The American Craftsman Style, or the American Arts and Crafts Movement, is an American domestic architectural, interior design and decorative arts style that began in the last years of the 19th century and the early years of the 20th century. Inspired by the writings of John Ruskin and a romantic idealization of the craftsman taking pride in his personal handiwork, it was at its height between approximately 1880 and 1930.

The American Craftsman style has its origins in the earlier British Arts and Crafts movement which dates back to the 1860s. The British movement was a reaction to the degradation of the dignity of human labor resulting from the Industrial Revolution. In many ways it was a reaction against the over-decorated aesthetic and disregard for the worker of the Victorian era. Seeking to ennoble the craftsman once again, the movement emphasized the hand-made over the mass-produced.

Gustav Stickley (1858– 1942) was a furniture maker and architect as well as the leading spokesperson for the American Craftsman movement. In 1901, Stickley founded The Craftsman, a periodical which began by expounding the philosophy of the English Arts & Crafts movement but which matured into the voice of the American movement. These ideas had an enormous influence on Frank Lloyd Wright. Stickley believed that:

• A house ought to be constructed in harmony with its landscape, with special attention paid to selecting local materials;
• An open floor plan would encourage family interaction and eliminate unnecessary barriers;
• Built-in bookcases and benches were practical and ensured that the house would not be completely reliant on furniture from outside;
• Artificial light should be kept to a minimum, so large groupings of windows were necessary to bring in light.

Other design features which have become hallmarks of the style are:

• Low-pitched roof lines, with gabled or hipped roof
• Deeply overhanging eaves
• Exposed rafters or decorative brackets under eaves
• Porches beneath extensions of the main roof
• Tapered, square columns supporting roofs
• 4-over-1 or 6-over-1 double-hung windows
• Hand-crafted stone or woodwork
• Mixed materials throughout structure

The Mahogany Ridge house exemplifies the Craftsman Style because the simplicity of form, natural materials, the visibility of handicraft and aesthetically pleasing design features. One of the key features is that the house fits in harmoniously with its natural landscape. The house sits on an amazingly beautiful site and the placement of the home was thought out carefully to fit perfectly with the natural setting. It was built with natural materials.

For more information about the craftsman style visit American Bungalow at www.ambungalow.com.