Information on Craftsman Bungalow Architecture

Craftsman-style bungalow homes are part of the Arts and Crafts architecture movement popular from about 1900 to 1930. The architecture was most pervasive in the California bungalow, which featured Japanese-style board and shingle designs.

Concept

The Craftsman bungalow architecture derives from the low-profile homes of India with wide sweeping porches and cross-ventilation under the eaves, according to Tom Paradis, associate professor, Department of Geography, Planning & Recreation at Northern Arizona University.

Arts and Crafts Movement

The Arts and Crafts movement, a reaction to the eclectic Victorian architecture of the day, eschewed busy styling for clean lines and practical, spacious interior floor plans, says Paradis.

The Look

The Craftsman bungalow can be identified by its low-pitched, gabled roof with exposed rafters, wide eaves over large porches, square columns supporting the overhangs and stone or woodwork base, says Paradis.

Japanese Influence

The Japanese Ho-o-den house exhibit at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair inspired architects to use wood construction with gabled roofs and square configurations, according to Paradis.

Origins

Brothers Charles and Henry Greene popularized the bungalow style with their 1908 Gamble House in Pasadena, California, which served as a template for future bungalow styles, according to Antique Home.

Today

Thousands of Craftsman-style homes remain today and have inspired a "neo-Craftsman" movement of custom-built, often larger homes than the originals, according to Paradis.

References

• Dr. Tom Paradis, Northern Arizona University
• Antique Home