern design for a home plan exuding peace and comfort!
If you love the Craftsman style but your selected house plan needs more of that natural look, call Nelson Design Group to discuss modifying your floor plan! Your personal touches turn a house into a home and our design team makes that dream home a reality. Modification and customization is a breeze. Don't settle for any home when you can have it all!