Home Style Guide: Craftsman
Handcrafted wood details are the hallmark features of Craftsman-style architecture. Discover how to get the look — with less maintenance and more durability — with Hardie® fiber cement siding.
With their cozy, handcrafted charm, Craftsman-style homes feature some of the most welcoming architectural styles. From the decorative woodwork to the deep-set front porch, discover how re-siding your house can beautifully capture the essence of Craftsman design, blending classic appeal with contemporary convenience.
WHAT ARE CRAFTSMAN ARCHITECTURE STYLES?
Known for their low-pitched roofs, exposed rafters and rich wood detailing, Craftsman-style bungalows create an inviting atmosphere that pairs detailed workmanship with daily practicality. The popularity of house architectural styles dates back to 18th century India — specifically the province of Bengal — where small, one-story homes with open verandas were built for the British colonial authorities.
Referred to as “bangala” or “bangla,” houses were quickly adopted by British settlers in America, who lacked the open space of a veranda in their Colonial-style homes. However, it wasn’t until the international Arts and Crafts movement of the late 1800s that architects began adding intricate woodwork and handcrafted details to the interior and exterior of the bungalows, creating the iconic Craftsman style.
The term “Craftsman” can be attributed to furniture designer Gustav Stickley, who began publishing a monthly magazine, “The Craftsman,” in 1901. Stickley started selling build-your-own-house kits directly from the magazine, and competitor kits soon appeared in Sears retail catalogs. Craftsman-style houses as we know them today took off in southern California but remain common across the Midwest.
KEY ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES OF CRAFTSMAN STYLE
Like many architectural styles, popular elements of Craftsman-style houses have been gradually incorporated into a variety of design schemes. Today, a Craftsman-style house typically refers to a home of one or one and a half stories, with a low-pitched gable or hipped roof and welcoming veranda or covered front porch. The hallmark feature of Craftsman architecture, though, is the rich wood details.
As the name might suggest, Craftsman-style houses have unmistakable craftsmanship, with exposed rafters, decorative brackets and tapered columns. Handcrafted woodwork like detailed beams or braces under gables instantly catches the eye, while wood, stucco or stone embellishments are artfully placed around the home’s perimeter.
Speaking of the home’s perimeter, it’s not a Craftsman-style house without an expansive front porch. Maximizing exterior space, this feature of Craftsman architectural styles marries coziness with functionality, offering the perfect spot for relaxing and socializing. These covered porches and verandas often include thick square or round columns and intricate supports that extend to the ground level.
Like many historical architectural styles, Craftsman-style houses are traditionally constructed with clapboard or wood shingles. Many new homeowners are opting to preserve the historical look of clapboard with modern materials, like Hardie® fiber cement siding, in place of real wood siding or shingles. To complete the Craftsman look, Hardie® Trim boards offer a timeless appeal with a durable finish.
HOW TO REVAMP A CRAFTSMAN-STYLE HOME
Given that its roots trace back to the 1700s, planning a new siding project for a classic Craftsman-style house can be a bit intimidating. When seeking design guidance for your home, it’s best to begin with the basics. Traditionally, Craftsman-style houses use clapboard, a wood-based siding that’s installed horizontally across the majority of the home, with wood shingles accentuating the front porch.
However, many of today’s homeowners opt for durability over tradition when considering siding design ideas. Fiber cement siding, like Hardie® Plank lap siding in Select Cedarmill® finish, mimics the woodgrain charm of Craftsman style but holds no appeal for termites, woodpeckers and other pests. It also provides resistance to wet and freezing conditions as well as hot, humid weather.
If you prefer the look of wood shingles, Hardie® Shingle styles offer similar curb appeal but are specifically formulated to resist damage from predators — like moisture, humidity, pests and fire — that pose threats to wood products. Discover how to re-side your Craftsman-style house with modern finishes that capture this classic architecture’s essence, merging traditional aesthetics with contemporary sensibilities.
Classic combinations for Craftsman style
When Craftsman-style houses first became available in build-your-own kits, yellow pine and birch wood were the most popular finishes. For a classic look, it’s best to select rich, neutral hues that pay homage to the earlier iterations of Craftsman-style architecture.
The Hardie® Plank Siding with Select Cedarmill® finish in Cobble Stone helps achieve that timeless look, especially when paired with the Rustic Grain texture of Hardie® Trim in Arctic White. If you prefer the look of shingle siding, opt for the Hardie® Shingle in Rustic Road.
Contemporary alternatives for Craftsman style
With the materials available today, you can capture the woodgrain feel of authentic Craftsman architecture in far more colors. Take the Hardie® fiber cement Statement Collection® Siding Colors, for instance. The Hardie® Plank Select Cedarmill® Siding in Mountain Sage offers a more elegant look, while Boothbay Blue has a more coastal aesthetic. You can even experiment with colors from the Magnolia Home | James Hardie Collection, like the Hardie® Shingle in Chiseled Green, for a more contemporary design.
Modern interpretations of Craftsman style
Modern iterations of Craftsman-style houses have ditched traditional design guidance and opted for bolder, brighter hues to accentuate the detailed workmanship instead. Popular house colors for a modern Craftsman include deep blue, muted slate and bright whites. Pair it with Hardie® Soffit Panels in White for a finishing touch.
TIMELESS DETAILS WITH MODERN DURABILITY
Embrace the timeless charm of Craftsman-style home, where every element speaks to a legacy of craftsmanship and comfort, with Hardie® siding and trim products. Hardie® fiber cement has been engineered to resist wet and freezing conditions and hot, humid weather. Compared to wood siding, Hardie® fiber cement is water resistant to protect against swelling, warping and cracking.
Explore the James Hardie Product Catalog to begin reimagining the exterior of your Craftsman-style home. If you’re struggling to decide which color palette will accentuate your home’s classic details, head to the Hover® Design Studio tool to visualize the complete collection of Hardie® sidings and color combinations today.
