Kenmore Undressed

The Craftsman-Style Home: Alive and Well

I live in a modern version of the Craftsman-Style home in Kenmore. Here in the Northwest, this particular architectural style was and still is popular in both its new and old forms. What’s a Craftsman home? First, a short history lesson. The modern craftsman-style home is a descendent of the bungalow or bangala, a one-story house from India with a low, extended roof that created a shady, well-ventilated veranda for outdoor living. When the British occupied India, they often summered in bangalas, but it wasn’t until early in the next century that the bungalow caught on. Then there evolved what is known as the Arts and Crafts movement in England and America at the turn of the 19th Century. The movement focused on the notion of “craftsmen” taking pride in personal handiwork. Here’s a wonderful example of a classic Seattle Bungalow: 

The Craftsman-style home really took off during the early 1900’s in the United States when a huge number of new communities exploded in California, Texas and Florida. Because of it’s practical design, architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright, Harvey Ellis, Gustav Stickley and the Greens created a huge number of craftsman plans. Some of these plans were used by Sears and Montgomery Ward for mail order homes that could be shipped by rail to the the building location. So here’s a beautiful Craftsman in the Wallingford Neighborhood of Seattle:

I have to say, the Craftsman-Style home is one of the most versatile and durable of home styles. I’ve seen them all over the United States, from New Jersey to small mid-west towns. There are a huge number of them here in the Seattle area. In fact, many of the new homes constructed in the Northwest in the last decade take their inspiration from craftsman features. Yes, even Kenmore has craftsman homes. Just take a look at this beauty:

Yes, this is my house right after it was built in 2005. Bridlepath, my neighborhood, is comprised of similar homes. So what characterizes a Craftsman home?

As a realtor, I love previewing Craftsman homes. They are always homes with personality both inside and out. They populate many classic Seattle area neighborhoods, and they were usually well-built. If I were in the market for an older home, my first choice would be a Craftsman.