We Toured 14 Cozy Craftsman Homes, and These Are the Striking Features They All Share
Craftsman homes have been popular for a long time, specifically since the mid- to late-19th century. What makes them so favored might be their well-known characteristics. No matter where you are or what your tastes may be, it’s easy to identify a classic Craftsman-style house.
“A Craftsman home is easy to spot: a big porch with columns, architecture that showcases the beauty of natural materials, a gable roof with exposed beams, large windows, and typically, wood siding,” Apartment Therapy contributor Jennifer Billock said in an article about what realtors think about craftsman homes. “These story-and-a-half-high homes are gorgeous and often historical.”
But even with Craftsman-style homes’ signature elements, homeowners make their spaces feel different and unique while remaining loyal to the home style. Many of the homes will have more than one key characteristic that illustrates this home type, making them even more enticing to look inside. These beautiful differences are best reflected in the following homes.
Earthy Colors
1. A Maker’s Home That Celebrates Craftsmanship & Culture
It’s no surprise that Rachael Donaldson pulled together an earthy, beautiful color scheme in her Craftsman-style home. As a jewelry designer, it’s understandable that tying together color palettes is an integral part of the job. Shades of dark blue and black pair seamlessly with the lighter colors in the bedroom and kitchen.
See more of Donaldson’s mid-century modern space in the full home tour.
2. A “Modern Meets Grandma” California Craftsman
Alison and Bob’s Craftsman home in the Highland Park neighborhood of Los Angeles has the perfect amalgamation of color (pink being her favorite!). The exterior is painted earthy green, while the interior spaces feature deep blues, gray, and bright greens. This couple’s design inspiration is adulthood, and while their color choices are sophisticated, there’s a bit of whimsy to them, too.
Step inside the full home tour to see more of this colorful home.
3. A “Kennedys Go Camping” Restored California Craftsman
It might be surprising that actors and writers Amanda Lund and Matt Gourley did most of the work on their traditional, vintage home in Pasadena, California. The home features lots of earth-influenced colors, like sea moss, deep (and light!) blue, and gray. “I guess we’d call it ‘Mid-Craftsman?’ ‘Mid-Century Rustic?’ I don’t know, maybe ‘if the Kennedys went camping.’ That’s it,” the couple explained of their home’s style at the time of the tour.
Visit the full home tour to see how the couple created a dreamy space.
4. A 1920s Detroit Craftsman Is Being Creatively Renovated One DIY Project at a Time
When Andy Grant and her husband, Cody, moved into their 1920s Craftsman home in Detroit, Michigan, the space needed much work — including adding, and sometimes removing, color. “When I first moved in, every single surface in the home needed repainting (and I mean that — the kitchen was teal and sunshine yellow),” Grant wrote at the time of the tour. Now, the walls have a nice balance of green, blue, and orange.
See more of the colorful space in the full home tour.
Natural Materials
5. A Lovingly Renovated Charming Craftsman in Oakland
Even though this over-100-year-old Craftsman home needed a complete renovation, Brandon and Brett Foken were up for the challenge because of its solid bones. “Everything from the custom built-ins to the wood columns, ceiling beams, wall paneling, trim, baseboards, and crown molding was part of the original design of the 100-year-old home, and the level of craftsmanship isn’t something you typically come across in many homes these days,” Brett shared at the time of the tour. Their renovations honored the integrity of the space while bringing it into the modern era.
Visit the full home tour to see more of this gorgeous home.
6. A “Homebody’s Haven” Vintage Craftsman Home
Sienna and Javod find inspiration from vintage pieces, so it’s no surprise that the couple would admire the historic elements, like the natural wood beams and molding, in their mid-century modern Craftsman in San Jose, California. “Although the original 1920s built-ins and wood paneling in the living and dining rooms soak up a lot of light, we appreciate that they’ve remained relatively untouched,” the couple shared at the time of the tour.
Explore how these homebodies live in their gorgeous space in the full home tour.
