The 1908 house is considered one of the best-preserved examples of the American Arts and Crafts movement. “The home features low-pitched roofs with long overhangs and expressed rafters, shingle siding, and a stained wood-paneled interior with abundant built-ins,” Grochowski says.
The Gambles occupied this Pasadena home until their deaths, and the famed Craftsman house was bequeathed to family. In 1944, the home was for sale, until the prospective buyers mentioned wanting to paint the wood trim white.“They were appalled at the notion and quickly began to realize the architectural importance of the home,” Yeley says. By 1966 the home was deeded to the City of Pasadena and the University of Southern California’s School of Architecture for preservation.
In the Midwest, Frank Lloyd Wright was influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement with his take on craftsmanship as he developed the Prairie style. “The 1910 Robie House in Hyde Park was one of his greatest of this style,” Grochowski says. “It included details such as long overhangs, expressed beams, abundant light, stained glass, and a simple easeful flow.”
One difference between the Craftsman-style home and a Prairie-style home is that the overhanging eaves are much wider and hip roofs are more likely than gables. The Prairie-style homes also employed bigger windows and glasswork.
FAQs: Are Craftsman houses more expensive to build?
It’s no accident that the name of this architectural style comes from the word craftsmanship. “Craftsman-style homes are more expensive to build because of the amount of detail and the quality of materials used in their construction,” Yeley says. “The cost to build a Craftsman home would be at a minimum 15% higher due to this level of craftsmanship.”
The telltale elements include cabinetry with inset doors, elegant latching hardware, and exposed hinges. The dining room eat-in nooks and plenty of other built-ins, as well as stained wood trim, echo the aesthetics. “The elaborate detail of exterior rafter ends and brackets also drive up the costs of a true Craftsman home,” Yeley adds.
Grochowski notes that the premium for this type of artistry is “roughly 20 to 30% more than a typical mass-produced home of another style.” This is in part because the master craftspeople are rare.
New York architect Eric J. Smith, who has over 35 years of experienceworking on traditional and classical architecture, including Craftsman-style home, points out that by its very nature, this design requires far more hours of labor, resulting in higher costs. “These homes will cost a premium—however, to me, it is more than worth it,” Smith says.
Is Craftsman style timeless?
You might not realize it, but if you have an open floor plan concept in your home, you can link it to the notes of spaciousness in the Craftsman style. “In the early 1900s, areas of the home like the kitchen were not generally open to the front rooms of the house,” Yeley says. “In Craftsman style homes, the living room and dining room of the house were very open to each other and seen immediately upon coming in the front door.The dining room was essential to the home as a gathering place for meals, as was the fireplace in the living room.”
