When you start shopping for a house, you quickly learn that “cozy” means small. But small doesn’t have to mean cramped; small homes can be designed so that they use space efficiently, but leave you with a smaller pricetag, energy bill, and footprint. One design that utilizes space well is the Craftsman style home, first built around 1905 in California and popularized through the 1920’s all over the United States. They could be stick built, or mail ordered from a catalog, including the Sears & Roebuck!
A Craftsman home is a live-in work of art, first created in the Arts and Crafts period as a deviation from the industrially produced houses of the time. Aficionados of the genre appreciate the intricate woodwork and design elements.
What makes a Craftsman a Craftsman?
1. Gentle sloping roofs and exposed interior beams
2. Distinctive, tapered, square columns for the front porch
3. One story design, sometimes enhanced with attics and dormers
4. Built-in cabinets, nooks, seating and shelving
A surge in interest within the past twenty years has led to renovation of Craftsman homes as well as re-creation of certain elements in newer constructions. You’ll find a good number of homes in this style in the Research Triangle area. Give me a call if you’re interested in finding a Craftsman style home for sale in the Chapel Hill area. I’d love to help you find what you’ve been looking for!
PS Some Craftsman homes them may be described as “mill house” in the real estate ads, and most would also be defined as bungalows…which we’ll talk about next week!
Image courtesy of J L T and Flickr.
