The History of Gustav Stickley Craftsman Style Homes

The name “Craftsman” comes from the title of a magazine published by the famous furniture designer, Gustav Stickley in the early 1900’s. A true Craftsman house is one that is built according to the plans published in Gustav’s magazine. But other magazines, pattern books, and mail order house catalogs began to publish plans for houses with Craftsman style details. Soon the word “Craftsman” came to mean any house that expressed Arts and Crafts ideals, most especially the simple, economical, and popular Bungalow.

Arts and Crafts, or Craftsman, houses have many of these features:

• Wood, stone, or stucco siding
• Low-pitched roof
• Wide eaves with triangular brackets
• Exposed roof rafters
• Porch with thick square or round columns
• Stone porch supports
• Exterior chimney made with stone
• Open floor plans; few hallways
• Numerous windows
• Some windows with stained or leaded glass
• Beamed ceilings
• Dark wood wainscoting and moldings
• Built-in cabinets, shelves, and seating

Craftsman Styles

A Craftsman house is often a Bungalow, but many other styles can have Arts and Crafts, or Craftsman, features.

• Bungalow
• Prairie
• Mission
• Foursquare
• Western Stick
• Pueblo