7. Jill & Chris’ Refreshing Prairie-Style Craftsman Home
Jill Dudones and Chris Campbell often hear the same remark when guests enter their Prairie-style Craftsman home in Illinois. “People usually first comment on the dark woodwork, which is so heavily pronounced and designed into every room, from the original hallway built-in cabinets, glass curios in the parlor, picture rails to the ceiling vaults in the dining room,” the couple said at the time of the tour. It’s understandable why this is the first thought of visitors; the deep, dark wood is beautifully striking.
Visit the full home tour to see more of the natural wood.
Large Covered Porches
8. A New England Craftsman Colonial Goes Contemporary
The large, covered front porch is one of Sarah and her husband Keith’s favorite parts of their 1910 Craftsman-style home in Melrose, Massachusetts. And it’s easy to see why. The hanging swing looks like the perfect place to curl up with a cup of coffee or stay dry from the rain while enjoying the outdoors.
Step inside their cozy space in the full home tour.
9. Before & After: A Dark, Dated California Craftsman Is Now a Cozy, Bright Home
When Victoria Cho and her partner, Ryan N., moved into a 1912 Craftsman home in Los Angeles, they knew it needed a lot of work. However, they were up for the challenge, and it was the first time Cho, a designer, was “intimately involved in the design” process for her own home. When Apartment Therapy toured the home, the renovations were complete, and the couple was working on the landscaping, which they likely enjoy now from their gorgeous front porch.
Explore the full home tour to see more of this California pad.
10. A Charming 99-Year-Old Craftsman Bungalow Has Been Beautifully Restored
Christian Doble and Alicia Gbur’s over-99-year-old home not only has a large, covered front porch, but also a copper roof. On rainy days, the drops hitting the tin roof are likely equivalent to white noise. The entire space has been a blessing for the couple, though. “It was this home that helped us realize our joint passions for restoring and designing spaces,” the pair explained at the time of the tour.
See more of this charming house in the full home tour.
A Focal Fireplace in the Living Room
11. A First-Time Homeowner Hits the Jackpot with This Craftsman Gem
When Hayley Francis became a first-time homeowner of this bohemian, glam Craftsman home in Seattle, Washington, one of her main goals was to ensure that all guests felt warm and happy in the space. And when sitting next to her large fireplace in the living room, which is bookended by two built-in bookshelves, guests likely feel just that.
Check out the full home tour to see more of this incredible space.
12. A Bold 1934 Craftsman Bungalow Proves Nature Has the Best Color Inspiration
It’s common for fireplaces to be the centerpiece of living rooms in Craftsman-style homes. However, the one in Christopher and Jessica Brigham’s bohemian, glam home takes it up a notch. It might be because of the striking yellow mantel or the artwork that hangs above it — but whatever the reason, it’s fair to assume that all guests’ eyes are drawn to that area.
Visit the full home tour to see more of this bohemian house.
Built-in Shelving
13. A California Craftsman with ’70s Cabin Vibes
When Jennifer Carolina Tredinnick was growing up, she spent most of her time in nature. So it’s no surprise that the wood built-ins in her rustic, vintage rental are one of her favorite elements in her home. “I grew up in a small town in the woods, so a lot of my inspiration comes from nature. I’m drawn to fall colors and cozy cabin vibes,” Tredinnick said at the time of the tour. “There are a lot of elements to this home that I love. All the built-ins are sanded down to the original wood, and they match the hardwood floors.”
Explore more of this 1970s-themed space in the full home tour.
14. The Author of “Minimalista” Lives in an Inspiringly Organized California Craftsman
The built-in shelving in professional organizer and author Shira Gill’s organic modern home (which she shares with Jordan and two daughters) is likely a significant win. Unsurprisingly, the organization expert has decked out every shelf with baskets, organizers, and name tags. “The built-in cabinets function as our liquor cabinet as well as storage for platters, vases, candles, art supplies, organizing supplies, work and reference materials, and our tiny portable printer,” Shira wrote of the dining room cabinetry at the time of the tour.
Visit the full home tour to see this exceptionally organized space.